Last checked October 2026 against Republic Act No. 11261, the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act Joint Operational Guidelines, DOLE’s Oath of Undertaking form, the NBI Citizen’s Charter and the PNP National Police Clearance System. Office practice varies by LGU, so confirm details with your barangay or PESO.
If you are applying for your first job, the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (RA 11261) lets you get your NBI clearance, police clearance, PSA birth certificate and several other pre-employment documents without paying government fees. You use the benefit once, and the barangay certification that unlocks it is valid for one year. The catch is the order: you need the barangay paperwork before you visit any other office. This guide gives you an eligibility table, a covered-versus-not-covered list, a documents checklist and the step-by-step path from barangay hall to NBI.
Quick answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies? | A Filipino citizen looking for work, locally or abroad, for the first time, who has lived in the issuing barangay for at least six months |
| What unlocks it? | An original Barangay Certification as a first-time jobseeker, plus a signed Oath of Undertaking |
| How long is it good for? | One year from the date the barangay certification is issued |
| How many times? | Once per covered document |
| What is free? | Government fees for listed pre-employment documents, including NBI and police clearances, PSA certificates, barangay clearance and medical certificates from public hospitals |
| What is not free? | Passport, DFA apostille, PRC board exams, the CSC exam, LTO driver’s license, and lab tests for medical certificates |
Do you qualify? Eligibility decision table
The law defines a first-time jobseeker as a Filipino actively looking for employment for the first time. The Joint Operational Guidelines clarify what does not count as “employment,” which helps students and program beneficiaries who did short stints before.
| Your situation | Likely eligible? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh graduate who has never had a job | Yes | The standard case |
| Out-of-school youth or high school graduate looking for a first job | Yes | The law does not require a degree |
| Past SPES, GIP or TUPAD beneficiary | Yes | The Guidelines say beneficiaries of these programs are not considered employed |
| Small business owner or independent contractor now applying for a job | Yes | The Guidelines exclude entrepreneurs and independent contractors from “employment” |
| Applying for a first job abroad | Yes | The law covers employment “locally or abroad” |
| Age 15 to 17 | Possibly | Minors may be employed only under DOLE’s rules for working minors; ask the barangay and PESO |
| Previously worked as an employee, even briefly | No | You are no longer a first-time jobseeker |
| JobStart Philippines beneficiary | No | RA 11261 Sec. 10 excludes JobStart beneficiaries, who have their own assistance |
| Moved to your barangay less than six months ago | Not yet at the new barangay | The Oath of Undertaking requires six months of residency; ask your previous barangay or wait |
| Already used the waiver for a document | No, for that document | The benefit can be availed only once |
| Barangay certification is more than a year old | No | It expires one year from issuance |
| Not a Filipino citizen | No | The law covers Filipino citizens |
Lying to qualify is a real risk. RA 11261 Sec. 5 and the Guidelines say falsifying the certification is punishable under the Revised Penal Code.
What the waiver covers, and what it does not
| Document | Issued by | Usual fee | Free under RA 11261? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barangay certification (first-time jobseeker) | Barangay | Varies by barangay | Yes |
| Barangay clearance | Barangay | Varies (estimate ₱50 to ₱200) | Yes |
| NBI clearance | NBI | ₱130 plus e-payment charge | Yes |
| Police clearance | PNP | ₱150 plus convenience fee | Yes |
| PSA birth or marriage certificate | PSA | ₱155 per copy at outlets | Yes |
| Medical certificate from a public hospital | Government hospital | Varies | Yes, but lab tests and procedures are paid |
| Transcript, diploma, report card, certificate of graduation | DepEd, CHED, SUCs, LUCs, public tech-voc and other public schools | Varies | Yes, from public institutions |
| TIN | BIR | Free anyway | Yes |
| UMID card | SSS or GSIS | Varies | Yes |
| CSC Certificate of Eligibility, PhilHealth ID, Mayor’s clearance for employment | CSC, PhilHealth, city or municipal hall | Varies | Yes (listed in the Guidelines) |
| MARINA seafarer certificates, TESDA National Certificates and CAV, OECs | MARINA, TESDA, DMW (formerly POEA) | Varies | Yes (listed in the Guidelines) |
| Philippine passport, DFA authentication or apostille | DFA | Regular fees | No |
| PRC licensure exam application | PRC | Regular fees | No |
| Civil Service exam application | CSC | Regular fees | No |
| Driver’s license | LTO | Regular fees | No |
| Private school records, private clinic certificates, courier or delivery fees | Private providers | Their own rates | No (the law waives government fees) |
The Guidelines also tell agencies to release these pre-employment documents within their Citizen’s Charter processing time, which should not exceed three working days for simple transactions.
