Philippines SVEG: Special Visa for Employment Generation
The SVEG lets a foreign national who employs at least ten full time Filipino workers live in the Philippines indefinitely. The Bureau of Immigration issues it as a special nonimmigrant visa with multiple entry privileges and conditional extended stay.
- 10Filipino workers, the minimum
- 15 daysBureau resolution target
- 1 yearProbationary, then indefinite
- Multiple entryNo prior departure needed
What the SVEG Is
The Special Visa for Employment Generation is a special nonimmigrant visa created by Executive Order No. 758, signed on 17 November 2008. It rewards a foreign national who actually employs Filipinos by granting long stay and multiple entry into the Philippines.
Who issues it
The Bureau of Immigration issues the SVEG through the Office of the Commissioner. The Board of Investments wrote the implementing rules under Memorandum Circular No. MCL 09-001.
What it grants
A holder is treated as a special nonimmigrant with multiple entry privileges and conditional extended stay. The holder may remain without first leaving the Philippines.
What it rewards
The applicant must actually, directly, or exclusively engage in a lawful, viable, and sustainable enterprise that employs at least ten Filipino workers. The jobs, not a capital figure, are the core of the program.
Compare with the sibling routes in the Invest in the Philippines hub, the SIRV investor visa, and the SRRV retirement visa.
Who Qualifies Under Executive Order 758
The order lists four conditions, and the implementing rules add the requirement of a controlling interest. All of them must hold at the time of filing and continue to hold afterwards.
1. Real enterprise and management
The foreigner must actually, directly, or exclusively engage in a viable and sustainable commercial investment or enterprise in the Philippines. The applicant must perform management acts or hold the authority to hire, promote, and dismiss employees.
2. Ten Filipino workers
The enterprise must provide actual employment to at least ten Filipinos, in line with Philippine labor laws and other applicable special laws. The implementing rules speak of a controlling interest in the entity that establishes, expands, or rehabilitates the business.
3. Genuine intent to stay
The applicant must show a genuine intention to remain in the Philippines indefinitely. A clear long term plan for the enterprise supports this condition.
4. No security risk
The applicant must not be a risk to national security. A clean standing before the Bureau of Immigration and the absence of a watchlist or blacklist entry are part of this test.
The conditions are continuing. The order states that they must be continually satisfied for the foreigner to remain a holder of the SVEG.
The Ten Worker Rule
Everything in the program turns on ten jobs. The positions may sit at any level of the organization, and the count must be maintained, not just reached once.
At least ten full time, regular Filipino workers
The implementing rules require the employment of at least ten long term and full time or regular Filipino workers. The roles may be managerial, executive, professional, technical, skilled, or unskilled.
As an alternative, the applicant may invest to rehabilitate a business activity, investment, enterprise, or industry so that it retains at least ten Filipino workers. A DOLE certification that the activity employs at least ten Filipino workers supports the filing.
What counts
- Full time, regular Filipino workers on a long term basis.
- Roles across managerial, professional, technical, skilled, and unskilled positions.
- Employment that follows Philippine labor laws and the applicable special laws.
- A workforce that is sustained, not a one time headcount at filing.
What breaks it
- Falling below ten long term, full time or regular Filipino workers.
- Not submitting reasons to the Commissioner when the count cannot be maintained.
- Wages below the applicable minimum wage, or unpaid PhilHealth and SSS contributions.
- Treating the visa as investment only, without real and continuing employment.
How to Apply for the SVEG
The application is filed with the Commissioner of Immigration, who is directed to resolve it within fifteen days from filing. The review is not bound to strict technicalities of evidence and procedure.
If an application is disapproved, a Motion for Reconsideration may be filed within fifteen days from receipt. Only one Motion for Reconsideration is entertained under the rules.
The SVEG Checklist
The current Bureau of Immigration form is BOC05.QF.002 Rev. Lev. 0, effective 17 November 2025. The principal applicant and each dependent submit their own set of documents.
Principal applicant
- Letter request to the Commissioner undertaking the employment of at least ten full time Filipino workers, or an investment to rehabilitate a business to retain ten workers.
- Accomplished SVEG application form.
- Photocopy of the passport bio page and the latest admission with valid authorized stay.
- Certified true copy of the SEC Certificate of Registration for corporations and partnerships, or the DTI business name registration for single proprietorships.
- Alien Employment Permit from DOLE if the applicant occupies a position in the company.
- Sworn undertaking to pay PhilHealth and SSS contributions and to keep every wage at or above the minimum wage.
- Bureau of Quarantine clearance or a government health certification of physical and mental fitness.
- Valid NBI Clearance if the application is filed six months or more from the first arrival in the Philippines, plus the BI Clearance Certificate.
Each dependent
- Accomplished SVEG application form for the dependent.
- Consolidated General Application Form for the children if there are more than three.
- Photocopy of the passport bio page and the latest admission with valid authorized stay.
- Proof of filiation with the principal applicant.
- BI Clearance Certificate.
All Philippine civil registry documents must be originals from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Foreign documents must be authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post or the Department of Foreign Affairs, with an English translation where needed.
What the Government Charges
The implementing rules state a two thousand peso fee for the indefinite stay version, alongside other statutory charges. Amounts below are quoted with approximate conversions, because rates move with the live currency switcher.
