Hiring in the Philippines? A list of recommended background checks for new employees

If you are hiring in the Philippines, your background checks should confirm that a candidate is who they say they are, has the employment and education history they claim, and is suitable for the responsibilities of the role. The checks you need will vary by position, but identity, criminal records, employment history and education are a sensible starting point for most employers.

You also need to treat candidate information carefully. The Philippines’ Data Privacy Act requires personal data to be collected and processed for a declared and legitimate purpose, with appropriate transparency and safeguards. That means your screening process should be relevant to the job rather than an open-ended investigation into a candidate’s personal life.

Fake Certificates and Illegal Fixing

Fraud is a significant issue in the country, so much so that there have been cases of National Certificates being sold online. The Civil Service Commision has also released the Revised Rules on the Administrative Offense of Dishonesty to further guide authorities in charging the proper offence. 

Illegal fixing is also a problem. This is when a “fixer” expedites a transaction for another’s personal gain (eg. getting a driver’s licence, ID card from Social Security System, etc.). Since fixers are not legally affiliated with the government office, the IDs they produce may be fake OR the process has not really verified the individual’s skills (especially in the case of getting a driver’s licence). 

Global Fraud

There are thousands of fake universities and websites issuing fraudulent documents globally. Without the right resources, particularly technological advancements, it may be difficult for employers to verify the authenticity of these documents. 

These issues, along with the other benefits of background checks, such as verifying the qualifications and experience of the applicant and reducing risks of hiring someone who may later commit gross misconduct or crime, make background checks an indispensable part of the hiring process. 

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The checks we recommend considering, along with the typical time you should allow for each one.

Identity verification

Typical processing time: as little as 2 days

Start by establishing that you are screening the right person.

An identity check can verify candidate details against appropriate identification documents and reduce the risk of someone applying under false or misleading information. In the Philippines, this may include checking a passport, driving licence or other accepted government-issued identification.

We put identity verification near the start of a screening process because other checks depend on accurate candidate details. With a digital screening process, results can be available in as little as two days when the candidate provides the correct information promptly.

Criminal record check

Typical processing time: 7–14 business days

Criminal record screening can be appropriate where a person will have access to money, confidential information, company assets or a position of particular trust.

In the Philippines, criminal record screening commonly involves records associated with the National Bureau of Investigation. Processing typically takes around 7–14 business days, although delays can occur where records require further review.

When carrying out background checks in the Philippines, you should also consider whether any information found is relevant to the responsibilities of the job before making a hiring decision.

See how criminal record checks can form part of your screening process.

Employment history verification

Typical processing time: 5–10 business days

CV discrepancies are often less dramatic than outright fraud. Dates may be extended to hide a gap, responsibilities may be overstated, or a job title may have become more senior with each revision of the CV.

Employment verification allows you to confirm details such as the employer, position held and period of employment.

We usually advise allowing 5–10 business days in the Philippines. The main variable is the previous employer. A responsive HR team can confirm information quickly, while organisations that require several follow-ups will extend the process.

Education verification

Typical processing time: 5–10 business days

If a degree, diploma or qualification influenced your decision to shortlist somebody, verify it.

Education checks can confirm whether a candidate attended the institution stated on their application and whether they received the qualification they claim.

You should usually allow 5–10 business days. Schools and universities that handle verification manually can take longer, particularly during holidays or periods when administrative teams are less available.

Our guide to verifying key application documents in the Philippines covers the process in more detail.

Professional qualification checks

Typical processing time: immediate to several business days, with some manual checks taking longer

Some roles depend on professional credentials rather than academic qualifications alone.

If you are recruiting an accountant, engineer, healthcare professional or another person whose job requires recognised professional registration, confirm that the credential is genuine and current.

Where the issuing body provides an online register, the check can sometimes be completed almost immediately. If you need confirmation directly from the organisation, you may need to allow several days or longer.

