Ok here is the deal, My wife will be working in Manila, I am Canadian, she is Spanish. I have a Spanish Residence Card. Now, the fact she is my wife and she will have a work permit given to her by this company. It is highly doubtful the company will do the paperwork for me. With that being said, what kind of recourse do I have in this situation in regards to a temporary visa, with the ability to find a job. Anyone have any experience with this? or any advice? besides to call the embassy in Canada or Spain.
Since you do not say you plan to immigrate you need to look into a temporary working visa for yourself. Yes you must call PI immigration, most of us on this site in the long run plan to immigrate or get long term visa so we are not in your situation nor very knowledgable about it but good luck anyway.
Spouses do not have to file for a work permit, if they are not entering the PI to work. Below details the document that needs to be filed for the spouse. Most companies, when the apply for the work permit would also apply for the spouse's documents. If not, below explains the process you would go through. If you decide to work here as well, you would also need to apply for a work permit yourself, but be aware a work permit is not necessarily easy to obtain. You can get more info visiting the Philippines government web site. "In support of the UN Spouse Employment Policy, the Philippine government has also exempted the spouses of members of international organizations from securing an AEP. Spouses however, are required to file an application for a Certificate of Exemption from the DOLE's Bureau of Local Employment (BLE). Missionaries or religious workers who intend to engage in gainful employment are not exempted from securing an AEP."
As you are Canadian and your wife is Spanish, Things will not be as simple as you may think, unless you have a Spanish ID card, through Marriage, You will have to enter on your Canadian Passport for usual 21/30 day entry and then extend as with the Rest of us. you will not be permitted to work, unless you have a pre employment Work offer. Work Permits are very hard to come by for foreigners unless you have a real talent, that is not forthcoming from a Filipino. Your Spanish Residencia is only the right to live in spain not to work, so even there, you would have needed a work permit ( Unless you had a Spanish ID) Having said this, I would emphasise that any Documentation from Spain, ie Driving License or anything you provide in support of application (Residencia) to join your Wife, will have to be Translated to English and notarized, having just done this for My Driving license. 2 years ago I had to have all my Residencia papers For my Living in Spain Translated so that my Wife (Filipina) could apply to have a Schengen visa for Spain. also to obtain her new Filipino passport.( Without the translation they would only Grant her a UK Visa. Work permits, Visa's are a mine field here. If you were married to a Pinay. having this situation you write about will certainly have them (BOI) Scratching whatever they feel the need to scratch on the day Your best bet, is to contact the BOI or the Philippine Embassy nearest to you ( you don't actually say where you are living now?) and see what advice they can offer. the Madrid Embassy is very good in my Opinion. Sorry if this is not what you want to here but it is a fact of life. remember my Friend, "It's more fun in the Philippines.
ml02kr, your best bet is to keep the process simple and don't apply for a work permit for yourself initially. Given your wife will have a work permit, you are allowed as her spouse, and assuming her company or yourself fills out the Philippines documents, to obtain a Philippines temporary residence ID card - visa. My ex-wife was to able to obtain a spousal visa when my company transferred me to Makati and filed for a work permit for me and a spouse visa for her. For a work permit for yourself, assuming you apply for one after entering the country, will not be easy. Depending on what work you might apply for, you might have to show you have a college degree and transcripts and work experience in that area and are more qualified than a local to take that job. Most of the ex-pats I knew who's wife had the work permit became Mr. Mom and I don't know of any who decided to apply for a work permit, although I am sure there are some. So take up diving or golf and have more fun in the Philippines.
Lucky for me I love to golf! Thanxs for the advice...I will still try for the work permit I cannot be a mrs. at the house I need to work! I will bring transcripts and whatever I need, gracias amigo.
My wife talked to the Philippines embassy in Madrid, they agreed that applying for a work permit from within the country would be the only way. And I need to renew my tourist visa every 2 months, seems excessive! ah well, the things we done for love. Thanxs again for the advice
You should be able to obtain a spousal visa tagged to your wife's work visa, as opposed to a tourist visa. My other response quoted a Philippines web site.