How much you can save (sample computation)
This is a hypothetical example of a fresh graduate in a city who needs a typical BPO or retail document set. Fees marked as estimates vary by LGU and school.
| Document | Fee without the waiver | With the waiver |
|---|---|---|
| NBI clearance (₱130 + about ₱25 e-payment charge) | ₱155 | ₱0 |
| Police clearance (₱150 + convenience fee estimate) | ₱175 | ₱0 |
| PSA birth certificate | ₱155 | ₱0 |
| Barangay clearance (estimate) | ₱100 | ₱0 |
| Mayor’s clearance for employment (estimate) | ₱200 | ₱0 |
| Medical certificate, public hospital consult (estimate) | ₱150 | ₱0 (lab tests still paid) |
| Transcript from a state university (estimate) | ₱300 | ₱0 |
| Total | ₱1,235 | ₱0 in government fees |
Documents checklist
For the barangay:
For help with the paperwork itself, see our guide to the Barangay certificate of residency and ID.
- A valid ID showing your address in the barangay, or other proof that you have lived there at least six months (ask what your barangay accepts)
- Your basic details: full name, birthdate, address, length of residency
- A pen; you sign the Oath of Undertaking in front of a barangay official (no notary needed)
For every other office:
- The original Barangay Certification as a first-time jobseeker (the Guidelines require the original)
- The signed Oath of Undertaking, especially for the NBI
- Photocopies of both, in case an office keeps a copy
- Two valid IDs for the NBI; one valid ID for the PNP (see our valid government IDs guide)
- Your PSA birth certificate, once you have it, as a backup ID
- Neat clothes for the NBI (no sando, shorts or slippers)
Step by step: barangay to NBI
- Barangay hall. Ask for the Barangay Certification for first-time jobseekers under RA 11261. It should be on official letterhead, dry-sealed, and signed by the Punong Barangay or an authorized officer, since the NBI checks for these. Sign the Oath of Undertaking there. Note the issue date: you have one year from that date.
- PESO or city/municipal hall (optional but useful). The Public Employment Service Office acts as the law’s one-stop shop. It can tell you which local documents are free, process the Mayor’s clearance for employment, and point you to job fairs. Bring the original certification.
- PSA. Book a walk-in appointment at a PSA Civil Registry System outlet and present your certification for a free birth certificate. Online delivery orders generally cannot check your certification, so plan a walk-in. See our PSA birth certificate guide.
- NBI. Register at firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph, or use the Online Registration Counter at the clearance center if you walk in. Go to the first-time jobseeker lane at biometrics. The NBI Citizen’s Charter lists every step as free. If there is a hit, return on the scheduled date or go to Quality Control for an interview.
- PNP. Register at pnpclearance.ph, follow the portal’s first-time jobseeker instructions, and bring the certification with one valid ID. Check the printout before you leave, since the PNP does not reprint for errors.
- Other documents. Get your medical certificate from a public hospital, school records from your public school or SUC, and your TIN if the employer needs it.
- After you are hired. Report your employment to your barangay. The Oath of Undertaking includes this duty, and barangays report availees to DOLE for monitoring.
For the regular NBI process and renewals, see our NBI clearance online appointment guide. If you are unsure which clearance an employer wants, see police clearance vs NBI clearance.
