The exit clearance come in the form of an E-Receipt (electronic receipt) or an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) certifying to the regularity of a workers recruitment and documentation and ensures exemption from travel tax and airport terminal fee.  It is presented at the POEA Labor Assistance Center (LAC) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) counter at the airports, prior to departure.The E-Receipt or OEC serves as the worker’s guarantee that he/she is covered by government protection and benefits.

When the Aupair Visa is approved you need to go to POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) at POEA Bldg., Ortigas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City that’s the building located in front of Robinsons Ortigas.

Step 1. First of all you need to prepare the document be sure to have the originals and photocopies with you when you go to the POEA office. The following documents are needed:

1. Au pair contract- signed by the au pair and the head of the host family duly authenticated by the Philippine Embassy in Oslo, Norway or the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Copenhagen Denmark. (Contract with red ribbon )
2. Copy of passport- the information page with your pictures/info and the most important  the page where the stamped valid au pair visa.
3. 2×2 ID picture

Upon submission of the 2 documents above they will check if you have the right documents then you will be referred or endorsed to accredited DOH (Department of Health) medical clinics and OWWA PDOS seminar.

Pre-departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS)

- PDOS Room at the 2nd Floor POEA Bldg.
This is a seminar conducted for departing Filipino Overseas Workers which includes aupairs to address their concerns in their host countries

• Travel regulations;
• Immigration procedures;
• Cultural differences;
• Settlement concerns;
• Employment and social security concerns; and
• Rights and obligations of Filipino migrants
  Here are the steps when attending the PDOS seminar:
  • Present the PDOS endorsement form and register at the designated desk outside the PDOS Room at the 2nd Floor
  • Attend the seminar on the designated schedule.
  • Get the Certificate of Attendance from the PDOS Officer

  2: Medical Examination

  You need to find the cheapest medical clinics prices ranges from 1,500 php and above. When you have any dental problems you need to have it done outside not in the medical clinic because they charge higher than dental clinics. Ask around or like the Filipina Aupair Facebook Page and ask the experiences of aupairs who underwent the medical examinations maybe they can refer cheap clinics.I think the examination will take around 1 day if you don’t have any health problems and the clinic will issue “FIT FOR WORK” certificate.

Note: Since the PDOS is scheduled once or twice a week I supposed that medical exam can be done while waiting for your PDOS schedule.

STEP 4:

Payment at the POEA
Now you have to go back to the POEA to make payments just be sure to come as early as possible. Please be sure to have all your requirements with you.

1. PDOS Certificate
2. Medical Certificate of “Fit for Work”
3. Payments:
• POEA processing fee: 100 US $ or PHL Peso equivalent
• OWWA membership contribution : 25 US$ PHL Peso equivalent
• PHILHEALTH : 900 PHP
Total Amount : more or less 6,350.00 depending on the current foreign exchange rate.

Now after reviewing your documents they will issue the OEC certificate.



Overseas Employment Certificate Photo Credit: POEA website

What is Overseas Employment Certificate?
During your departure you need to show the OEC so that you will be exempted in paying the At the Airport:

The process will take around 10 days including the Medical Exam considering that you don’t have any health problems. To avoid delay prepare your documents before going to the POEA and come early.

Note:You will present your Passport and OEC at Airport upon your departure at the airport which grant your exemption from travel tax and airport terminal fee

Info Source:
• www.poea.gov.ph/default.htm
• www.philembassy.no

Au pairs who were granted less than 24 months can apply for extension before the end of their residence permit. Remember its not automatic you have to submit a new application form which you download Application form for Extension of Aupair Permit Fill it up, state that you are applying for extension, submit to the Immigration Service or in the police station if you live outside the Metro Copenhagen area and do’nt forget that starting January 1 , 2011 there is a processing fee for the application for residence permit .You can stay with the same Host Family while the application is on process.

Submit your application of extension not later than 2 months before your permit to stay expires or you risk to that it will be rejected and be sent back to your country if you are staying illegally and be given an entry ban to Denmark for a certain period of time.

For further detail visit the Immigration Service website Extension of Residence Permit
Processing Fee
Extension for au pairs and interns
(Applications for extension of a residence permit under the Danish Aliens Act, section 9c(1))
DKK 1,650 (€ 223). I assume that the host family will shoulder the processesing fee.

