The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has warned Filipinos about illegal recruitment for Japan.

The bureau ordered its inspectors deployed in the international airports to strict screen Filipinos departing for Japan, as part of ongoing efforts to curb human trafficking.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente instructed immigration inspectors in the ports of exit to “observe due attentiveness” to Filipino passengers bound for Japan.

Morente directed the BI personnel to exercise extra caution in clearing the departure of Filipinos with visas for intra-company transferee, short-term visitor, student, and engineer specialist in humanities and international services.

According to the BI chief, there have been reports that said visas were being used by unscrupulous recruiters to circumvent government rules on the documentation and deployment of Filipino workers to Japan.

He said the scheme was being employed to make it appear that the purpose of the Japan-bound Filipino passenger is exempt from securing an overseas employment certificate (OEC).

Morente said that by using these visas, the passengers are declaring that they are traveling and staying in Japan for only a brief period although their actual intention is to work in the said country. ...continue reading