Becoming a seafarer in Philippines as a career change
Official rules for adults who already have a profession on shore.
Age limits
- Adults can work on board from age 18.
- Cadets must be at least 16; the cadet route goes through a maritime school.
Entry through your shore profession
| Your profession on shore | Role at sea | Course | Where and on what terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult without a maritime degree | Deck rating, later deck officer | Ratings Forming Part of a Navigational Watch (RFPNW) | A deck rating certificate requires the RFPNW course and at least 2 months of seagoing service. Without a cadetship, the officer of the navigational watch certificate requires at least 36 months of service in the deck department. |
| Mechanic or engine worker | Engine rating, later engineer officer | Ratings Forming Part of an Engineering Watch (RFPEW) | An engine rating certificate requires the RFPEW course at a MARINA-accredited MTI and a passed practical assessment. Without a cadetship, the engineer officer of the watch certificate requires at least 36 months in the engine department. |
| Electrician | Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) | Approved Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) course | The ETO certificate requires an approved ETO course at an accredited MTI. Instead of 8 months as an ETO cadet, at least 32 months of sea service in the engine department as an electrician is accepted. |
| Cook | Ship's cook | Approved ship's cook training | Under the MLC 2006, ship's cooks must be trained, qualified and found competent. No seafarer under 18 may work as a ship's cook. |
Minimum set of documents
- A Basic Training (BT) certificate.
- An SRB and SID from MARINA.
- A PEME medical certificate from a DOH-accredited facility.
- Your first contract only through a licensed manning agency.
Costs and timing: official fees only
- The MARINA fee for a new or renewed SID is ₱1000, and for a new or renewed SRB ₱1000.
- SRB/SID processing fees are not refundable or transferable.
- The standard processing time for an SRB or SID is within 3 working hours after data capturing.
How to avoid scams
- Only licensed manning agencies may recruit and place seafarers.
- Recruitment or placement fees, visa and related costs may not be collected from seafarers.
- Only the cost of a medical certificate, seafarer's record book, passport or similar travel documents may be charged to the seafarer.
- Never pay any fee for a cruise ship job, including recruitment and placement fees.
- Warning signs of a cruise job scam: jobs advertised on free websites and social media, e-mails from free accounts, and requests for visa, training or lawyer fees.
- Scammers often pose as recruiters for well-known cruise lines and ask for a fee upfront, then disappear.
First job: starter vacancies
Live vacancies on Krew Guru for starter positions. Vacancies without any sea experience are rare, so we do not promise a job without it.
No open starter vacancies right now. Upload your CV and we will send you matching vacancies.
Krew Guru numbers
89% of open vacancies on Krew Guru accept citizens of Philippines.
Seafarer profiles from Philippines on Krew Guru: 6,000+.
Checked: 26 Oct 2026. Rules change, so always check with the maritime authority: Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)