Magandang balita sa mga aupairs na nasa Denmark

Simula ng ika-20 ng Mayo 2011 pwede na kayong mag apply ng extension ng inyong kontrata bilang aupair sa inyong kasalukuyang Host Family. Ito ay para sa mga au pair na may residensya na naaprubahan ng 18 buwan o 1 1/2 taon. Kailangang magsumite ng panibagong aplikasyon na kailangang pirmahan ng Host family at ng au pair. Pareho pa rin ang mga kailangang sundin ng aupair at ng Host family para maaprubahan ang aplikasyon. Kailangan lang na  ang mga insurance na kinuha ng pamilya sa inyo ay hindi pa paso dahil kalimitan naman ay  isang taon ang bisa  pero kung hindi naman ay hingin ninyo na ikuha kayo ng panibago para na rin sa kasiguraduhan ninyo at ng pamilya kung anuman ang mangyari sa inyo. Ang pagkakaiba nga lang ay kailangang magbayad ng ng 1,650 dkk pag nagsumite ng aplikasyon.

Tiyakin lang na ang pasaporte ng aplikante ay hindi pa exprired dahil duon nila ibabase ang haba ng permiso na ibibigay nila. Importante din na isumite ang aplikasyon 2 buwan bago ang orihinal na permiso ay mawalan ng bisa dahil pwede nilang hindi tanggapin kung ang visa mo ay paso na at pwede ka pang ipapulis at pauwiin sa bansa kung ikaw ang nasa Denmark ng illegal.

Incooperation of Au pair Network
(Babaylan,FAD,FOA,KIT & more)

your body….your responsibility…

topics;
sex & sexuality, menstruation & pregnacy, family planing,unwanted pregnancy, maternal health services, std, HIV infection & treatment,how to avoid HIV,how to receive treatment, the right use of condom, pre & post HIV test counselling,HIV quick test demonstration.

Speakers:

Dra. Maria Lurenda Westergaard ( Filipina doctor in Glostrup Hospital & a member of Babaylan Denmark)

Ravi Chandran ( Singaporian, Project leader, Cross over Organisation)

Everybody are welcome to attend the seminar & you have the oppurtunity to ask question & also for counselling.

Pls. register now; 25kr
we will also serve dinner after the seminar

for more info:
email: analind@babaylan.dk or rozvi@kit-danmark.dk

Announcement-requiem-mass-for-geraldine-a-Filipina-aupair-in-Denmark

Geraldine Rivera died last Saturday April 9,2011 while crossing the Coastal Road between Hellerup and Charlottenlund in North Zealand in Denmark. She was hit by a couple riding their motorbikes. She came to Denmark with the hope of helping her family out of poverty but her sudden death makes it painful and brought sorrow to her family. She came from the province of Alaminos, Pangasinan leaving behind her 85 year old sickly grandfather and a minor age brother.

The Philippine Embassy in Oslo with the kindness of the Philippine Consul Poul Krough are arranging the repatriation procedures and pursuing the insurance of those who ran her over to cover all the expenses and indemnities with the support of the Filipino community in Denmark.

You are all welcome especially au pairs who wants to pay their last respect to the remains of Geraldine youa re welcome at the St. Anne’s Church Dronning Elizabeth 3, 2300 Kbh. S at 2.00 pm. As expressed by au pairs in the Fagebook page they were really affected by Geraldine’s faith and they are willing to contribute to help her family in this time of sorrow.

Donations and any amount contribution is greatly appreciated as it will be used to pay for defray expenses and the rest will given to the Rivera family. You can give your donations during the mass or you can give it my organization’s account and we will forward to Filcom Denmark

Bank Details:
EIK BANK
BABAYLAN-DENMARK
Registration Nr – 6610
Account Nr – 2494890 Write in your note: Geraldine.

They will go through the au pair scheme, explaining the conditions and the rights and obligations of au pairs and host families. The Aupair Support will answer also your questions and give advice. If you have any issues that you would like to talk about privately, there will be an opportunity for individual counselling immediately after the information session

Event Date

12/07/2010

Event Time

From: 19:00 – To: 21:00

Event Venue

Borgergade 10, 5. sal, DK-1300 Copenhagen

Event TimeZone

(GMT+1) Europe/Copenhagen

Philippine-old-and-new-passport

Here is the announcement from the embassy:

Dear Friends and Kababayans in Denmark,

Enclosed, please find, the latest announcement of the Philippine Embassy concerning the Mobile Machine Readable Passporting Service & Consular Outreach of the Philippine Embassy scheduled for 10-11 December 2010 at the Store Sal of Sankt Annæ Kirke.