Global sanctions and watchlist screening

Typical processing time: a few days

Sanctions screening makes sense when you are hiring into financial services, regulated businesses, senior positions or roles involving international transactions.

A global sanctions check compares candidate information against relevant sanctions and watchlists. Because many of these records are held in searchable databases, screening is generally faster than checks that rely on a previous employer or university responding.

Veremark lists global sanctions screening among the common pre-hire checks available in the Philippines.

Credit and financial history checks

Typical processing time: a few days to a few weeks

You should have a clear reason before checking somebody’s financial history.

A credit or financial history check may be relevant for selected finance positions or jobs involving significant responsibility for company money. Timing varies depending on the records required and the organisation providing them, so you should allow anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

This is also where proportionality matters. If a candidate's personal financial history has no meaningful connection to their work, collecting it may be difficult to justify.

How long should you allow for the whole process?

Most employers should plan for roughly one to two weeks for standard background checks in the Philippines once the candidate has supplied the information required to begin screening. Some individual checks will finish much sooner, while cases dependent on manual responses can take longer.

Running checks at the same time can help you avoid unnecessary delays. There is little reason to wait for employment verification to finish before starting an education or criminal record check if you already have the candidate's consent and information.

The strongest screening processes we see also match each check to the responsibilities of the role. Your finance director and junior designer carry different risks, so applying exactly the same checks to both rarely makes sense.

For background checks in the Philippines, decide what you genuinely need to establish, start the relevant checks together where possible and allow extra time for any verification that depends on a third party. That gives you a more predictable hiring timeline while keeping the information you collect focused on the decision you need to make.

Are Background Checks Mandatory in Certain Industries in the Philippines?

Yes, it is mandatory in certain industries to ensure that potential candidates have not committed any crimes and can be trusted to perform a given task. Background checks are usually required for certain jobs like working with children or elderly people, working as a security guard, or driving a school bus. The Philippines mandates background checks for jobs in the following industries:

1. Child care services
2. Elder care services
3. Security roles
4. School bus drivers 
5. Driving transport vehicles
6. Working with vulnerable persons
7. Working with animals 
8. Working with explosives
9. Working with hazardous substances
10. Working on construction sites
11. Working on oil rigs

The Strategic Advantage of Outsourcing your Background Checks in the Philippines

As manual checks can be tedious, time-consuming and labour-intensive, more and more companies in the Philippines now take advantage of background screening services to streamline the process. Background screening platforms, such as Veremark Philippines has:

• The legal framework to conduct the checks in accordance with the law, increasing compliance
• Access to databases and advanced technologies to automate the process , ultimately reducing the turnaround time 
• Expertise to conduct accurate checks, ensuring that the candidate truly has the credentials and qualifications they listed 

Trust Veremark Philippines for Your Pre-Employment Check Needs

Veremark is a leading provider of local and global background checks, offering 100% digital, 100% accurate checks for new and current staff members in all industries and sectors.

Trusted by the world’s best workplaces, rest assured that you’ll be getting expert service in compliance with the Philippine laws and regulations with 24/7 customer support. With no lock-in periods and long-term contracts, you can simply order the checks you need and customise your requirements. 

Talk to us today about the benefits of carrying out your vital pre-employment checks using Veremark’s innovative and straightforward platform.

Make Background Checks a Pillar of Your Hiring Strategy

Background checks are important for companies in the Philippines because they provide a way to keep their employees safe and to make sure that they are not hiring people with a criminal history or a negative performance on previous employment.

Background checks can be conducted through various means, such as checking public records or by contacting previous employers. When conducting background checks for companies in the Philippines, it is important to be thorough and make sure that every aspect of the candidate’s past is covered. 

By hiring a background checking company, such as Veremark Philippines, to do all the necessary checks, you can be sure that your business will have an efficient and cost effective way of screening candidates and be sure you only hire qualified and trustworthy Filipino employees! Learn more about Veremark Philippines here.