The legal placement fee to be collected by licensed recruitment agencies from applicants for overseas jobs must be equivalent to one month salary of the worker as stipulated in the employment contract.

The amount, however, does not include documentation and processing costs.

POEA licensed agencies can only ask for the placement fee upon signing the employment contract. Applicants can choose to pay only half of the placement fee at this point. The other half can be paid when the agency gives the plane ticket and other travel documents of the OFW. Recruitment agencies should not collect placement fees before an employment contract is signed. Applicants should remember that any agency/recruiter who demands payment right away is most probably illegal.