Department of Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac leads the closure of an immigration consultancy firm in Mandaluyong City for its alleged involvement in illegal recruitment on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (photo: DMW)
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) shut down the operation of another immigration consultancy firm allegedly involved in illegally offering jobs as an entry point to permanent residency in Canada.
Aside from the main office of the Dream Pathway Education and Immigration Services (Dream Pathway),Mandaluyong City, DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac said he also ordered the closure of its three branches located in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Apalit, Pampanga; and Lipa City, Batangas.
Citing reports they received, Cacdac said the firms were targeting Filipino nurses, caregivers, nursing aides, and welders with a P 110,000 professional fee under the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) program.
“Dream Pathway is among the unauthorized entities taking advantage of Canada’s immigration programs, which are being used as a doorway to Canada for temporary work before reaching permanent residency,” said Cacdac.
“Aside from not securing a proper license from the DMW, they are charging exorbitant processing fees to hopeful applicants,” he added.
Cacdac explained that Filipinos bound for Canada under AIP must undergo contract verification and documentary processing by the DMW as legal documentation as OFWs, whether through direct hire processing or a licensed Philippine recruitment agency.
Following the violations it discovered, the DMW is now preparing charges of illegal recruitment charges against the people behind the operation of the Dream Pathway.
Cacdac said the firm’s officers and personnel will be included in the DMW’s "List of Persons and Establishments with Derogatory Record."
“They will be permanently denied participation in the government’s overseas recruitment program. We urge the consultancy firm's victims to contact the DMW for assistance in filing cases against the agency,” said Cacdac.
The closure of the consultancy firm is the first operation involving the simultaneous padlocking of a company’s main and branch offices conducted by the DMW to crack down on illegal recruiters preying on OFWs and applicants who wish to work abroad.
The DMW reminds everyone that all Filipinos bound for employment in Canada must undergo proper document verification and processing with the DMW for legal documentation as migrant workers.