First-Time Job Seekers 2026 (Free Clearance Under RA 11261)

If this is your first time applying for a job, you don’t have to pay the standard ₱155 NBI Clearance fee. Republic Act No. 11261, the First-Time Job Seekers Clearance Assistance Act, entitles you to one free NBI Clearance so the cost of a government ID never gets in the way of your first paycheck.

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This guide walks you through who qualifies, what to bring, and exactly how to apply — online and at the branch. For the general appointment process, see our NBI Online Appointment guide — this page covers the first-time job seeker exemption specifically.

What Is RA 11261 and Why It Matters?

RA 11261, or the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act of 2019, requires government agencies to issue certain employment documents free of charge to Filipinos applying for their first job. NBI Clearance is one of the documents covered, alongside police clearance, barangay clearance, medical certificates, and postal IDs in some cases.

Per the NBI’s official fee schedule, a regular NBI Clearance costs ₱155 (₱130 base fee + ₱25 e-service charge) to book. Why this matters: for someone job hunting with no income yet, that ₱155 is a real barrier. RA 11261 removes it, once.

Who qualifies:

Filipino citizen, at least 18 years old
Never been formally or informally employed before (this is genuinely your first job)
Resided in your current barangay for at least 6 months
Can present a Barangay Certification confirming first-time job-seeker status

This is a one-time benefit. Once you use it, your next NBI Clearance — for renewal or a second job — is paid at the regular rate.

Does OJT or Internship Disqualify You?

No — not usually. This is the question that trips up the most fresh graduates.

A school-required OJT or practicum, done for academic credit and unpaid (or given only a small allowance), does not count as prior employment. You’re still considered a first-time job seeker after finishing it.

What actually disqualifies you:

Paid, formal employment — even short-term or contractual — under an official payroll
Prior government employment, including casual or job-order positions
A previous private-sector job with SSS, PhilHealth, or Pag-IBIG contributions already on record

Why this matters: NBI and barangay officials look at whether contributions or a formal employer-employee relationship exist, not just whether you “worked” somewhere. If you’re unsure whether your OJT or part-time gig counts, ask your barangay official directly before they issue your certification — a wrong declaration can void your exemption later.

Start at PESO First (Most Applicants Skip This)

Many first-time job seekers go straight to the NBI portal and miss a step that makes the rest easier: registering with your city or municipality’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO).

Under RA 11261’s implementing rules, PESO is the office tasked with confirming your first-time job seeker status and issuing a referral that other agencies — NBI included — recognize.

Visit your city or municipal PESO office, or register online through PhilJobNet.
Fill out the Jobseeker Registration Form — also called NSRP Form 1 (the standard registry sheet under DOLE’s National Skills Registration Program) — with your basic bio-data.
Present your Barangay Certification confirming first-time job seeker status.
PESO encodes your profile and issues a referral letter or First-Time Job Seeker certificate you can present to NBI, the police station, or other agencies covered by RA 11261.

Some cities (Quezon City, Naga City, and others) bundle in extra local benefits at this stage — job fairs, skills training referrals, or a one-time cash aid — on top of the document fee waivers, so it’s worth asking your PESO officer what else you qualify for locally.

Note: PESO registration isn’t strictly required by every NBI branch to honor the fee waiver, since the Barangay Certification alone is often accepted. But doing it first gives you a second official record of your status, which helps if your barangay certificate is ever questioned at the counter.

Documents You Need to Prepare

Before you touch the online portal, get these ready:

Barangay Certification — issued on official barangay letterhead, dry-sealed, and signed by the Punong Barangay (or authorized barangay official). It must explicitly state that you are a first-time job seeker and confirm at least 6 months of residency in that barangay.

Oath of Undertaking — a short sworn statement, usually executed at the barangay hall alongside the certification. Templates are available from the barangay or the DOLE website.

One to two valid government-issued IDs — passport, driver’s license, UMID, SSS ID, PhilHealth ID, or postal ID. If you’re a fresh graduate with no ID yet, a PSA birth certificate plus one photo ID (like a school ID) is usually accepted.

Pro Tip: Request the Barangay Certification and Oath of Undertaking on the same visit — most barangays process both together, and you’ll avoid a second trip.

