Employer registration, what changes when you hire.

The moment you hire your first employee, you take on a new set of legal obligations: registering as an employer with three government agencies. These registrations are what allow you to remit the mandatory contributions that fund your employees' social security, health coverage, and housing benefits.

This guide covers when you must register, the order to do it in, what each agency requires, and how to get it done efficiently.

This is part of our complete guide to business registration in the Philippines. You'll need your DTI/SEC certificate, Mayor's Permit, and BIR registration before completing this step.

When you must register as an employer

Registration is triggered the moment you hire your first employee, and it's mandatory for every employer, whether you're a sole proprietor, partnership, or corporation. The three agencies and their legal bases are:

• SSS (Social Security System): social security benefits, under the Social Security Act of 2018 (RA 11199).
• PhilHealth: health and hospitalization coverage, under RA 7875 as expanded by the Universal Health Care Act (RA 11223).
• Pag-IBIG Fund (HDMF): provident savings and housing loans, under RA 9679.

Don't treat these as optional or "later" tasks. Penalties for failing to register or remit are deliberately steep, ranging from fines to imprisonment, and liability can extend personally to owners, partners, and payroll or HR officers.

The obligation applies regardless of whether your employees are Filipino or foreign nationals, although additional immigration and employment requirements may apply for foreign workers.

Register in the right order: SSS first

This is the detail people miss: register with SSS first. Doing so generally makes the PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG process smoother, because the agencies often rely on the same employer and employee information.

SSS PhilHealth Pag-IBIG

The Philippine Business Hub shortcut

You may not need to visit three separate agencies. The Philippine Business Hub (formerly the Central Business Portal) lets you obtain your SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG employer numbers in one place after your company is registered, the same integration available when you register with the SEC. Where available, it's the fastest route and saves you filing the same company details three times over.

The three agencies

What each one provides, the forms involved, and what you receive.

SSS registration

The Social Security System provides retirement, disability, sickness, maternity, and death benefits to your employees.

• Portal: My.SSS (the employer portal).
• Key forms: SS Form R-1 (Employer Registration) and R-1A (Employment Report, listing your employees).
• What you receive: an SSS Employer ID Number.

PhilHealth registration

PhilHealth provides health insurance and hospitalization subsidies for your employees and their dependents.

• Key forms: Employer Data Record (ER1) to register your business, and the Report of Employee-Members (ER2) to list your staff; each employee also completes a PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF).
• What you receive: a PhilHealth Employer Number, plus access to PhilHealth's online employer facility for remittances.
• Timing note: the ER2 listing new employees is generally submitted within 30 days of hiring.

Pag-IBIG (HDMF) registration

The Pag-IBIG Fund runs a provident savings program and offers members low-interest housing and land-acquisition loans.

• Key forms: Employer's Data Form (EDF), a Specimen Signature Form, and the eSRS Employer Enrollment Form (for online remittance).
• What you receive: a Pag-IBIG Employer ID Number.
• Order note: register Pag-IBIG after SSS, as it relies on your SSS details.

What you'll need

Requirements are broadly similar across the three agencies and overlap with documents you already have:

• DTI Certificate (sole proprietors) or SEC Certificate with Articles of Incorporation / By-laws (corporations and partnerships).
• Mayor's / Business Permit.
• BIR Certificate of Registration (Form 2303).
• Valid government IDs of your authorized signatories.

There are no registration fees for SSS, PhilHealth, or Pag-IBIG employer accounts, only the monthly contributions that follow. When documents are complete, businesses can often complete all three employer registrations within one to two weeks.

These are ongoing obligations

Registering is a one-time step, but it commits you to monthly contributions and reporting for as long as you have employees. Contributions are shared between you and your employees at rates set by each agency, deducted from payroll and remitted on a set schedule. You're also responsible for reporting new hires and updating records when staff leave.

Because the rates and contribution tables are updated periodically, we maintain the current figures separately. For 2026 contribution rates, salary-credit ceilings, and remittance schedules, see our Payroll Guide and the Government Contributions sub-guide.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Registering out of order. Do SSS first. Starting with PhilHealth or Pag-IBIG often stalls because both depend on your SSS records.
• Treating it as optional or delaying it. Registration is due as soon as you hire your first employee. Non-registration carries fines and even imprisonment, not just back-payments.
• Deducting contributions but not remitting them. This is among the most serious violations. Depending on the applicable law and circumstances, liability may extend personally to responsible officers and employers.
• Forgetting to report new hires and separations. Keep your employee lists current with each agency (for example, the PhilHealth ER2 within 30 days of hiring), and update records promptly when employees leave.

Frequently asked questions

When do I need to register as an employer?

As soon as you hire your first employee. Registration with SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG is mandatory for all employers.

Which agency do I register with first?

SSS. Both PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG rely on your SSS registration, so the order is SSS, then PhilHealth, then Pag-IBIG.

Is there a fee to register as an employer?

No. Registration with all three agencies is free, only the monthly contributions for each employee apply.

Can I register for all three at once?

Often, yes. The Philippine Business Hub lets you obtain SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG employer numbers in one place after your company registration.

What happens if I don't register or remit contributions?

Penalties are steep, fines, interest, and possible imprisonment, and liability can extend personally to owners, partners, and payroll or HR officers.

Next step

Keep every registration valid

With your employer registrations in place, your business is fully set up. The final piece is keeping every registration valid going forward.

Go to the Post-Registration Compliance GuideBook a free consultation