The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is responsible for visa processing and the monitoring of the entry and exit of foreign nationals in the Philippines. Unlike other jurisdictions, the work visa application process is usually (and preferably) initiated after the arrival of the foreign national in the Philippines as a tourist or a temporary visitor.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is also involved in the process of authorizing a foreign national to work in the Philippines. The DOLE determines whether the foreign national is competent, willing and able to perform the requested services and will thereafter issue an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) to the foreign national.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, through embassies and consulates around the world, is responsible for granting entry visas to restricted foreign nationals.

An Authority to Employ from the Department of Justice is required before a foreign national can be employed by an entity engaged in a nationalized or partly nationalized industry (entities in industries where foreign ownership/control is limited).