DMW Online Services: E-Registration and POPS-BaM
Department of Migrant Workers · employment
Quick answer
DMW's online systems are e-registration, which issues the reference number for encoding your OEC; POPS-BaM for returning OFWs to secure an OEC and verify employment; and POPS-Direct for direct hires under POEA Advisory No. 33A Series of 2022. All are reached from dmw.gov.ph.
Last verified
Where these figures come from
About these figures: the numbers below come from DMW's official published sources: Department of Migrant Workers | Frequently Asked Questions (https://dmw.gov.ph/faqs, retrieved 2026-08-31); Department of Migrant Workers | Online Services (https://dmw.gov.ph/online-services, retrieved 2026-08-31); Department of Migrant Workers | Licensed Recruitment Agencies (https://dmw.gov.ph/inquiry/licensed-recruitment-agencies, retrieved 2026-08-31). Agencies change fees and rates without notice, so confirm with DMW before you rely on them. Last verified: 2026-08-31.
DMW runs three processing systems and two public directories. Which one you use depends on whether you are leaving for the first time, returning, or hired without an agency.
The three processing systems
| System | Who it is for | What DMW publishes |
|---|---|---|
| E-registration | Every OFW | The online registration of an OFW, providing the reference number for encoding the OEC; accessed on dmw.gov.ph |
| POPS-BaM | Returning OFWs | An online system for returning OFWs to secure their OEC and verify employment before going back abroad |
| POPS-Direct | Direct hires | The POEA Online Processing System for Direct Hires, under POEA Advisory No. 33A, Series of 2022, with online evaluation and a choice of preferred processing site |
The two public directories
| Directory | Records on 31 August 2026 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Recruitment Agencies | 3,794 | Name and address, contact person and numbers, licence status of Valid License or Expired; cards or table; CSV export; updates every 2 hours |
| Approved Job Orders | 134,072 | Jobsite, position, agency, principal, accreditation and workers needed; cards or table; CSV export |
DMW also publishes whitelisted principals and whitelisted agencies inquiry pages.
The recruitment agencies guide and the job order guide cover both directories.
What the systems produce
| Output | Rule |
|---|---|
| Reference number | Issued by e-registration, and used to encode the OEC |
| OEC | Valid 2 months or 60 days from the date it was issued |
| OEC use | Once only, for a single exit from the Philippines |
| POEA OFW Record | The documentation of an OFW once an OEC was issued by the POEA Main Office, Regional Offices, Extension Units or BM Mall Processing Centers |
Under Section 35 of the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, RA 8042, the OEC serves as a travel exit pass, an exemption certificate from travel tax and airport terminal fee, and the worker’s guarantee of government protection and benefits. The OEC guide sets that out, and the OEC exemption guide covers who does not need one.
What each route costs
| Route | DMW processing fee | OWWA | HDMF, Pag-IBIG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct hire, POPS-Direct | USD 100 in peso equivalent | USD 25 | ₱600.00 |
| Government-to-government, Triple Win or Germany | USD 100 in peso equivalent | USD 25 | ₱600.00 |
| Government-to-government, KSA, Korea or Taiwan | USD 50 | USD 25 | ₱600.00 |
| Manual OEC through a landbased agency | ₱200.00 | USD 25 | ₱600.00 |
| On-board processing, to engage | ₱200.00 | - | - |
| On-board processing, to re-engage | ₱100.00 | - | - |
| Balik-Manggagawa OEC at a DMW regional office | Total standard fee None | - | - |
The last row is the one most returning workers land on. The Balik-Manggagawa OEC guide covers it, and the OEC online appointment guide the booking.
Getting help
| Channel | Detail |
|---|---|
| DMW HelpDesk | For common issues, technical support and service requests |
| Support email | support.hub@dmw.gov.ph |
| FAQ topics DMW publishes | DMW HelpDesk; DMW E-Registration; Deployment and Records; Balik-Manggagawa (POPS-BaM); and All About Direct Hiring, framed as 21 things you need to know |
What is not live yet
DMW’s OFW Pass page stated on 31 August 2026 that it was under development, with inquiries directed to support.hub@dmw.gov.ph. Nothing about the OFW Pass is described on this page, because DMW published nothing about it on that date beyond the notice.
DMW’s new website also carries a banner saying content is still being moved from the old site, so a page that is thin today may not stay thin.
The other agencies’ online systems
| Agency | System | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| SSS | My.SSS | Registration, PRN generation, claims |
| SSS | MySSS mobile app | PRN in 15 minutes, salary loan application, maternity notification |
| Pag-IBIG | Virtual Pag-IBIG | Membership, payments, loans, records and claims, 24/7 |
| BIR | ORUS | TIN registration, 3 days online against 6 hours walk-in |
| DFA | passport.gov.ph | Appointments, which also generate the application form |
| NBI | clearance.nbi.gov.ph | Registration and a paid reference number |
| PSA | PSA Serbilis and PSAHelpline | Civil registry documents |
| OWWA | OWWA Mobile App | Membership status, digital eCard, renewal |
What this page does not cover
DMW does not publish, on the pages read for this guide, the account-creation steps for e-registration, the POPS-BaM screens, appointment slot availability, processing times for any online transaction, or a password-recovery route. None of those are stated here.
Related
The OEC guide covers what these systems produce, the Balik-Manggagawa OEC guide the returning-worker route, and the job order guide the vacancy directory.
Frequently asked questions
- What is DMW e-registration?
- DMW defines it as the online registration of an OFW which provides the reference number for the encoding of the OFW's Overseas Employment Certificate. It is accessed on the DMW website, dmw.gov.ph.
- What is POPS-BaM?
- DMW describes it as an online system for returning OFWs to secure their OEC and verify employment before going back abroad. BaM stands for Balik-Manggagawa.
- What is POPS-Direct?
- The POEA Online Processing System for Direct Hires, provided for by POEA Advisory No. 33A Series of 2022. It carries online evaluation, and the OFW chooses a preferred processing site listed in the system. It is viewable from dmw.gov.ph.
- What is a POEA OFW Record?
- DMW's published definition is the documentation of an OFW once an OEC was issued by the POEA Main Office, Regional Offices, Extension Units or BM Mall Processing Centers.
- What else is online?
- Two public inquiry directories: Licensed Recruitment Agencies, which listed 3,794 agencies with a Valid License or Expired status, and Approved Job Orders, which listed 134,072 job orders. Both are downloadable as CSV, and the licence-status view updates every 2 hours. DMW also publishes whitelisted principals and whitelisted agencies pages.
- Where do I get help with an online service?
- DMW publishes a DMW HelpDesk for common issues, technical support and service requests, and a support email at support.hub@dmw.gov.ph.
- Is the OFW Pass live?
- Not on 31 August 2026. DMW's OFW Pass page stated it was under development, with inquiries directed to support.hub@dmw.gov.ph.
- How long is the OEC these systems produce valid?
- 2 months or 60 days from the date it was issued, and it can be used only once, for a single exit from the Philippines.