Filipino workers based in Hong Kong can now have their employment contracts verified without setting foot in a government office. The Online Employment Contract Verification System, known as the OECVS, went live for the Migrant Workers Office – Hong Kong on April 30 — allowing Balik-Manggagawa workers to complete the entire process from wherever they are.
The system, developed by the Department of Migrant Workers in partnership with DataFlow Group, lets OFWs submit documents, pay fees, and download their verified contracts entirely online. Once verification is complete, the Overseas Employment Certificate is automatically generated through the DMW Portal E-Registration system.
Hong Kong’s activation is part of a broader global rollout formalized when DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac and DataFlow Group Chief Strategy Officer Amit Gupta signed a memorandum of agreement in Dubai in January 2026. The agreement followed the system’s successful pilot run at MWO-Dubai, which began in July 2025 and processed more than 30,000 employment contracts — collectively saving OFWs roughly AED 2 million and an estimated 137,500 hours in travel and queuing time.
“This marks a milestone in transforming public service, ensuring migration remains safe, orderly, and dignified while protecting the rights and welfare of Filipino workers abroad,” Cacdac said.
The DMW has described the OECVS rollout as following a “Red Carpet, Not Red Tape” approach, designed to cut down on manual steps and reduce data handling risks. The department said it expects the system to serve between two and three million OFWs as the platform expands globally.
Expansion beyond Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi is already scheduled. Singapore, additional sites in the Middle East, and locations across Europe and Asia are slated to come online in the second half of 2026.
DMW Undersecretary Dominique R. Tutay said costs to the department for the global launch are expected to remain low. “If ever there will be cost incurred, transport, accommodation and allowance lang for the team. Other activities can be done remotely,” she said.
