How to Verify Registration of a Recruitment Agency in the Philippines

This guide explains, in practical legal terms, how to confirm that a recruitment or “manning” agency is duly authorized to operate in the Philippines, what documents to look for, how to check an agency’s status, and what to do if something looks off. It covers both overseas and local recruitment in the Philippine context.

1) Know what kind of “recruitment agency” you’re dealing with

Philippine law distinguishes between two broad categories:

Overseas Recruitment and Manning Agencies
- Regulated by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), which absorbed the former POEA.
- Handles land-based deployment and seafarers (manning).
- Must hold a DMW License (with a license number, issuance and expiry dates) and operate only from DMW-authorized offices/branches.
- They recruit for employment abroad and can process approved job orders only.
Local/ Domestic Private Recruitment & Placement Agencies (PRPAs/PEAs)
- Regulated by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through the Bureau of Local Employment and the DOLE Regional Offices.
- They recruit for employment within the Philippines and need a DOLE registration/license/authority (terminology varies by issuance but the concept is the same: a current authority to operate).

Why this matters: The government agency, documents, portals, and rules you’ll check depend on whether the job is overseas or local.

2) Core legal framework (plain-English map)

Labor Code (Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended) Defines “recruitment and placement,” lists prohibited acts, and makes recruitment without license a punishable offense (with heavier penalties when large-scale/by a syndicate).
Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act (R.A. 8042, as amended by R.A. 10022) Sets the policy architecture for overseas recruitment, worker protection, job order approval, and illegal recruitment definitions/penalties.
DMW Act (R.A. 11641) Created the DMW and transferred POEA’s licensing/enforcement functions over overseas recruitment agencies and manning agencies.
Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (R.A. 9208, as amended by R.A. 10364) Applies when recruitment is a means to exploit—separate crimes, often investigated alongside illegal recruitment.
DOLE rules on PRPAs/PEAs (various Department Orders and issuances) Provide the registration, renewal, posting, and reporting requirements for local recruitment agencies.

3) What a properly licensed agency must have (at a glance)

Overseas agencies (land-based and manning)

DMW License: valid, unexpired, not suspended or cancelled.
Authorized office/branch: each physical site must be separately authorized.
Approved job orders: recruitment must match approved positions, countries, and principals.
Accredited foreign principal/employer: tied to the job order.
Displayed license certificate: posted where applicants can see it.
Standard contracts: DMW-approved employment contract (e.g., POEA/DMW standard terms; for seafarers, the standard POEA/DMW SEC).
Lawful fees only: see Section 8 below.

Local PRPAs/PEAs

DOLE registration/license/authority: current and valid.
Business legitimacy: SEC registration (for corporations/partnerships) or DTI business name (for sole proprietors), BIR registration, and Mayor’s Permit for the office address.
Posted certificate and schedule of fees (if any and if allowed).
No overseas placement activity (local agencies must not recruit for overseas employment).

4) How to verify an overseas recruitment or manning agency

Follow these steps; you can do most of them yourself:

Match the exact legal name
- Ask for the agency’s full registered name and DMW license number.
- Be cautious with trading names/marketing pages; the legal name on the license must match the entity dealing with you.
Check the license status
- Confirm the license is Active (not Expired, Suspended, or Cancelled).
- Verify the license validity dates.
- Confirm the office address you’re visiting is the authorized address.
Check approved job orders
- Confirm there is a current approved job order for the exact position and destination country.
- The job order should reference the accredited foreign principal/employer.
Inspect on-site documents (ask to see originals/photo copies):
- DMW License Certificate (with number and validity).
- Authority for branch/extension office, if you are at a branch.
- List of fees (if any are allowed), and receipt booklets with BIR details.
- Sample DMW-approved employment contract for your position.
Cross-check the recruiter
- Talk only to agency employees (not “freelance coordinators”) inside the authorized office.
- Get the official business email and landline; avoid instructions sent only through personal messaging apps.
Confirm pre-departure processing alignment
- For overseas jobs, legitimate processing runs through DMW systems (e-registration, contract verification, medical, PDOS/PEOS, OEC/exit clearance). If the agency says none of these are needed, that’s a red flag.

5) How to verify a local (domestic) recruitment agency

Ask for the DOLE registration/authority (number and validity).
Match the office address on the certificate with the site you visited.
Check business legitimacy: SEC/DTI certificate, BIR registration, and Mayor’s/Business Permit should all show the same entity and address.
Confirm scope: A local PRPA/PEA must not process overseas placements; that’s exclusively for DMW-licensed agencies.

6) Documents and data points you should ask for (and why)

DMW or DOLE license/authority (number, issuance, expiry) → proves regulatory status.
Exact legal name and SEC or DTI details → weeds out impostors and “clone” pages.
Authorized office/branch list → branch must be covered.
Approved job order (overseas) → ensures the vacancy is real and country-/employer-specific.
Accredited foreign principal (overseas) → ties your job offer to a vetted employer.
Schedule of fees (if any are allowed) → helps spot overcharging and illegal exactions.
Official receipts (with BIR details) → all payments must be OR-issued.
Standard employment contract → must carry mandatory minimum terms.

