The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) took decisive action on Thursday, closing the main office and three branches of Dream Pathway Education and Immigration Services (Dream Pathway), an immigration consultancy firm engaged in illegal activities. The DMW, in collaboration with local authorities, padlocked Dream Pathway’s head office in Mandaluyong City, and its branches in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija; Apalit, Pampanga; and Lipa City, Batangas.
DMW Officer-in-Charge Hans Leo J. Cacdac explained the rationale behind the closure, stating, “Dream Pathway is among the unauthorized entities taking advantage of Canada’s immigration programs… Aside from not securing a proper license from the DMW, they are charging exorbitant processing fees to hopeful applicants.”
The DMW-Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB) uncovered Dream Pathway’s illegal recruitment of Filipino nurses, caregivers, nursing aides, and welders for positions in Canada. These recruitment efforts were conducted under the guise of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP) program, with applicants being charged a hefty Php 110,000 professional fee.
Cacdac emphasized the necessity for proper documentation, stating, “Filipinos bound for Canada under AIP must undergo contract verification and documentary processing by the DMW… whether through direct hire processing or a licensed Philippine recruitment agency.”
Dream Pathway now faces illegal recruitment charges, and victims are encouraged to reach out to the DMW for assistance in filing cases against the agency. Furthermore, the firm’s officers and personnel will be blacklisted, permanently barring them from participating in the government’s overseas recruitment program.
This operation marks the first time the DMW has simultaneously closed the main and branch offices of a company, signaling a crackdown on illegal recruiters targeting Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and job applicants seeking opportunities abroad.