The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) simultaneously shut down eight branches of a visa consultancy firm nationwide Friday, alleging it illegally recruited Filipino workers, particularly teachers, for jobs in the United States.

DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac led the closure operation at the main office of Visa to America Manila Inc. in Ortigas, Pasig City and disclosed that the firm offered job placements to the U.S. under the H-1B and J-1 visa categories without a DMW license.

Both H-1B and J-1 visas are legitimate US temporary work and exchange visas.

“Their modus operandi is supposedly visa assistance, travel consultancy, things like that, visa consultancy, but in reality, they are matching, they are offering jobs abroad without a DMW license,” Cacdac said.

“Their style is a visa assistance package, US$8,500, so it will come out to almost half a million pesos. But from our surveillance, which was face-to-face and virtual surveillance, the package is P300,000 to P500,000. Mainly teachers.”

Also, Cacdac confirmed that the DMW’s Migrant Workers Protection Bureau simultaneously padlocked the company’s branches in Cebu City, Lucena City, Iloilo City, Santiago City, Quezon City, Davao City and Zamboanga City.

The DMW launched its investigation after a victim approached the agency during an Independence Day job fair event and reported the company. The victim reported being asked to pay a hefty amount for the “visa package,” which was later revealed to be equivalent to a placement fee.

“Travel consultancy, visa consultancy can just give advice on how to get a visa to the United States or anywhere else, but if you put that in a job offer and there’s a fee of P300,000 to P500,000 without a license from the DMW, that’s what makes it illegal,” Cacdac said.

The DMW chief also announced that the agency will file criminal charges for large-scale illegal recruitment, which is non-bailable, against the firm’s owners, including all its staff and employees.