MANILA—The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) ordered the simultaneous closure of eight branches of Visa to America Manila Inc. for alleged involvement in illegal recruitment activities targeting Filipino teachers.

Shut down were the company’s offices in Pasig City, Cebu City, Lucena City, Iloilo City, Santiago City, Quezon City, Davao City, and Zamboanga City.

The DMW said Visa to America, a visa consultancy firm, was found offering employment in the United States without securing the proper license or authority from the department.

According to a report from one of the victims, the company charged USD 5,400 (around PHP 300,000) for a J-1 visa package and USD 8,500 (around PHP 500,000) for an H-1B visa package. The fees were later revealed to be equivalent to placement fees—a violation, as the visas were used to deploy workers as teachers, which is not allowed for a visa consultancy firm.

Further investigation by the DMW showed that Visa to America instructed employees to pose as representatives from U.S. schools to conduct fake interviews, misleading clients into believing they were speaking with actual American school principals.

The department also found that the company claimed to have a U.S.-based partner firm with the same name—Visa to America—but the assurances of employment and deployment were reportedly vague and often unfulfilled.

In line with its closure orders, the DMW ordered the complete cessation of operations of all Visa to America branches.

“This is the 27th closure operation conducted by the DMW this year as part of its intensified crackdown against illegal recruiters preying on aspiring overseas Filipino workers,” the agency said.

The company’s officers will face charges of illegal recruitment and will be included in the DMW’s List of Persons with Derogatory Record, which prohibits them from participating in any overseas placement activity.

The DMW-Migrant Workers Protection Bureau is urging other victims to come forward and reach out through its official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip to receive free legal assistance and file complaints against the firm.