Canada-bound OFWs must undergo verification process —DMW

The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has issued an advisory, which requires overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for Canada to go through the agency’s verification process. 

In a media conference, DMW officer-in-charge Hans Leo Cacdac said Advisory No. 9 (series of 2024) was issued amid reports some Filipino workers headed for Canada are being charged with unauthorized recruitment fees. 

 “Ang problema may mag recruiters itong mga kababayan natin na hindi lisensyado ng DMW, china-charge ng exorbitant fees and over the last year, tinatanong na samin ni Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Tansingco anong gagawin namin sa mga sumusubok lumabas ng bansa na ganoon ang sitwasyon, na may work permit sa Canada na hindi dumadaan sa DMW,” he said.

(The problem is some of our OFWs deal with recruiters who are not licensed by the DMW.  They charge exorbitant fees.  BI Commission Tansingco was asking us how the bureau would deal with those attempting to leave the country without permits verified by the DMW.)

 “We issued the DMW Advisory No. 9. The purpose is to curb illegal recruitment and trafficking of persons. These past few months, we shut down two Canadian immigration consultancies without license from DMW but are recruiting workers for Canada,” he added. 

Cacdac said this is also a way for the department to monitor the well-being of the OFWs as they will also provide social protection in coordination with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).

 In the advisory, it is said that Filipinos bound for Canada under the following programs are considered OFWs and shall undergo contract verification and documentary processing by the DMW:

 a. Hired through Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) covered by POEA Advisory No. 169. Series of 2020 - otherwise known as the Atlantic Immigration Program, which aims to help employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven't been able to fill locally. 

 b. Holders of Canada's Open Work Permit under the International Mobility Program covered by POEA Advisory No. 159, Series of 2020 

 b.1 Bridging Open Work Permit (exemption code A75) 

 b.2 Post Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWP)

 b.3 Participants to the Home Child Care Provider Pilot (HCCPP) and Home Support Worker Pilot (HSWP) Programs (administrative code C90) 

b.4 Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers (exemption Code A72) 

 b.5 Religious work (exemption code C50)  

Meanwhile, those who are not deemed OFWs and are not required to pass documentary processing through the DMW are the following:

 - spouses or common law partners of principal foreign nationals (exemption code C41) who are or will be employed in high-skilled occupations

 - spouses or common law partners of principal foreign nationals (exemption code C42) who hold valid study permits and are enrolled full-time in post-graduation work permit eligible studies

- permanent residence applicants in the spouse or common-law partners in Canada Class (exemption codeA70) 

 "In case the said open work permit holders are still unemployed in Canada upon their return to the Philippines, an Affidavit of Support or any document consistent with the requirements by the Bureau of Immigration must be presented," the advisory added. —LDF, GMA Integrated News