How to Apply for Free First-Time Job Seekers Clearance

Step 1: Go to the First-Time Job Seekers Portal

Don’t use the regular NBI Clearance website for this. Head to the dedicated portal at firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph. Using the standard application form can default you into the paid queue.

Apply for First-time Job Seekers Here

Step 2: Fill Out the Application Form

Complete your personal details exactly as they appear on your government ID — full name, birth date, address, and contact number. In the Status section, select First-Time Job Seeker. This flags your application for the fee waiver.

Double-check spelling of your name against your ID. A mismatch here is one of the most common reasons applications get sent back for correction.

Step 3: Upload or Present Your Supporting Documents

Depending on the portal version, you may upload scanned copies of your Barangay Certification and ID at this stage, or simply bring the originals to the branch. Keep both a digital photo and a physical copy either way.

Step 4: Book Your NBI Appointment

Select your preferred NBI branch and appointment slot. First-time job seeker slots are sometimes limited per day — book as early as slots open, especially in NCR branches.

Note: No payment is required at this step if your Status is correctly set to First-Time Job Seeker. If the portal still shows the ₱155 fee, your Status wasn’t set correctly — go back and re-select First-Time Job Seeker before booking.

Step 5: Visit the Branch on Your Appointment Date

Arrive at least 15–20 minutes early with your printed appointment confirmation, Barangay Certification, Oath of Undertaking, and valid ID(s) in hand.

What Happens at the NBI Branch (FTJS Lane)

First-time job seekers are directed to the FTJS Lane at the Biometric Section — a separate line from regular applicants.

Present your appointment confirmation and documents to the verifying officer.
NBI staff checks your Barangay Certification and Oath of Undertaking against your ID.
The counter captures your photograph, fingerprints, and signature.
The system runs your name through the NBI database for a “hit” check (a name-match flag, not a criminal record by default).
If there’s no hit, the branch prints and releases your clearance the same day.

Per the NBI Citizen’s Charter, an FTJS application with no hit takes roughly 2 minutes 15 seconds of actual processing — about 90 seconds for biometrics, 30 seconds for verification, 15 seconds to print.

Note: A HIT simply means another person shares a similar name in the database — it is not a criminal record. You’ll be asked to return (often the next business day) for manual verification, same as any regular applicant who gets a HIT. See our NBI Clearance Center guide for what to expect at specific branches.

Fees, Processing Time, and Validity

Item	Regular Applicant	First-Time Job Seeker (RA 11261)
Clearance Fee	₱155 (₱130 base + ₱25 e-service charge)	Free (one-time waiver)
Appointment	Standard queue	FTJS-specific lane/slots
Processing (no hit)	Same day	Same day (~2 min 15 sec at counter)
Validity	1 year from issue	1 year from issue

So, applying through the First-Time Job Seekers Portal is the best method for eligible applicants — it’s the only route that both waives the fee and routes you to the dedicated FTJS lane, cutting your wait time at the branch.

Document	Issuing Office	Normally Costs
NBI Clearance	National Bureau of Investigation	₱155
Police Clearance	Local police station (PNP)	₱150–₱200
Barangay Clearance / Certificate	Barangay Hall	₱50–₱100
Medical Certificate	Government hospitals/health centers	Varies by LGU
Postal ID	PHLPost	₱504 (in some LGU-covered cases)
Certificate of Good Moral Character	School or LGU	Free/minimal

If the FTJS Option Doesn’t Work or Gets Refused

Two common problems come up with this benefit, and neither means you’re disqualified.

The portal doesn’t show the First-Time Job Seeker option, or won’t generate a reference number.

Confirm you’re on firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph, not the regular clearance site.
Try a different browser or switch from mobile to a desktop/laptop.
Clear your browser cache, or log out and log back in.
Recheck that every required field is filled in before submitting — an incomplete field is the most common silent failure.
Avoid creating multiple duplicate accounts if it still fails; this creates verification problems later. Contact NBI support with your details instead.

A branch staff member insists on charging you anyway.

Politely cite RA 11261 and show your Barangay Certification and Oath of Undertaking.
Ask to speak with the branch supervisor if the frontline staff is unfamiliar with the exemption — it’s less commonly requested than standard clearances, so not every counter is equally familiar with it.
If the branch still refuses without valid grounds, you can escalate through the DOLE Bureau of Local Employment — the office that oversees RA 11261 compliance across agencies — or file a complaint with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), which handles government service complaints broadly.

