"Direct hire" is one of the most searched — and most misunderstood — terms in Philippines-to-Greece recruitment. Greek employers hear it and picture a simpler, cheaper way to bring over a worker they already found. Filipino jobseekers hear it and picture a way to avoid agencies altogether. Both pictures are mostly wrong.
In Philippine overseas-employment law, direct hiring is the exception, not the default — and for the categories of work Greece actually demands (domestic staff, caregivers, hotel and restaurant crew), it is largely off the table. This guide explains exactly what direct hire is, when it is legally possible, the real process and timeline, the hidden costs and risks, and when going through a licensed agency is not just easier but required.
1. What "Direct Hire" Actually Means
In the Philippine system, direct hire means a foreign employer engages a Filipino worker for overseas employment without the participation of a DMW-licensed recruitment agency. A closely related term is name hire — a worker who secured the job opportunity entirely on their own (through a relative, a former employer, or their own application) and is then processed directly by the government.
The crucial point that catches everyone out: direct hire does not mean "no government, no paperwork." Every legally deployed Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) — agency-placed or direct — must still pass through the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the agency formerly known as POEA. There is no legal route to Greece that bypasses the DMW.
A worker who arrives in Greece on a tourist visa and starts working, or who is "arranged" through a Facebook contact without DMW processing, is not a direct hire — they are an undocumented worker. That exposes both the worker and the Greek employer to serious legal and financial penalties (see Section 6).
2. The Ban on Direct Hiring
Direct hiring of OFWs is prohibited by default under Article 18 of the Philippine Labor Code, reinforced by the DMW (former POEA) Rules and Regulations. The wording is deliberately strict: "No employer may hire a Filipino worker for overseas employment except through the boards and entities authorized by the Secretary of Labor."
The reasoning is protective. When a licensed agency is in the chain, there is an accountable party in the Philippines with a posted bond, escrow, and a license that can be suspended. In a pure direct hire, that safety net disappears — which is precisely why the law restricts it and why "direct hire" is the single most common framing used by illegal recruiters.
Under DMW policy, Household Service Workers (HSWs) and caregivers cannot be direct-hired, full stop. Because these roles carry the highest risk of abuse, they must be deployed through a DMW-licensed agency that holds accreditation for the foreign employer. Since domestic helpers, live-in carers and elderly-care staff are the bulk of Greek demand from the Philippines, for most Greek households direct hire is simply not a legal option.
3. Who Is Exempt — The Legal Exceptions
The ban has a defined list of exemptions. If a hire falls into one of these categories, it can be processed directly by the DMW (historically through the Government Placement Branch) instead of through a licensed agency:
| Exempt category | Applies to Greece? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the diplomatic corps | Rarely | Embassies and consulates hiring household or office staff |
| International organizations | Rarely | UN agencies and recognized bodies |
| Senior government officials abroad | No | Heads of state / officials of equivalent rank |
| Professionals & skilled "name hires" | Sometimes | Skilled workers with a verified, authenticated contract — processed by DMW |
| Returning workers (rehires) | Yes | A worker you already employed legally and want to re-engage |
| Household & care workers (HSWs) | Never | Excluded from direct hire — agency deployment mandatory |
In practice, the realistic direct-hire scenarios for a Greek employer are narrow: a skilled professional with a properly authenticated contract, or re-engaging a worker you previously employed legally. Everything else points back to the licensed-agency route.
4. Direct Hire vs. Licensed Agency — Side by Side
Even where a direct hire is permitted, the employer (or the worker) inherits every responsibility a licensed agency would normally carry. This table shows who does what:
| Responsibility | Direct / name hire | Licensed agency |
|---|---|---|
| DMW accreditation of employer | Employer applies alone | Held by the agency |
| Contract verification (Manila) | Worker arranges | Agency handles |
| Greek metáklisi (work permit) | Employer files alone | Agency guides & tracks |
| OEC, OWWA, PDOS | Worker secures each | Agency coordinates |
| Candidate vetting / replacement | None | Screened pool + replacement guarantee |
| If something goes wrong | No accountable PH party | Bonded, licensed, answerable to DMW |
| Typical timeline | Often longer (DIY delays) | 4–7 months, managed |
5. The Legal Direct-Hire Process, Step by Step
Assuming a permitted case — for example a Greek employer re-engaging a known worker or hiring a skilled professional — here is the genuine end-to-end sequence. Both the Greek side and the Philippine side must be satisfied.
