Don’t Pay For Pre-employment Requirements That You Can Get For Free

Looking for a job isn’t easy, especially when you’re fresh out of university. You can even call it the first step in your adulting journey.

And it can get rather overwhelming really fast. After all, it’s something brand new and it involves many job portals and fairs. It also involves a lot of paperwork here in the Philippines.

Most companies need you to provide an extensive list of documents when you apply for a job. This includes a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) certified copy of your birth certificate, a recent National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance, to name a few. Most of these documents have to be obtained from government agencies and there’s usually a fee attached to it. That is unless you are a first-time job seeker.

Don’t pay unnecessarily

If you’re a fresh graduate and applying for a job for the first time, these documents can be obtained from the relevant government offices for free. The Republic Act (RA) 11261, also known as the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act, is a law that waives government fees and charges in issuing job application documents to first-time job seekers and it has been in effect since 2019.

The purpose was to help alleviate the cost of looking for a job for college graduates, those who completed vocational training, high school graduates as well as individuals looking to apply for part-time jobs. Otherwise, they would have to fork out money for these documents even before they earn an income.

However, many jobseekers are unaware, and fall prey to scammers or fixers who tell clueless applicants that these documents cost money and charge up to triple the amount of a single document as a “processing fee.” Don’t be one of them and get the documents yourself for free if you qualify.

How do I get the documents I need for free?

The key to unlocking the various required government documents for free is to secure a barangay certification from your local barangay office to verify that you are a first-time job seeker. Take note that you must be a resident of the barangay that is issuing the certificate for at least six (6) months.

With this barangay certification, signed by the punong barangay, you can now approach these government agencies for the following documents:

If you needed all the above documents for your job application and had to pay for it, it would cost at least P800, without your first-time job seeker barangay certification.

Aside from the above forms, medical certificates from public hospitals or from the Department of Health are issued at no cost. You will have to pay for any laboratory test and medical procedures you have to do to obtain the medical certificate though.

If you require certificates from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, these are also free for first-time job seekers, according to the Bureau of Local Employment. Certain ones issued by the Maritime Industry Authority and the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration are also available at no cost.

After you get your pre-employment documents, don’t forget to make copies as the documents can only be obtained for free once. If you need another copy, you’ll have to dig into your wallet to pay for it at the prevailing cost.

When applying for a role, use certified true copies of your pre-employment documents instead of the original copies. According to a labor advisory issued by the Bureau of Local Employment, private companies have to accept certified true copies of the pre-employment documents from the issuing government authority. You only need to submit the original copies after a company has offered you a job.

Remember to utilise this benefit as a first-time job seeker to save yourself some money while looking for a job, and not pay unnecessarily. All the best for your job hunt!