Category: Living in Japan

Balik-Manggagawa Contract Verification for OFWs in Japan

When I finished my graduate studies in Japan, I landed a job at my dream company and changed my student visa to a working visa. And soon after I started working, my company approved my leave to go home to the Philippines for Christmas.

Everything was going smoothly until…

I discovered that I needed to secure an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) before I could leave Japan!

Honestly, I had no idea what it was. Contract verification? Agencies? Ban on direct hiring? As far as I knew, I was already a legitimate foreign worker in Japan.

But now that I was officially classified as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), I had to comply with the Philippine laws governing OFWs. But the whole OEC process seemed so vague and daunting.

Given my situation, I fall under the Balik-Manggagawa (BM) category of OFWs. Among all the steps required to secure an OEC as a BM, the contract verification process is undoubtedly the most complex and challenging part.

So, how does it work? I’ll guide you through the entire BM contract verification process, based on personal experience and insights from the Filipino community in Japan.

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Experience Life at TIEC: Student Accommodation in Odaiba

The Rainbow Bridge, Gundam, Seaside Park, Statue of Liberty, and the Giant Ferris Wheel are iconic sights of Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay known for shopping and entertainment.

But who knew that within this vibrant part of Tokyo is a large four-building student dormitory? Neither did I. And that’s despite visiting Odaiba a few times as a tourist over the past decade.

As I was about to begin my student life in Japan, TIEC Residence Halls (or simply “TIEC”) became my top choice for student lodging, mainly because of the affordable rent and convenient facilities.

With more than two years staying at TIEC, I now have plenty of firsthand experiences and tips for anyone considering it as their home away from home in Tokyo.

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