Quick answer: For a first job you need four numbers: a TIN (BIR), an SS number (SSS), a PhilHealth PIN and a Pag-IBIG MID. Your employer must register you for a TIN within 10 days of your hire date through the BIR’s ORUS system, using BIR Form 1902 behind the scenes. You apply for the SSS and Pag-IBIG numbers online, and PhilHealth goes through your HR with a PMRF form. Bring one government ID with your name, address and birthdate, and a PSA birth certificate for SSS and PhilHealth.
Last updated: 17 October 2026. Steps verified against the BIR Citizen’s Charter 2025 edition and the October 2025 BIR Form 1902.
The four numbers at a glance
| ID | Agency | Form or channel | What you need | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) | BIR | Employer registers you in ORUS using BIR Form 1902. Walk-in fallback at your RDO | One government ID; marriage contract if you are a married woman | About 3 days (BIR Citizen’s Charter) |
| SS number | SSS | ”Become an SSS Member” online | Personal details; PSA birth certificate or other primary document for a Permanent number | Number shown on completion online |
| PhilHealth PIN | PhilHealth | PMRF, 2 copies, through HR | Birth certificate, baptismal certificate or valid ID with birthdate | Card and Member Data Record released through your employer |
| Pag-IBIG MID | Pag-IBIG Fund | Virtual Pag-IBIG online registration | Basic personal details | Tracking number within about 48 hours (per PIA) |
On fees: the BIR Citizen’s Charter and the PhilHealth Citizen’s Charter both list no fee for these registrations. We found no fee mentioned in the SSS and Pag-IBIG registration steps either. Nobody should charge you to “process” a government number; if you are asked to pay, check with the agency.
Why does this matter for money? These four numbers are how your employer deducts and remits your contributions. Once registered, your payslip will show SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG deductions and, if your pay is high enough, withholding tax. The salary calculator shows how much of your gross pay you actually take home.
Step 1: Get your TIN (BIR)
BIR Form 1902, 1904 or 1905: which one is yours?
| Form | Used for | Is it for you? |
|---|---|---|
| BIR Form 1902 | Registering an individual earning purely compensation income (local or alien employee) | Yes, if you were hired and have no TIN yet |
| BIR Form 1904 | A TIN under Executive Order 98 or for a one-time transaction, and non-resident applicants | If you need a TIN before you are hired, or you are not an employee |
| BIR Form 1905 | Changes to an existing registration (address, civil status, correction of data, RDO transfer) and the TIN card application | If you already have a TIN |
Freelancers and business owners register with a different form (BIR Form 1901). This guide covers employees.
If you were hired: BIR Form 1902 through ORUS (the normal route)
By BIR rules, a first-time employee must be registered within 10 days from the date of employment. The online process in the BIR Citizen’s Charter is:
- Your employer registers you through the Employer Service Link in ORUS (https://orus.bir.gov.ph). This takes about 5 minutes.
- You receive a link from ORUS, create an account, enter your personal information and upload scanned documents: one government-issued ID that shows your name, address and birthdate (PhilID/ePhilID, passport, driver’s license, UMID, voter’s ID, digitized postal ID, PRC ID or OWWA ID), plus a selfie holding the same ID. If your ID has no address, upload proof of residence. Married women also upload their marriage contract.
- The system checks for an existing TIN. If it finds none, the application is approved automatically. If it flags a possible duplicate, the Revenue District Office reviews it.
- You get an email with the status and can view your TIN by logging in to ORUS.
Total processing time in the charter is 3 days, with no fee. Delays from system problems are not counted.
Use clear photos and make sure your spelling, birthdate and address match your ID exactly. The BIR checklist asks for IDs that are “readable, untampered” and consistent with your application.
Do I still need a PSA birth certificate?
Not for the BIR. The October 2025 version of BIR Form 1902 and the BIR Citizen’s Charter 2025 list one government-issued ID, not a birth certificate. Many older blogs still say you need one. Keep the PSA copy anyway because SSS and PhilHealth may ask for it.
The walk-in fallback
If ORUS is down or your employer cannot register you online, the manual route applies. The employer or you submit two original copies of BIR Form 1902 and a photocopy of a government-issued ID to the RDO where you live. The form has an employer section (employer TIN, RDO code, employer name and address, hiring date), which is why HR normally fills it with you. When the employer files manually, the BIR also asks for the company’s authorization letter, a transmittal list of new hires and a printed copy of the ORUS error message.
If you need a TIN before you have a job: BIR Form 1904 / EO 98
Some employers or government offices ask for a TIN at application stage. The BIR Citizen’s Charter has a route for individuals applying for a TIN under Executive Order 98, which you can do online in ORUS or in person at your RDO. For a first-time job seeker it asks for a Barangay Certification that you reside in the barangay and are a first-time job seeker (the RA 11261 certificate), in addition to your ID. Ask your barangay hall for this document.
If you already have a TIN: BIR Form 1905
- Never apply for a second TIN. The BIR prints on Form 1902 that possessing more than one TIN is criminally punishable. Give your existing TIN to your employer.