The conversion figures are approximate and settle in the currency selected in the site switcher. The Bureau of Immigration charges additional fees for the Alien Certificate of Registration I Card, the Identification Certification, the BI clearance, the legal research fee, and the express lane. Fees and rules change, so confirm current amounts with the Bureau of Immigration before filing.
SVEG Against the SIRV and the SRRV
The three special visas target different goals. The SVEG rewards jobs, the SIRV rewards investment capital, and the SRRV rewards a retirement deposit.
| Feature | SVEG | SIRV | SRRV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrator | Bureau of Immigration (BI) | Board of Investments (BOI) | Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) |
| Core basis | Employment of at least ten Filipino workers | An investment in a qualified enterprise or listed shares | A time deposit, and in some categories a pension |
| Typical capital | No fixed threshold stated, the enterprise must sustain the jobs | At least US$75,000.00 | Varies by category, commonly US$10,000.00 to US$50,000.00 |
| Age | No age requirement stated in the order | Twenty one and above, with no upper limit | Generally fifty and above |
| Work | May manage and operate the enterprise, with an AEP if in a position | May direct or manage the invested enterprise | Not a work visa by default |
| Stay | Special nonimmigrant, multiple entry, conditional extended stay | Indefinite while the investment is maintained | Indefinite while membership is in good standing |
| Compliance | Continually employ and maintain at least ten Filipino workers | Maintain the investment at or above the minimum | Maintain the deposit and membership |
Read the full Philippines SIRV investor guide and the Philippines SRRV retirement guide for the sibling routes.
Workwear for the New Philippine Operation
Once the enterprise is running and the ten worker team is in place, the workforce needs a uniform program. Our Tagum City production line supplies the apparel side of a new operation.
Factory and Industrial
Durable workwear, high visibility pieces, and department color coding for manufacturing floors and warehouses.
Corporate and Executive
Embroidered polos, dress shirts, and branded outerwear for management teams and front of house staff.
Corporate Gifts
Bundled welcome kits and branded merchandise for investors, clients, and staff milestones.
Compliance and Revocation
The SVEG is only as durable as the employment behind it. A few continuing duties keep the visa and its identification card in good standing.
Maintain the visa
- Keep at least ten long term, full time or regular Filipino workers employed.
- Pay PhilHealth and SSS contributions and keep every wage at or above the minimum wage.
- Submit the reasons to the Commissioner immediately if the count cannot be maintained.
- File the Bureau of Immigration annual report and renew the ACR I Card.
- Request the indefinite version within thirty days before the probationary period ends.
Grounds for revocation
- Failure to maintain any of the conditions in Section 2 of Executive Order 758.
- Fraud or willful misrepresentation of material facts in the application.
- Conviction by final judgment for a crime or offense in the Philippines.
- A final determination by a competent authority that the holder is a risk to national security.
SVEG Questions From Foreign Employers
Direct answers to the questions that come up before a filing at the Bureau of Immigration.
What is the SVEG in the Philippines?
The Special Visa for Employment Generation is a special nonimmigrant visa under Executive Order No. 758. The Bureau of Immigration issues it to a foreign national who actually employs at least ten full time Filipino workers in a lawful and sustainable enterprise. It grants multiple entry privileges and conditional extended stay without the need to leave the Philippines first.
How many Filipino workers must I employ for an SVEG?
At least ten full time, regular Filipino workers employed on a long term basis. The positions may be managerial, executive, professional, technical, skilled, or unskilled. The applicant may also invest to rehabilitate a business so that it retains at least ten Filipino workers.
Is there a minimum investment for the SVEG?
Executive Order No. 758 and its implementing rules do not set a fixed capital threshold. The test is employment, so the enterprise must actually sustain at least ten full time Filipino workers. This differs from the SIRV, which requires an inward investment of at least US$75,000 (about ₱4,715,000.00 or €65,420.00 or £56,140.00).
How long does the SVEG application take?
The Bureau of Immigration resolves an application within fifteen days from filing. Upon approval the holder receives a one year probationary SVEG, then may request the indefinite stay version within thirty days before the probationary period ends.
Can my spouse and children join me on an SVEG?
The privilege extends to the spouse and dependent unmarried children. Executive Order 758 states children below eighteen, while the Bureau of Immigration current 2025 checklist covers unmarried children below twenty one. Each dependent submits a separate set of documentary requirements.
Who issues the SVEG?
The Bureau of Immigration issues the visa through the Office of the Commissioner and its One Stop SVEG Facility, which coordinates with DOLE, DTI, DOF, DFA, and other agencies. The Board of Investments issued the implementing rules under Memorandum Circular No. MCL 09-001.
What happens if the enterprise no longer employs ten workers?
The SVEG holder must immediately submit the reasons for noncompliance to the Commissioner, and the Secretary of Justice reviews the case. Failure to maintain any condition can lead to revocation, as can fraud, a final conviction, or a national security finding.
Continue Your Philippine Business Research
Speak With Our Philippine Business Advisory Desk
Ask about the SVEG pathway, the ten worker requirement, the documentary checklist, and the workwear program for a new Philippine operation.
Please note: this guide is general information for foreign employers, not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Program rules, fees, and requirements change. Confirm the current conditions with the Bureau of Immigration, the Department of Labor and Employment, and qualified Philippine counsel before filing.