Please take note that this is going to be a LIMITED Consular Outreach. As per instructions from Manila, we will be limiting this consular outreach to a maximum of 200 applicants (100 for each day) who should have Green Philippine passports that are either:
1. Expired, or
2. About to expire in the next six (6) months (i.e. passports which will expire anytime between December 2010 to May 2011)

This is due to the eventual phasing out of the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) to give way to the new & improved ePassport which we will be issuing soon.
The enclosed announcement is REQUIRED READING for all qualified applicants as it also contains a list of requirements.
Below is the link to our photo guidelines, which is also REQUIRED READING for all qualified applicants:
http://www.philembassy.no/consular-services/passport/machine-readable-passport
Others who do not qualify for this Consular Outreach are encouraged to wait for the electronic passport (ePassport) outreach to Copenhagen by the Embassy in early 2011. They are encouraged to visit www.philembassy.no from time to time for further announcements.
In the meantime, allow us to thank you in advance for your continued support and cooperation in this project. Feel free to spread the word.
Salamat at mabuhay po kayo!

Sincerely,
Lenna
LENNA EILLEEN C. DE DIOS-SISON
Third Secretary and Vice Consul
Philippine Embassy
4th Floor, Nedre Vollgate 4
0158 Oslo, NORWAY
+47 2240 0904 (Direct Line)
+47 2241 7401 (Fax)

Requirements for Renewal of passport:

• Personal appearance
• Duly accomplished application form which can be downloaded here
• 3 pieces colored passport photos against colored background take within the last six (6) month
• Present the old green passport and photocopy of the data page and the back cover, photocopies of the latest Immigration departure and arrival stamps

Additional Requirements of Lost  or damaged passports:

• you need the original copy of police report in English
• Photocopy of your lost passport or original birth authenticated certificate
• other supporting document for example; Marriage contract, PRC/IBP ID, Land Title, GSIS record, Old SSS E1 form or digitized ID, School form or Transcript of records, Driver’s license, Baptismal certificate, Income tax return and other document that shows full name, birth details and citizenship of apllicant.

Payment:

You can download the Guidelines for the Selection and Deployment of Filipino Aupairs to Denmark here

Source of Information: The Philippine Embassy in Oslo

Standard Contract for Aupairs in Norway

Complete set of Aupair residence permit application to Denmark

After extensive discussions and negotiations with the government of Norway and various agencies in the Philippines, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Labor and Employment have announced the lifting of the ban on the deployment of au pairs bound for Norway. The order will take effect immediately. Norway is the only other country in Europe (the other is Switzerland) where the ban has been lifted.

Both agencies expressed satisfaction that the conditions prevailing in Norway warrant sufficient safety nets to promote and protect the rights and welfare of the au pairs in this country. The Norwegian government has also exercised flexibility and accommodation of the Philippine government’s requirements to provide safety nets to provide health insurance for au pairs as well as cover their repatriation in case of death or when they are no longer able to fulfil their contracts due to terminal illness and other similar reasons. According to the Norwegian authorities, the au pair contract has already been amended to reflect such provisions and will be effective in June 2010.

The POEA will be announcing the appropriate guidelines in implementing the order. Au pair contracts will now have to be submitted to the Philippine Embassy in Oslo for authentication. The contract will then have to be submitted to the Philippine Overseas Employment Authority (POEA) to obtain the necessary permit and for the applicants to undergo pre-departure orientation seminars to prepare them for their new life in Norway. The au pair will, of course, have to obtain the requisite visa from the Norwegian Embassy in Manila, The contract, the passport with the requisite visa and the POEA permit will be presented to the Bureau of Immigration upon departure.

The Embassy and the POEA have also developed a DVD to be used in the pre-departure orientation of future au pairs to acquaint them with their new life in Norway.

The Philippine Embassy reiterates its warning to au pairs not to give any amount to any party or middlemen to facilitate their departure. Any attempt to obtain money from au pairs, outside the official fees duly acknowledged with official receipts, should be reported immediately to the Philippine Embassy or the Department of Labor and Employment for appropriate action.

The Embassy is also in the final stages of negotiations with Denmark so that the ban could also be lifted on au pairs bound for this country. The Minister of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs, Birthe Røhn Hornbech has indicated her positive response to the proposals of the Philippine Embassy on the matter.

With the lifting of the ban , the two countries have now aligned their otherwise divergent policies on the matter, and should, hopefully reduce or eliminate the factors leading to the exploitation of the system. Au pairs will now be given an opportunity to learn about Norway and in turn be able to help their host families.

