First time job seeker certificate: how to get it, what's free

Your first job? A certificate from your barangay waives the fee on your NBI, police and barangay clearances, PSA birth certificate and TIN, once.

6 min read. Updated . By Catalyst Outsourcing.

Republic Act No. 11261, the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act, lets you get the government documents for your first job without paying the fees. Your proof is a barangay certification that says you're a first time jobseeker. Here's who qualifies, how to get it and what it covers, from the law, its rules and the agencies' pages, read on 7 October 2026.

Who counts as a first time job seeker

The rules (Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001 of 2019) define a first time jobseeker as "a Filipino citizen, who is actively seeking employment, locally or abroad, for the first time, as certified by the barangay of which he/she is a resident". They name five groups:

You also need to have lived in the barangay for at least six months. If you're 15 to 17, DOLE's Oath of Undertaking form has a part where a parent or guardian signs their consent.

You can't use it if you're a JobStart Philippines beneficiary, or if another law already gives you the same exemptions.

How to get the barangay certification

  1. Go to the barangay hall where you've lived for at least six months and ask for the first time jobseeker certification under RA 11261.
  2. Sign the Oath of Undertaking in front of a barangay official. DOLE's form says it "need not be notarized".
  3. Get your certification. It's free, on the barangay's letterhead with a dry seal, and signed by the Punong Barangay or an authorized officer.
  4. Bring the original to each office, with the IDs that office asks for.
  5. Once you're hired, tell your barangay. The oath asks you to report back in person, by text or through family.

By signing the oath, you also accept that the fee waiver lasts one year from the date of the certification, that you can use it only once, and that your name goes on a roster of first time jobseekers.

Which documents it makes free

Section 4 of RA 11261 lists these, and its rules add more:

The rules give you one free copy of each and say extra copies can be charged.

It doesn't cover the PRC licensure exam, passport and DFA authentication fees, the Civil Service exam or an LTO driver's license.

Using it at the NBI, the PNP and PSA

How long it lasts

One year from the day the barangay issues it. DOLE's form has a line for the end date: "valid only until ... one (1) year from the issuance." So get every document you need inside that year.

If an office still charges you

Under the rules, you complain to the head of the agency concerned, who should act within three working days. If it's still unresolved, the matter goes to the Inter-Agency Monitoring Committee chaired by DOLE, which can recommend an administrative case. The PESO in your city or municipality is there to guide first time jobseekers on the law, and DOLE's Bureau of Local Employment takes questions at ftjaa@ble.dole.gov.ph.

Faking the certification is a crime under the Revised Penal Code, the law says.

Our job requirements checklist lists each document and marks the ones this certificate makes free. Once your papers are ready, find a remote day shift job. It's free to apply.

Questions

Is the first time job seeker certificate free?

Yes. The rules say the barangay issues it free of charge and keeps its own original copy.

How long is the first time job seeker certificate valid?

One year from the date it's issued.

Can I use the first time job seeker certificate more than once?

No. You use the waiver once, for one copy of each document. Extra copies can be charged.

Can a 16-year-old get a first time job seeker certificate?

DOLE's Oath of Undertaking form has a section for applicants from 15 to under 18, where a parent or guardian signs their consent.

Sources

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