Plan your one-year window
Because each document can be availed free only once, get what you need while the certification is fresh, but not so early that clearances go stale before you apply.
| Document | Validity once issued | When to get it (suggested) |
|---|---|---|
| Barangay certification | 1 year from issuance | First, as soon as you start applying |
| PSA birth certificate | No fixed expiry; some employers want one issued recently | Week 1 |
| NBI clearance | Commonly treated as 1 year | Week 1 or 2, so it lasts through your job search |
| Police clearance | 6 months, per the PNP | Only when an employer asks for it |
| Medical certificate | Set by the employer | Usually after a job offer, when the employer specifies the tests |
Keep a small tracking log in your phone notes with the document, the office, the date you availed the waiver and the reference number. It helps if an office later asks whether you have used the benefit.
If an office refuses the waiver
| What you hear | What to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Your certification is not valid.” | Letterhead, dry seal, signature of the Punong Barangay or authorized officer, issue date | Return to the barangay for a compliant copy |
| “You need a photocopy, not the original.” / “We will keep the original.” | Office practice | Bring photocopies; ask the barangay in advance how to handle offices that keep originals |
| “The waiver is only for local jobs.” | RA 11261 Sec. 3 says “locally or abroad” | Politely cite the law |
| “There is a processing fee.” | RA 11261 Sec. 9: no fees may be charged for covered documents | Ask for the fee in writing and the office’s grievance desk |
| “You already used it.” | Whether you availed of the same document before | If not, ask them to verify; the benefit is once per document |
Under RA 11261 Sec. 11, doubts are resolved in favor of the applicant, and imposing unduly restrictive requirements is an administrative offense. Each agency must have a grievance procedure for denials, and agencies report denials to DOLE through the Bureau of Local Employment. For NBI complaints, the Citizen’s Charter points to the NBI Public Information Office. You can also ask your city or municipal PESO for help.
An illustrative example
Hypothetical: A 21-year-old SPES alumna in Laguna graduates in June and starts applying in July. On day one she gets her barangay certification and signs the oath. On day three she gets a free PSA birth certificate. In week two she gets her NBI clearance through the first-time jobseeker portal, with no hit. In September a call center offers her a job and asks for a police clearance and a medical certificate. She gets the police clearance free, pays only for the lab tests at the public hospital, and reports her new job to the barangay once she starts. Her SPES work did not disqualify her because the Guidelines do not count SPES as employment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a notary for the Oath of Undertaking?
No. DOLE’s form says you sign it before the Punong Barangay or an authorized barangay official.
Can I use the waiver for a job abroad?
Yes, for the covered documents. The passport and DFA apostille are not covered, so budget for those. OFWs should also look at OWWA membership.
Can I get two free copies of my NBI clearance?
No. The benefit is once per document. Get one copy and keep photocopies for applications.
What if my barangay does not issue the certification?
Ask for the Punong Barangay or barangay secretary, and mention RA 11261. If it is still refused, go to your city or municipal PESO or DOLE field office.
Does the waiver cover my marriage certificate?
Yes, PSA marriage certificates are listed. See our PSA marriage certificate guide.
Sources
All sources checked October 25, 2026.
- Republic Act No. 11261, First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act (Lawphil): Secs. 3 to 12, including coverage, exceptions, no fees, JobStart exclusion, interpretation in favor of applicants
- FTJAA Joint Operational Guidelines (DOLE and partner agencies; filed with UP Law Center ONAR, January 3, 2024): definitions, full list of covered documents, one-year validity, exceptions, grievance procedure
- DOLE-BLE Form 2: Oath of Undertaking (revised June 16, 2021): six-month residency, report once employed, not a JobStart beneficiary
- University of the Philippines Joint Memorandum No. 21-04: sample implementation by a state university
- NBI Citizen’s Charter: NBI Clearance for First-Time Job Seekers
- NBI: How to Apply for NBI Clearance: regular fee and requirements
- PNP NPCS: How to Apply guide (PDF): first-time jobseeker requirements, ₱150 regular fee
- PSA: Birth Certificate: outlet fee and appointments
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