The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) shut down five companies affiliated with the AUSPHIN Group in Pasig City and Baguio City on Friday for alleged illegal recruitment and placement of overseas Filipino workers bound for Australia.

DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara led personnel from the Migrant Workers Protection Bureau during the coordinated enforcement operations.

Regulators closed two entities operating in Pasig City — Auskills Inc. and Visume Inc. (also operating as Visume App) — along with three Baguio City branches — Ausphin International Institute Culinary Arts & Business Management Inc., Ausphin Recruitment, and Ausphin Consultancy.

DMW investigators found that the firms promised jobseekers culinary positions in Australia with monthly salaries ranging from P200,000 to P250,000.

Applicants were allegedly charged processing fees reaching up to P95,000, alongside additional fees for mandatory training and instructional materials, despite the companies lacking valid government recruitment licenses.

“Jobseekers looking for employment abroad must ensure they are dealing solely with licensed agencies and avoid paying recruitment fees to unauthorized entities,” the DMW said in a statement.

With Friday’s operations, the number of unauthorized recruitment establishments padlocked by the DMW in 2026 reached 48.