The Greek employer initiates the work-permit (μετάκληση) request at the regional Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση — not the Labour Inspectorate — including the job description, business registration, tax clearance and a draft contract.
The authority verifies the role under the framework of Law 4251/2014. This stage is the main reason the whole procedure takes roughly 4–7 months.
The worker registers as a direct/name hire with the DMW and submits the employment contract for verification — the step a licensed agency would otherwise handle on the employer's behalf.
The approved contract is verified and the worker applies for the national long-stay Type D visa, appearing in person with all DMW-required documents.
Before departure the worker must obtain the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), register with OWWA, and complete the Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS). These are mandatory for every OFW, direct hire included.
After entry, the employer registers the worker for a biometric residence permit (άδεια διαμονής) and enrolls them in Greek social security (ΕΦΚΑ) before the first working day.
6. The Hidden Costs & Risks of DIY Direct Hire
The appeal of direct hire is "no agency fee." The reality is that the costs do not disappear — they shift onto the employer and worker, alongside real legal exposure.
6.1 Accreditation burden falls on you
A direct-hiring employer must satisfy DMW requirements themselves — apostilled business documents, proof of financial capacity, and compliance with the standard employment contract for the job category. For an individual household employer, clearing these alone is difficult and slow.
6.2 No safety net, full liability
With no licensed agency in the chain, there is no bonded party in the Philippines to fall back on. The employer carries the full repatriation obligation and the entire compliance risk.
Employing a worker who is undeclared or improperly documented exposes the Greek employer to an administrative fine of €10,549 per undeclared worker, plus back-payment of contributions and possible deportation of the worker. A "shortcut" direct hire that skips DMW is far more expensive than any agency fee.
6.3 "Direct hire" is the favourite word of scammers
Because it sounds legitimate, "direct hire to Greece" is the most common bait used by illegal recruiters who charge desperate workers and deliver nothing. Two rules cut through almost every scam:
1. The worker should never pay a placement fee. Legitimate deployment to Greece is zero placement fee — the employer pays the costs. 2. Verify the license. Any agency claiming to place workers must appear in the DMW licensed-agency list at dmw.gov.ph. No license, no deal.
7. When Direct Hire Makes Sense — and When It Doesn't
- You are re-hiring a worker you already employed legally Rehire
- The role is a skilled profession with a verified contract Name hire
- You have the time and admin capacity for DMW filing 4–7 mo+
- You can meet accreditation requirements yourself Docs
- You need a domestic helper or caregiver Banned
- It is a first-time hire with no prior relationship Risk
- You are an individual household, not a company Hard
- Someone asks the worker to pay a fee Scam
8. The Compliant Alternative — A Licensed Agency
For the categories Greece hires most — domestic staff, caregivers, hotel and restaurant crew — the licensed-agency route is not just the easier option; it is the one the law requires. A licensed agency already holds the DMW accreditation, screens and replaces candidates, manages the metáklisi and the Manila-side processing, and remains accountable throughout.
If you have already found a specific Filipino candidate and simply want to bring them legally, you don't have to attempt a DIY direct hire. A licensed agency can process a named candidate on your behalf — you keep the person you chose, and the agency absorbs the accreditation, compliance and metáklisi work. Bridge Recruiters is licensed and accredited to deploy workers to Greece on exactly this basis.
9. Quick Decision Checklist
Before you commit to a direct hire, run through this:
- The role is NOT a domestic helper, caregiver or HSW (those must go through a licensed agency)
- The hire fits a recognized DMW exemption (skilled name hire or legal rehire)
- You can provide apostilled business documents and proof of financial capacity to DMW
- You can file and track the metáklisi at the Αποκεντρωμένη Διοίκηση yourself
- The worker will obtain a verified contract, OEC, OWWA and PDOS — no shortcuts
- No one is asking the worker to pay a placement fee
- You have 4–7 months and the admin capacity to manage both sides
- If any box is unchecked → use a DMW-licensed agency instead
Found Your Candidate? We'll Make It Legal.
Skip the direct-hire paperwork and the compliance risk. Bridge Recruiters can process your named worker — or source a screened one — and handle DMW accreditation, metáklisi and the Greek residence permit end to end.
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Aileen Narciso
Manila Office Lead, Bridge Recruiters
Aileen leads Bridge Recruiters' Manila operations, coordinating DMW compliance, candidate sourcing, and pre-deployment processing for Filipino workers deployed to Greece. She works directly with employers, embassies, and Philippine authorities to ensure every placement meets both Greek and Philippine legal standards.