- Changed employer? Your TIN is yours for life. Under RMO 37-2019, transferring your registration to the new employer’s RDO is your responsibility: you submit BIR Form 1905 to your previous RDO. Ask HR whether they can handle it in ORUS.
- Changed your name, civil status or address? Use Form 1905 to update the record.
- Want the TIN card? Apply at your RDO with Form 1905, a 1x1 photo and a government ID, in person. The first TIN card is free; a replacement for a lost card costs ₱100.
Step 2: Get your SS number (SSS)
- Go to the Become an SSS Member page on sss.gov.ph and start the online application. Online registration has been the required route for new employees, self-employed and OFW members since July 15, 2020.
- Fill in the registration form with your personal and contact details. SSS emails a confirmation link; confirm it within 5 calendar days.
- At the document step you may upload an ID or civil registry document (JPEG or PDF, up to 3 MB). You can proceed without uploading.
- SSS shows your SS number and sends the slips (SS number slip, transaction number slip and E-1 form). Save them.
- Register for a My.SSS account to see your contributions.
Temporary vs Permanent. An SS number created without a supporting document is tagged Temporary and can be used for contributions only. To claim benefits or apply for loans you need a Permanent tag, which generally means presenting a PSA birth certificate or another primary document. Do this early; you do not want to sort it out the week you need a maternity or sickness benefit.
Coverage starts when your employer reports you. Having an SS number does not make you a covered employee. Coverage starts when your employer submits your employment report and pays at least one contribution for you. See the SSS Contribution Calculator for what that deduction will be.
Step 3: Get your PhilHealth PIN
For an employee, PhilHealth registration goes through HR:
- Fill out two copies of the PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF), available from your employer, any PhilHealth office or the PhilHealth website.
- Attach a birth certificate, baptismal certificate or valid ID showing your birthdate (PhilHealth’s Citizen’s Charter lists these as acceptable general requirements).
- Submit them to your employer’s HR department. HR files them together with the employer’s report of new employees.
- Wait for your Member Data Record (MDR) and PhilHealth ID card, which HR hands over once released. The charter lists no fee.
- Already have a PIN? Give it to HR so they can indicate it in their premium reports.
Your PIN is permanent. When you leave a job, you keep the same number. Your premium is 5% of your monthly basic salary, split with your employer; see the PhilHealth contribution table or the PhilHealth Contribution Calculator. If you later become self-employed or an OFW, PhilHealth lets self-paying members update their records through the Member Portal or the eGovPH app.
Step 4: Get your Pag-IBIG MID number
Pag-IBIG gives each member a unique, lifetime Member’s ID (MID) number. Philippine Information Agency coverage of Virtual Pag-IBIG describes the online process as:
- Open the Virtual Pag-IBIG site (through pagibigfund.gov.ph) and choose Be a Member, then Register.
- Fill in the fields and submit. No documents are required online.
- Expect a tracking number within about two days; use it to verify your MID.
- Give your MID to HR so your contributions and your employer’s share are remitted under the correct number.
Pag-IBIG’s own site was not readable by our tools when we checked, so confirm these steps in the Virtual Pag-IBIG portal. Your employer may also give you a membership form to complete. Your contribution is a percentage of your pay capped at ₱10,000; at the cap it is ₱200 from you and ₱200 from your employer. See the Pag-IBIG contribution table and the Pag-IBIG Contribution Calculator.
First-job checklist
- 2 or more valid government IDs with photo and signature (PhilID, passport, driver’s license, UMID).
- PSA birth certificate (needed for a Permanent SS number and handy for PhilHealth).
- Marriage certificate, if you are a married woman and use your married name.
- Barangay First Time Jobseeker certification, if you need a TIN before you are hired.
- 1x1 photos, if you also want the BIR TIN card.
- Your existing TIN, SS number, PIN and MID, if you have worked before. Do not register twice.
Common mistakes
- Applying for a second TIN because you lost the first. Ask your old employer or your RDO to look it up instead.
- Name or birthdate typos. A mismatch with your ID triggers rejection or a later correction through Form 1905.
- Creating a Temporary SS number and never upgrading it. You can contribute but you may be blocked from benefits and loans.
- Giving HR the wrong ID numbers. Wrong numbers mean contributions are posted to the wrong record or not at all.
What comes after registering
Once your numbers are in, check your first payslip. Employee shares should appear for SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG, plus withholding tax if your taxable pay is above the exemption. Learn how the tax works in Income Tax in the Philippines and withholding tax explained, and use the salary calculator to see your net pay.
Sources: BIR Citizen’s Charter 2025 Edition (TIN registration of local employees, online and manual, TIN card), BIR Form 1902 October 2025 (ENCS), BIR Revenue Memorandum Order 37-2019, SSS: Become an SSS Member, PhilHealth registration procedures for formal economy members, the PhilHealth Citizen’s Charter 2024, and Philippine Information Agency coverage of Virtual Pag-IBIG. Procedures change; confirm with the agency or your HR department before you file.