7) Quick red-flag checklist

The “agency” cannot produce a DMW/DOLE license or says “it’s processing.”
License expired or name/address doesn’t match.
They recruit for abroad but only have a DOLE local registration, not a DMW license.
They won’t show an approved job order for the position/country.
They ask you to pay placement fees upfront in cash, to personal accounts, or without official receipts.
They insist no PDOS/PEOS/OEC (overseas processing shortcuts).
They conduct interviews off-site (cafés, parking lots) or after office hours to avoid inspections.
They confiscate passports, diplomas, or personal IDs.
They require training at their own center as a condition for deployment with inflated fees.
They tell you to pose as a tourist when leaving the Philippines.

8) Fees: what’s legal and what isn’t (high-level guide)

Always ask for a written schedule of fees and official receipts. When in doubt, don’t pay.

Overseas—Land-based (general rule): Agencies may charge a placement fee up to one (1) month basic salary, unless the occupation or destination country prohibits it. Some categories (e.g., household service workers) are generally under a no-placement-fee policy. Agencies cannot charge for items the law places on the employer (e.g., certain visa/work permit costs where required to be employer-paid). “Documentation costs” (medical, NBI, passport, training) may be at worker’s expense only if allowed and at cost, with official receipts.
Overseas—Seafarers (manning): No placement fee is allowed. Manning agencies are prohibited from collecting fees for securing shipboard employment, though some personal documentation costs may be at the seafarer’s expense if allowed and receipted.
Local (domestic) recruitment: Local PRPAs/PEAs must follow DOLE rules on allowable charges (many fees are barred). Charging placement fees for local jobs is generally not allowed.

If the agency’s demanded payments are outside these bounds or receipts are refused, treat it as a serious warning sign.

9) Special cases

Online pages and job ads Social media ads must still correspond to a licensed agency with an approved job order (overseas). Ask for the license number, job order reference, and authorized office address—then verify.
Third-party “coordinators” Only deal with employees of the licensed agency and inside authorized premises. “Coordinators” or “referrers” can be used as a front for illegal recruitment.
Branch, satellite, or kiosk offices Even if the head office is licensed, each branch must have separate written authority. Verification must include the specific site you visited.
Name changes/mergers Agencies that rebrand must have updated licenses/authorities reflecting the new legal name. Old names on certificates with new names in ads is a red flag until proven legitimate.

10) What to do if verification fails or you suspect illegal recruitment

Stop payment and collect evidence: screenshots of chats/ad posts, photos of the office façade and posted certificates, IDs of representatives, receipts/deposit slips.
Report to enforcement bodies (choose what fits your situation):
- DMW: for any overseas recruitment concerns, including manning.
- DOLE Regional Office: for local recruitment violations.
- NBI/PNP: for criminal complaints (illegal recruitment, estafa).
- Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT): if exploitation/trafficking indicators exist.
Preserve communications: don’t delete messages; export conversations with metadata if possible.
Seek legal assistance: a complaint-affidavit should clearly narrate who recruited you, where, when, what was promised, what was paid, and attach supporting proof.

Criminal exposure:

Illegal recruitment is punishable by imprisonment and fines; large-scale (three or more victims) or by a syndicate elevates it to a more serious offense.
Administrative sanctions include license suspension/cancellation, blacklisting, and restitution orders, as applicable.

11) Practical due-diligence checklist (printable)

Identify whether the job is overseas (DMW) or local (DOLE).
Get the agency’s exact legal name, license/authority number, and office address.
Verify: license status, validity dates, and authorized branch.
For overseas: confirm approved job order for your position and country; verify accredited foreign principal.
Inspect posted certificates and originals/photocopies on site.
Ask for written fees (if any are allowed) and insist on BIR official receipts only.
Review the standard employment contract; keep a copy before paying or surrendering documents.
Never hand over passport or original documents without a legitimate processing need and proper acknowledgment.
Keep photo/video evidence of all postings, payments, and office signage.
If something feels off, walk away and report.

12) Short FAQs

Q: Is a business permit enough? A: No. For overseas recruitment, only a valid DMW license (plus job orders and authorized office) suffices. For local recruitment, a DOLE authority is required. Business permits/SEC/DTI are necessary but not sufficient.

Q: The recruiter says their license “lapsed but is for renewal.” Can they keep recruiting? A: No. Recruiting without a current license/authority is illegal.

Q: Can an agency charge me “reservation” or “training slot” fees? A: Treat as red flags unless such charges are explicitly allowed, at cost, and receipted—and never as a condition to access job orders.

Q: Are placement fees always allowed for overseas jobs? A: No. Some categories (e.g., many domestic/household worker roles) are no-placement-fee, and seafarers may not be charged placement fees at all.

13) Template: email/script to request verification from an agency

Subject: Request for Verification of License, Job Order, and Authorized Office

Dear [Agency Legal Name],

I am interested in applying for the position of [Position] in [Country/Vessel]. To complete my due diligence, kindly provide:

Your DMW license number, validity dates, and authorized office/branch for this application;

The approved job order reference number for this position/country (or vessel/ principal for manning);

The accredited foreign principal/employer details; and

The schedule of fees (if any) and a copy of the standard DMW-approved contract.

Thank you.

Bottom line

To verify a recruitment agency in the Philippines, identify the correct regulator (DMW vs DOLE), confirm a current license/authority tied to the exact office you’re dealing with, and—if overseas—match your job to an approved job order and an accredited foreign principal. Never pay unreceipted fees or shortcut mandatory processing. When in doubt, don’t proceed and report.