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| The PCG's warning against employment visa 'fixers' |
The Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong has issued a warning against “fixers” pretending to be employees of licensed recruitment agencies who offer fictitious employers to foreign domestic workers.
The said fixers are
known to offer domestic workers the names of supposed local residents willing to
sponsor their employment visa for a fee of between $20,000 and $25,000.
The domestic workers are
then assured they can take up other jobs that pay more, as they are not
required by the registered employers to work for them.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Many of those who agree
to such offers are terminated FDWs desperate to remain in Hong Kong, and are
lured by the promise of higher pay by working as cleaners, dishwashers, packers,
and other non-skilled jobs for which the market demand is high.
The PCG’s warning came in
the wake of a number of cases of Filipino domestic workers being sentenced for
up to 12 months in jail after being found to have lied to immigration officers
about their supposed employers.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
“Unfortunately several
MDWs (have already been) arrested and convicted for false representation to an
Immigration officer by taking part in this modus operandi,” said the PCG
advisory.
Under the Immigration
Ordinance, false representation to an Immigration officer is punishable with a fine
of up to P150,000 and up to 14 years in jail.
In one such case, Celia
Tamani, 38, was sentenced to nine months in jail on May 15 after being found to
possess fake employment documents on her return to Hong Kong after the
mandatory exit to another place abroad.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
She was convicted after
admitting using a false instrument, presenting a fake notification slip for
extension of star and re-entry to Hong Kong on Apr 23, and breach of condition
of stay as she remained in the city without lawful authority.
She was found to have
lied to Immigration when she said in her application for extension of stay that
she would work as a domestic helper for a certain Tang Kok-bun.
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| How to check if the agency is licensed in HK or the Philippines |
Another Filipina, Jo An Mantos, 39, was jailed for five months after being arrested as she was about to fly out of Hong Kong, having been found to have lied to an Immigration officer and submitted false documents to get her stay extended.
She repeated the offense last May 13
when she told the same lie to an Immigration officer at the departure area of
the HK International Airport.
The highest sentence of 12 months
was imposed on April 24 on Crischalyn Alban, 43,
after she pleaded guilty to false representation.
According to the police case,
Alban lied when she told an Immigration officer on Aug 20 last year last year that
she would work for a local resident as a domestic helper, and presenting an
employment contract to this effect.
The contract turned out
to be fake, and was submitted to allow the defendant to remain in Hong Kong
under a foreign domestic helper visa.
Several more Filipinos who
are under FDW contracts are due to appear in court or stand trial after being arrested
at commercial establishments while allegedly doing illegal work.