This lifting ban doesn’t mean that the aupair problems will stop but will surely will increase but reading the Guidelines or a memorandum of Agreement between the two countries at least the aupairs will have the security in case they become sick or die during their au pair stay then they host family will shoulder their repatriation. (Will discuss it further next post)

The aspiring Filipino aupairs should always be reminded that the AUPAIR is not a DOMESTIC HELPER, know their aupair rights and of course speak up if you think you are being abused and don’t pay anything to middle men/illegal agents/agencies.

Philippines Embassy in Norway will conduct an Consular Outreach program in Denmark so for those Filipino passport holders in Denmark who still hold a green passport now it’s your time to renew or submit your applications without going to Norway since renewal of the new machine readable passport requires your personal appearance in the embassy.

Here’s the announcement from the embassy:

CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSION IN DENMARK (June 13, 2010)

Dear Friends and Kababayans in Denmark,
The Philippine Embassy is pleased to announce that it will be conducting another Consular Outreach Mission in Denmark on June 13 at the Storsal of Skt. Annæ Kirke. We urge you to kindly spread the word so that we can reach as many Filipinos in the country as possible. Below are the details.

CONSULAR OUTREACH MISSION IN DENMARK (June 13, 2010)
The Philippine Embassy will be conducting mobile Machine Readable Passporting Services in Copenhagen, Denmark on 13 June (Sunday) at the Storsal, Skt. Annæ Kirke at Hans Bogbinders Allé 2, 2300 København S starting 9AM-12NN and 1-6PM.
Kindly refer to our website for the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) application requirements and make sure to bring COMPLETE requirements. Please also make sure to include a photocopy of the data page of your old passport and its amendments page if any change has been made to your details in your passport. Application forms may be downloaded from our website as well.
For more information about the Machine Readable Passport, you may visit:
http://www.philembassy.no/consular/mrp2.html
Thank you and looking forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
LENNA EILLEEN C. DE DIOS-SISON
Third Secretary and Vice Consul
Philippine Embassy
4th Floor, Nedre Vollgate 4
0158 Oslo, NORWAY

+47 2240 0904 (Direct Line)
+47 2241 7401 (Fax)

Wow that’s a good news but that doesn’t mean that the exploitation form the host families and illegal agents will stop. When you search in the net even the reporters like one I read in the Philippine stars keeps on mentioning Domestic helpers . Hello aupairs is not domestic helpers. There’s abig difference work wise and compensation wise. Basically au pair allowance  is around 400 euros for maximum of 30 hours/week and domestic helper or house help salary is usually from 750 euros working more than 8 hours/day  that’s what I heard from friends in Spain.

Would be au pairs applicants should know what they are entering into search and search in the net and now the POEA has standard contract and verification process they should also orient the applicants of their rights and be assertive and I  know their reproductive rights because that are the common problems we/ I encounter everyday. We can not complain that the host are exploiting the au pairs when they themselves allow them on the first place they or the agents are telling the applicants that will do everything because of they are former household helpers in Singapore and in Hongkong.

Our ambassador Her Excellency Elizabeth Buensuceso made an appeal to the Danish government and the Norwegian government for memorandum agreement meaning that they sit down and mutually agree to the terms of of the Philippine Government to protect the rights and welfare of the aupairs. She announced that Philippine government and the Norwegian counterpart were already finalizing the draft during Babaylan Denmark’s Au Pair Congress last November 2009 in Oslo but still no official lifting of the ban. What I know is that the Philippine government wanted an insurance besides the health insurance as you are automatically member if you have a permit to stay and repatriation in case something happens to the aupair like we experienced her in Denmark a couple of times

Hurrah no more escort fee at the airpor said some of the comments in this site’s facebook page. Well, that’s true whenever there’s an issue about au pair exploitation the press always focus more on the corruptions of officials in the airport and that makes you feel angry. Now that the Day care institution is deteriorating due to cost saving and long waiting time for the child to be accepted in the institution, the au pair system is a better options so I think that’s the reason why the au pair is becoming popular nowadays. Majority of Filipinos who worked as an au pair made their life better and experienced another cultur and able to go to places you will never imagine you will visit when you are in the Philippines so this is good news.

But there are also those who were not lucky and their life become a messed up instead of good memories so applicants check what is an au pair before applying http://www.filipinaaupair.net/index.php/what-is-an-au-pair/.