Alien Employment Permit
The Alien Employment Permit is the Department of Labor's permission to employ a foreign national. It comes before the visa, and it is priced by the year of validity you ask for.
The AEP costs ₱6,000 for one year, plus ₱5,000 for each additional year or fraction of one, so ₱11,000 for two years and ₱16,000 for three. Processing is 15 working days after payment. Renewal is ₱6,000 and can be filed 60 days before expiry.
What the government charges
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| AEP, 1 year validity Department of Labor and Employment | ₱6,000 |
| Each additional year, or fraction Maximum 3 years | ₱5,000 |
| Renewal Per year of validity | ₱6,000 |
| Card replacement, loss or amendment DOLE | ₱3,000 |
| Certificate of Exclusion or Exemption Per issuance | ₱2,000 |
| Total government fees | ₱22,000 |
DOLE fee schedule as published in the Bureau of Local Employment's AEP FAQs of 15 June 2026. Older guides still quote ₱10,000, which was the pre-2025 rate.
Who needs this
- Any foreign national taking employment in the Philippines.
- Employers hiring a foreign national, who is the applicant in practice.
Who does not
- Foreign nationals holding a valid Certificate of Exclusion or Certificate of Exemption.
- Intra-corporate transferees in certain treaty categories, which have their own route.
How it is done
- Publish the vacancyA newspaper of general circulation, at least 15 days before filing. The publication is valid for 45 days, and the application must land inside that window.
- File the applicationEmployer registration number, contract, passport, qualifications, the publication and the affidavit that no Filipino applicant was found.
- Pay and wait 15 working daysProcessing starts after payment. The card follows.
- Take it to the BureauThe AEP is the foundation of the 9G. Where the DOLE receipt is accepted in place of the card, that is a filing convenience, not a substitute for issuance.
Deadline and what happens if you miss it
Publication at least 15 days before filing, and filing within 45 days of publication. That window, not the 15 working days of processing, is what delays files. Renewal opens 60 days before expiry.
Why files get refused at the counter
- Filing 14 days after publication, before the notice period has run.
- Filing 46 days after publication, with an expired notice.
- A published position that does not match the contract.
- No understudy or skills development plan where the employer is required to submit one.
Who does what
You
Sign the contract with the exact position, salary and duration, and provide the credentials.
LPP
Sequence the publication, the filing and the visa so the 45-day window is not wasted, and prepare the understudy plan where it applies.
Accredited partner
Files with DOLE and follows the release.
Have this filed without the guesswork
Send the file to us. We confirm the current fee with the agency, prepare the documents, and tell you in writing what is missing before anything is submitted.
Start this case See our feesSources
- DOLE, AEP FAQs, 15 June 2026: https://dole.gov.ph/php_assets/uploads/2026/06/AEP-FAQs.pdf
- Bureau of Immigration, 9G checklist: https://immigration.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/pdf/06%20Non-Immigrant%20Visa/9G_Checklist_131-A.pdf
Last verified against the issuing agency on 2026-10-24. If an agency changes a fee or a deadline after that date, this page is out of date and we correct it before quoting.
Related
The AEP publication rule
The vacancy must be published at least 15 days before the AEP is filed, and the publication expires after 45 days. Why t
no government fee9G work visa (pre-arranged employment)
9G conversion at the BI costs ₱10,130 for one year, plus US$50 for the ACR I-Card. The DOLE AEP at ₱6,000 must be issued
₱10,130 for one year