Ending Philippine Employment: Planning the Downgrading of a 9G Work Visa
A Philippine 9(g) Pre-arranged Employment Visa is tied to the approved employment relationship and the petitioning employer. When that employment ends, or when the foreign national will transfer to another employer or immigration category, the parties should promptly determine whether the 9(g) status must be downgraded and what related action is required for the Alien Employment Permit.
Visa downgrading generally converts an existing non-immigrant work status to an appropriate temporary status so the foreign national can lawfully complete departure arrangements or pursue another permitted immigration process. It should not be treated as an automatic change. The Bureau of Immigration evaluates a formal application supported by the required corporate, employment, passport, visa, and immigration documents.
Planning should begin before the last working day whenever possible. The employer should reconcile the termination or resignation documents, board or corporate authorization where applicable, BI records, AEP status, payroll and tax matters, and the foreign national’s intended departure or next visa. Inconsistent dates or unexplained gaps can complicate both downgrading and a later application.
A foreign national moving to a new employer should not assume that the old 9(g) visa and AEP may simply be carried over. Employment authority is connected to the approved employer and position. A new employer may need to complete its own AEP and 9(g) process, and work should not begin until the required authority is in place.
The BI maintains its official checklist of documentary requirements, including the form for downgrading of visa, and its 9(g) visa guidance. For coordinated assistance, review BizzureVisa’s 9G Working Visa service or contact us. Requirements and deadlines should be confirmed for the specific case; this article is not a guarantee of approval or a substitute for individualized advice.