Common Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected

Skipping the FTJS portal and applying through the regular site — this bypasses the fee waiver entirely.
Barangay Certification missing the dry seal or the Punong Barangay’s signature — plain printouts are usually rejected at the counter.
Using a barangay address you moved into less than 6 months ago — residency requirement isn’t met yet.
Already having prior employment, even informal or part-time work — this disqualifies you from “first-time” status.
Name mismatch between the application form, ID, and barangay certificate.

Tips for First-Time Job Seekers Applying for NBI Clearance

Get your barangay certificate early. Some barangays take a few days to process the certification and oath — don’t leave this for the day before your NBI appointment.

Bring more than one valid ID if you have them. It speeds up verification and gives the officer a backup if one ID has a printing issue.

Book your slot as soon as the portal opens for the month. FTJS slots fill up fast in high-traffic branches like those in Metro Manila.

Screenshot your appointment confirmation. Printed copies are ideal, but a phone screenshot works as backup if the printer at home fails.

Keep a photocopy of everything. Some branches ask for a copy of your ID and barangay certificate in addition to the original.

Don’t apply twice. RA 11261 only covers one clearance — if you already used it once (even years ago), you’ll be charged the regular fee.

Check your name spelling against your PSA birth certificate, not just your school ID — inconsistent middle names are a common cause of “hits.”

If your first job is informal (freelance, side gig), ask the barangay official whether it still counts as employment before applying under FTJS status — rules can vary slightly by barangay interpretation.

FAQs

Yes. Under RA 11261, eligible first-time job seekers get one NBI Clearance with the ₱155 fee fully waived, as long as they apply through the FTJS portal with a valid Barangay Certification.

RA 11261, the First Time Jobseekers Assistance Act of 2019, requires government agencies to waive fees on employment documents — including NBI Clearance, police clearance, and barangay clearance — for Filipinos applying for their first job.

You need a Barangay Certification confirming first-time job seeker status and 6 months’ residency, an Oath of Undertaking from the barangay, and one to two valid government-issued IDs (or a PSA birth certificate plus a school ID if you have no formal ID yet).

Paid work of any kind, even informal or short-term, generally disqualifies you from “first-time” status. Unpaid, school-required OJT is the exception — see the OJT section above.

Apply through the dedicated portal at firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph, not the standard NBI Clearance website — using the regular site can route you into the paid queue.

How long does NBI Clearance for first-time job seekers take to process? With no HIT, the FTJS lane takes about 2 minutes 15 seconds of counter processing per the NBI Citizen’s Charter, and your clearance is released the same day.

Yes. A free FTJS clearance carries the same one-year validity as a regular, paid NBI Clearance.

RA 11261 is built around barangay residency verification, so it’s designed for applicants physically in the Philippines. If you’re already abroad, check with the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate on whether a local equivalent process applies.

Not always — many NBI branches accept the Barangay Certification alone. But registering with PESO first gives you a second official record of your status, which helps if your certificate is ever questioned.

It’s a letter PESO issues after confirming your first-time job seeker status, which other agencies recognize for their own fee waivers. Get one by registering at your city/municipal PESO or via PhilJobNet and presenting your Barangay Certification.

Confirm you’re on firsttimejobseekers.nbi.gov.ph rather than the regular site, try a different browser or device, clear your cache, and make sure every required field is complete before resubmitting.

File it with the DOLE Bureau of Local Employment, which oversees the law’s implementation, or with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), which handles government service complaints generally.

Final Thoughts

If you qualify, there’s no reason to pay for your first NBI Clearance — RA 11261 exists specifically so a first job doesn’t require upfront government fees you may not have yet. Get your Barangay Certification and Oath of Undertaking sorted first, register with PESO if your LGU routes it that way, apply through the dedicated FTJS portal (not the regular site), and book your slot early. Do that, and your NBI Clearance is usually done in one branch visit — and remember, the same exemption can cover your police clearance and other pre-employment documents too, so use it fully.

If you run into a “hit” or a document gets rejected at your barangay, that’s normal — follow up directly with your barangay hall or the NBI branch’s helpdesk for the fastest resolution. Once your one-time exemption is used, any future renewal follows the standard NBI Clearance Renewal process at the regular fee.