This document outlines the requirements and procedures for accrediting foreign placement agencies (FPAs) and direct employers by Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) according to Department of Labor and Employment Administrative Order 168 from 2013. It details the documentation needed for initial accreditation of FPAs and employers, as well as conditions for dual/multiple accreditation. Grounds and processes for suspension, cancellation, or revocation of accreditation are also provided. Accreditation is typically valid for 2 years for FPAs and 4 years for direct employers unless suspended or revoked earlier. The document also discusses bans on direct hiring and exceptions for name hires.

1. Part B. Accreditation of
Foreign Placement Agency
(FRA) and Employers by POLO
Sec. 17-27: DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

2. What are the requirements for Accreditation/Verification of
FPA?
SPA/Recruitment
Agreement/Service
Agreement
Job Order of he FPA
to PRA (indicating
positions, number of
positions required and
salary per positions)
Job order of the direct
employer to the FPA
(indicating the number of
positions required an salary
per positions)
Business license or
equivalent
document of the
direct employer
Master employment
contact from the
direct employer
signed on all pages
Contingency plan as
may be applicable
Letter of
Undertaking from
both FPA and direct
employer
Sec. 17, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

3. What are the requirements for
Accreditation/Verification of Direct Employer?
SPA/Recruitment
Agreement/Service
Agreement
JO of the employer to
the PRA (indicating the
number of positions required
and salary per position)
Copy of valid
commercial
registration/business
license of the employer
Master employment
contract signed on all
pages by the employer
Letter of Undertaking
from the employer
Contingency plan, as
may be applicable

4. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR STAFFING
/OUTSOURCING COMPANY ACTING AS EMPLOYER
OF THE WORKERS: List of names and address of
the principal’s/company’s clients.
Sec. 17, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

5. REQUIREMENT/CONDITIONS FOR DUAL/MULTIPLE ACCREDITATION
REMEMBER:
A direct employer (not FPA) may be accredited
to a maximum of three (3) Philippine
recruitment agencies upon compliance to the
following:
All requirements cited in Section 17
Undertaking by the employer that it will
comply with its obligations to the other
agency/ies as agreed upon between them
and evidenced in their respective
recruitment/service agreements.
No diminution in the compensation
package for projects in the same jobsite
New job order for at least 50 workers
List of deployed workers under JOs
previously approved with the other PRAs
Se. 18, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

6. REQUIREMENT/CONDITIONS FOR DUAL/MULTIPLE
ACCREDITATION
REMEMBER:
A Foreign Placement Agency (FPA) may be
accredited to a maximum of two (2)
Philippine recruitment agencies upon
compliance with the following:
No diminution of compensation
package;
New job order for at least 50 workers;
and
Minimum deployment of 50 workers
for the first agency within a period of
one year immediately preceding the
request for dual accreditation
Sec. 18, DOLE AO 18, s. 2013

7. CONDITIONS FOR CANCEL/TRANSFER OF
ACCREDITATION
 Affidavit or verified letter fro FPA/employer revoking its appointment
and/or accreditation with an existing PRA and transferring the same
to a new one;
 No diminution in the compensation package previously approved by
the POLO;
 Undertaking by the transferee agency that it shall assume full and
compete responsibility for all the contractual obligations of the
principal to its workers originally recruited and processed by the
former agency;
 Notice to existing agency/ies.
Sec. 19, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

8. REMEMBER:
• POLO shall immediately notify the POEA, within 24 hours, of the
revocation/cancellation and transfer of accreditation of a foreign
principal/employer to another PRA.

9. POLO suspends
verification of
employment documents
and accreditation of
FPA/Employer
Suspension of all
documentary processing
at POLO and POEA
WHAT DOES SUSPENSION ENTAIL?
Sec. 20,DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

10. WHAT ARE THE GROUNDS FOR
TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF POLO
VERIFICATION AND ACCREDITATON OF
FOREIGN EMPLOYERS AND PRINCIPALS?
Sec. 20, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

11. • Unjustified failure to repatriate/assist its distressed workers
• A reasonable ground to believe that continued accreditation would
lead to the continued exploitation of any or all of its workers and
applicants, or pose imminent danger to the lives and safety of its
workers;
• Prima facie evidence of flagrant violations/non-compliance of the
employer with its contractual obligations;
• When there is a hired worker/complainant who is either a minor or
below the prescribed minimum age; and
• Misrepresentation and/or submission of fraudulent documents.
Sec. 20, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

12. REMEMBER:
• A Notice of Temporary Suspension shall be issued by the POLO to the
concerned FPA/Employer
• Temporary suspension of accreditation shall be lifted immediately
upon the satisfactory settlement of worker’s claims/compliance with
the conditions for lifting the suspension of document/verification and
principal/employer accreditation.
• POLO shall issue a certificate of reinstatement/revalidation of FPAs or
Employer’s accreditation.
Sec. 20, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

13. VALIDITY OF POLO ACCREDITATION
FOUR (4) YEARS –
DIRECT EMLOYERS
TWO (2) YEARS
FOR FOREIGN
PLACEMENT
AGENCY
UNLESS SUSPENDED, SOONER REVOKED OR CANCELLED BY THE
POLO OR THE POEA, FOR VIOLATION OF THE POLO/POEA RULES.
Sec. 21,DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

14. REMEMBER:
• POLOs shall immediately inform POEA of any suspension, revocation
or cancellation of employer/principal accreditation, and vice versa for
reflection in their respective database.
• Suspension, revocation or cancellation, initiated by either POLO or
POEA shall be effective in both offices.
Sec. 21, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

15. WHAT ARE THE GROUNDS FOR
CANCELLATION/REVOCATION OF
ACCREDITATION?
Sec. 23, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

16. Motu propio revocation/cancellation on the following
grounds:
• Expiration of the principal’s business license or cessation of business
or recruitment activity for a minimum of one (1) year;
• Mutual agreement between FPA/Employer and PRA to pre-terminate
the agreement;
• False documentation or misrepresentation in connection with the
application for accreditation;
• Final judgment in disciplinary action against the FPA/employer by the
POEA; and
• Failure to comply with the undertaking submitted as requirement for
accreditation
Sec. 23, DOLE AO168, s. 2013

17. PROCEDURE FOR REVOCATION/CANCELLATION
1) POLO to communicate with concerned FPA/Employer and PRA
Require them to submit
comments within five (5)
days upon receipt of
notice
2) Evaluation
POLO to evaluate merits
of the responses. Failure
to respond shall be
construed as a waiver
and POLO to proceed
immediately to
investigation
3) Issue a decision
In case of
revocation/cancellation,
notify all concerned
parties in writing.
Sec. 24, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

18. WHAT IF THEY APPLY FOR RE-ACCREDITATION?
• Such requests shall be treated as new applications; and therefore
shall undergo the process discussed earlier.
Sec. 25, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

19. BAN ON DIRECT-HIRING OF HSWs
• This is strictly implemented in all Posts with the following exceptions
defined under POEA MC No. 44, s. 1996 and DOLE Memo dated 3 Dec
2008.
Sec. 26, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013

20. PROCESSING OF PROFESSIONAL/SKILLED/SEMI/LOW SKILLED AS
NAME HIRES
• The ban on direct hiring pursuant to Art. 18 of the Labor Code is
strictly implemented; however employers who wish to employ limited
number of workers without a local licensed agency may request the
POEA to process their employment as name hires subject t the ff
limitations:
• Employment contracts shall be individually processed by POLO;
• Maximum of ten (10) name hires shall be allowed for every employer; and
• Employers shall secure the prescribed insurance for the worker.
Sec. 27, DOLE AO 168, s. 2013