The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) conducted a closure operation against an illegal recruitment agency for the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the agency announced on Thursday.

In its campaign against illegal recruiters, the DMW shut down HRInternational, Inc., located in Intramuros, Manila, on March 19.

Based on the agency’s investigation, applicants were promised sure jobs with salaries ranging from ₱50,000 to ₱200,000 in Dubai, New Zealand, and the United States without a DMW-issued license. In exchange, the victims were charged ₱355,000 as a processing fee.

The DMW stressed that such exploitation violates the law. It reminded applicants to be discerning and ascertain that the recruitment agencies they seek employment through are licensed and authorized to help them.

In addition, suspicious activities must be reported immediately to enable prompt action by authorities and to prevent others from falling victim to deceptive recruitment practices.

This marks the agency’s fifth closure operation this year, aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen efforts against illegal recruitment and safeguard the welfare of all OFWs.