AEP and 9(g) Visa for a Japanese Chef in the Philippines (2026)

A Japanese chef on an ongoing contract needs an Alien Employment Permit (AEP) from DOLE and a 9(g) visa from Immigration. Since DOLE Order 248-2025, publish the vacancy with the chef's name in a newspaper, then file the AEP 15 days after that and within 15 days of signing the contract. AEP fees: PHP 9,000 year one, PHP 4,000 each year after. Budget 9 to 12 weeks to first shift; get your own quote for the ad and the 9(g)/ACR/ECC fees, unconfirmed from any official schedule.

1. The Philippines in numbers

• MAFF counted 940 Japanese restaurants in the Philippines in 2025, up 180 on 2023, an increase of about 24%.
• 13,342 Japanese nationals lived in the Philippines on 1 October 2025, up 5.5% on the year. Of these, 4,592 (34%) were permanent residents, a much higher share than in Thailand or Vietnam (MOFA).

The relatively high permanent resident share means some Japanese nationals here are long settled and may already hold the right to work; check that before starting a permit application. It also means a meaningful share of your candidate pool needs no AEP at all, so verify status early rather than assuming everyone needs the full process below.

2. Two permits, two agencies

For a chef on an ongoing contract, you need both an AEP and a 9(g) visa. The SWP suits short projects, such as a chef coming for an opening. If an SWP holder is going to stay on, file the AEP with DOLE at least 21 working days before the SWP expires.

3. The labour market test under DOLE Department Order 248

DOLE Department Order 248, series of 2025, replaced the old process where DOLE itself published AEP applicants for 30 days so Filipinos could object. The employer now runs the test. We re-checked JETRO's summary of DO 248 in September 2026; the mechanics below still stand:

• The employer publishes the vacancy, including the foreign worker's name, in a newspaper of general circulation. This is mandatory.
• Posting on PhilJobNet and with the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) is optional.
• The AEP application must be filed 15 days after publication, and within 15 days of signing the employment contract or issuing the appointment.
• Some cases are exempt from publication, for example officers named in the company's articles of incorporation.
• The contract takes effect only once the AEP is issued; you can apply before the chef enters the Philippines.

4. Applying for the AEP, and the understudy requirement

File with the DOLE regional office covering the workplace. Points to prepare:

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), required with every AEP application; the chef gets one from the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
• Fees, confirmed current as of our September 2026 check of JETRO's summary: PHP 9,000 for the initial one year AEP, PHP 4,000 for each additional year and for each renewal year.
• Renewal timing: file no earlier than 60 days before the permit expires.
• Exemptions cover some board members and co-owners with no management role, who need a Certificate of Exclusion instead. A working chef is unlikely to qualify.

For non-managerial technical staff, DO 248 continues DOLE's understudy training requirement: transfer skills to two Filipino cooks over a set period, using DOLE's template. Name two Filipino cooks, list what they will learn (knife work, rice, fish preparation, the core menu), set the timeframe and keep records. It is also the most direct way to reduce your dependence on one imported chef. See training local staff in Japanese cuisine.

5. The 9(g) employment visa

The 9(g) visa, under section 9(g) of the Philippine Immigration Act, is for foreigners with pre-arranged employment. It is normally granted for 2 years, extendable, and a spouse and unmarried children under 21 can accompany the holder. The role must be one a Filipino cannot fill, so the application should present the chef as a specialist, not a generalist cook.

The Bureau of Immigration's checklist includes the company's General Information Sheet, audited financial statements and income tax return, the AEP issued by DOLE, and a notarised statement of foreign and Filipino headcount. The employer can apply directly to the BI; once approved, the visa order goes through the Department of Foreign Affairs to the embassy or consulate where the chef is. The chef must travel within 90 days of issue, then register with the BI after arrival. Foreigners on visas staying 6 months or more generally need an Emigration Clearance Certificate (ECC) from the BI when they leave.

We could not confirm current BI fee figures for the 9(g) application itself, the ACR I-Card or the ECC from an official published schedule; get a quote from the BI or your Philippine counsel before budgeting. Japanese nationals can visit visa-free for up to 30 days for business or tourism, useful for an interview or site visit, but it does not allow work.

6. Cost total for year one

The one figure we can state with confidence is the AEP: PHP 9,000 plus PHP 4,000 for each extra year or renewal year. Everything else in the government fee column needs a same-week quote before you commit to a start date, because we found no single official schedule covering the BI side end to end.

7. A realistic sequence

Allow roughly 9 to 12 weeks from publishing the ad to the chef's first shift, most of it DOLE and BI processing time rather than fixed legal windows; confirm current processing times with your regional office before committing to a start date. For a regional comparison, see Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Our contract checklist covers what the offer should include.

General information checked in September 2026 against JETRO's summaries of Philippine rules and Japanese government statistics, not legal or immigration advice. DOLE and BI requirements and fees change by department order and memorandum. Confirm with the DOLE regional office, the Bureau of Immigration or a Philippine lawyer before filing.