Illegal Recruitment by Visa Consultants and Language Training Centers

February 24, 2020POEA ADVISORY NO. 19-20ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT BY VISA CONSULTANTS AND LANGUAGE TRAINING CENTERSThe Philippine Overseas Employment Administration received reports that some visa consultants and language training centers are promising overseas employment in order to entice clients to avail of their service.The Administration hereby warns the public that the said practice of visa consultants and language training centers is considered as illegal recruitment. Under Republic Act No. 8042, as amended by Republic Act No. 10022, offering overseas employment, in these cases in the guise of visa assistance or language training, without the necessary license or authority from the POEA constitutes illegal recruitment. HTcADCPOEA Memorandum Circular No. 10 (Series of 2003) provides guidelines for the participation of local immigration consultancy agencies in the recruitment and placement of overseas Filipino workers. Immigration consultants are required to obtain a license from the POEA before engaging in recruitment and placement activities, regardless of the visa under which deployment shall be made eventually. Also, language training centers are not allowed to engage in the recruitment and placement of overseas Filipino...