The traditional paper-based exit clearance for Filipino migrant workers is being phased out as the government expands the use of the newly launched OFW Pass, a digital document now integrated into the country’s departure system.
Rather than presenting the long-used Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), departing workers will instead show a scannable code on their phones. Officials said the shift forms part of the Bureau of Immigration’s digital departure protocol, with the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) collaborating on its development.
The new system places the OFW Pass inside the eGovPH app, which houses various national government services. Migrant workers need to download the application through the Apple App Store or Google Play, create an account, and enter their personal details. From the app’s National Government Agency section, they must select the DMW service tab, where the Balik Manggagawa option generates the digital pass that functions as an exit clearance.
Authorities said the QR code that appears on the OFW Pass will be shown to immigration officers during departure. As the government scales up its digital services, the DMW noted that the process aims to reduce paperwork, speed up travel procedures, and tighten monitoring of documented migrant workers.
