Overseas recruitment agencies who fail to follow the rules and regulations in hiring overseas workers face the risk of having their licenses canceled. However, even with cancelled licenses, some recruitment agencies continue to hire applicants for overseas deployment.

Such is the case with Northwest Placement Inc. and Reajent Manpower Services Inc. To make sure that these agencies will not be able to continue their illegal operations, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) chief, Hans Leo J. Cacdac and Vice-President Jejomar Binay, which is the head of the Presidential Task Force on Anti-Illegal Recruitment (PTFAIR), closed the offices of Northwest Placement Inc. and Reajent Manpower Services Inc.

Cacdac said, “This enforcement effort of the POEA and the Office of the Vice-President underscores the importance of punishing recruitment violators and upholding the rule of law.  And we will not rest.”

The order for immediate closure was issued by POEA after discovering that Northwest Placement Inc. continue to hire housekeepers for the United States of America even after its license was cancelled on April 25, 2012 because of the excessive fees it charged to applicants.

The office of Reajent Manpower Services Inc. was also closed by the POEA because they continue to accept applications for the position of fruit pickers for Australia that was found out to be non-existent.  Reajent was under preventive suspension since February 28, 2012.

The 8^thEmployment Permit System-Test of Proficiency in Korean (EPS-TOPIK) will happen on March 18, 2012 (Sunday). Days before the exam, the POEA released some last minute reminders and the list of applicants assigned to each test venue.

According to the POEAadvisory, examinees should check their respective application number appearing in their test permits.
Visit this link for to see the list of applicants per test venue and other reminders from POEA.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announces the test venues for the 8^th Employment Permit System-Test of Proficiency in Korean (EPS-TOPIK).

The 8^th EPS-TOPIK will happen on March 18, 2012 (Sunday) from 10:30 am to 11:40 am. Applicants are reminded to be in their respective test rooms at 8:00 am. All examinees are required to bring the following: black ballpen, passport or any valid identification card and test permit.

According to the POEA announcement, the list of applicants assigned to each school shall be posted in the POEA website on March 12, 2012.

Check the complete test venues of 8th EPS-TOPIK.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is serious to end the bad endeavors of illegal recruiters. Just last week, POEA have terminated the licenses of two recruitment agencies due to excessive collection of placement fees in violation of the POEA rules and regulations.

To help jobseekers identify illegal recruiters, POEA lists down the characteristics of an illegal recruiter:

1. An illegal recruiter would ask applicants to pay for placement fee and other fees without giving official receipts.

2. An illegal recruiter would promise applicants to be deployed as soon as possible

3. An illegal recruiter would require applicants to undergo medical examination even without being hired by an employer and no existing contract.

4. Transactions are made in public places (restaurants, malls,) and not in their main office.

5. There are illegal recruiters who go house to house to recruit applicants.

6. Some illegal recruiters offer direct-hiring jobs without going to POEA for documentation.

7. Offers tourist or visit visa to applicants instead of a working visa.

8. Can’t provide legitimate employment contract or working visa.

9. There are recruiters who claims that they are part of a POEA accredited agencies but can’t provide identification card.

10. Recruiters who claimed that they are connected with  travel agencies or training centers.

11. Asking applicants to recruit relatives or friends for faster deployment.

12. Fixers outside POEA who promise applicants for faster processing of their application.

In an advisory that appeared in the official website of POEA, the government agency announced the cancellation of licenses of two recruitment agencies, the Lucky International Placement Services Inc. and Tai-Fil Manpower Services Inc.

The reason for the cancellation of license is excessive collection of placement fees in violation of the POEA rules and regulations.

According to Viveca Catalig, Officer-in-Charge of the POEA, the license of Lucky International was canceled because of a complain from an applicant that was charged PhP101,000.00 for a caretaker job in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, the license of Tai-Fil Manpower Services Inc. was canceled after a complainant said that he was asked to pay a placement fee amounting to PhP100,000 for a job as a food processor in Taiwan.

Recruitment agencies with cancelled licenses are prohibited from conducting or participating in any recruitment activity.

“The public should be extra cautious when applying for work overseas and report to POEA any observed irregularity. Always check the status of your
recruitment agencies for your own protection by visiting our website, www.poea.gov.ph or by calling POEA hotlines 722-1144 / 722-1155, and report those that are still recruiting despite the suspension or cancellation of their licenses,” Catalig concluded