MANILA: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Tuesday reminded Filipinos planning to work and migrate to Canada to pass through the department's verification process. DMW Officer in Charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac made this remark after incidents of Filipinos migrating to Canada without going through the right processes and instead dealt with unlicensed recruiters who charged them exorbitant fees. Cacdac said the DMW on April 12 issued Advisory 9, which provides the guidelines and processes governing the documentation of Filipinos under Canada's immigration programs. 'Ang puno't dulo nito (The problem here) is the proper verification of documents and processing of OFWs bound for Canada. Ang nangyayari meron mga programa sa (what happens is that there are programs in) Canada that gear towards, well, nominee program, permanent residency programs, pero ang (but the) entry point to Canada is work, meaning work permit, OFW status, temporary work, bago tumuntong sa pagka-permanent resident (before the y become permanent residents),' Cacdac explained in an online press conference. He said under Advisory 9, the OFWs are required to pass through the DMW to prevent illegal recruitment and trafficking of persons. The advisory states that Filipinos bound for Canada who were hired through the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP), holders of Canada's Open Work Permit under the International Mobility Program, holders of Bridging Open Work Permit, Post Graduate Work Permit Program (PGWP), participants of the Home Child Care Provider Pilot (HCCPP) and Home Support Worker Pilot (HSWP) Programs, should undergo contract verification and documentary processing by the DMW. Cacdac said the documentary processing as an OFW would be coursed through a licensed Philippine Recruitment Agency. Meanwhile, Canada-bound Filipinos with an Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers would only be required to undergo the DMW's documentary processing if they are already in possession of a valid/existing employment contract. The advisory a lso provides that work that is not religious, such as clerical, accounting, and administrative, would be required to undergo the DMW's documentary processing even if the employer is a religious institution. Spouses or common-law partners of principal foreign nationals who are or will be employed in high-skilled occupations, spouses, or common-law partners of principal foreign nationals who hold valid study permits and are enrolled full-time in post-graduation work permit eligible studies, and permanent residence applicants in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class, are not deemed OFWs and need not pass documentary processing through the DMW. Cacdac also reminded OFWs planning to apply to Canada of the 'no placement fee policy.' Source: Philippines News Agency
