Key Takeaways
• Promise Land Consultancy allegedly ran a pyramid scheme, charging migrant workers up to $40,000 for fake jobs.
• Victims, mainly Filipino migrants, lost money, legal status, and suffered emotional harm due to unfulfilled promises.
• Experts urge stronger regulation of immigration agencies and warn migrants to verify consultants’ credentials before paying any fees.
A major case of alleged fraud has come to light in Canada 🇨🇦. On May 14, 2025, CBC News reported that The Promise Land Consultancy (PLC), which now calls itself PLC Global Referral Solutions, is accused of running a pyramid scheme. This scheme is said to target Filipino migrant workers by promising them opportunities for a new life in Canada 🇨🇦. The case is just the latest in a series that involve unreliable companies tricking Filipino migrants into paying huge sums of money in exchange for jobs or permits that never appear. These cases raise serious questions about the protection of migrant workers and the need for stronger rules around immigration consultancy services in Canada 🇨🇦.
How the Alleged Scheme Worked
Rozana Solita was hired in March 2024 as a regulated Canadian immigration consultant working in-house for The Promise Land Consultancy. She soon saw things that disturbed her. She realized that PLC was charging fees that should not have been charged under Canadian rules. Even worse, the company was said to be using her name and signature without her knowledge or approval.
What shocked Rozana even more was that about half the people working in the office were not regular employees. Instead, they were seventeen migrant workers from the Philippines 🇵🇭 and other countries. These workers were in Canada 🇨🇦 on visitor visas—that is, short-term permits that do not allow legal work. They had each paid thousands of dollars to The Promise Land Consultancy for the promise of a job in Canada 🇨🇦. When these jobs did not materialize, PLC put them to work recruiting more people like themselves. This cycle bears the classic marks of a pyramid scheme, where each new recruit is used to bring in even more recruits.
According to agreements seen by CBC News, PLC asked foreign workers and their families—mostly Filipino nationals living in Canada 🇨🇦, the Philippines 🇵🇭, and 18 other countries—to pay as much as $40,000 for their services. The fees were not uniform; they depended on the kind of job or immigration path that was “promised.” One document showed that a “BC Office Job” was priced from $25,000 to $30,000. These amounts are beyond what most workers can afford.
The story of Lilian Tanoja shows how real the harm can be. Lilian is a personal support worker in Vancouver who has spent 30 years in Canada 🇨🇦. In July 2023, she paid The Promise Land Consultancy $10,000 to help her niece get a student visa. After a full year without any word on the application—or any refund—Lilian decided to take her case to small claims court. Her case is still pending.
Filipino Migrant Workers at Risk
This is not a one-off event. Similar stories have been reported many times in the past few years, with Filipino migrant workers often being the main targets. The reason is clear: many Filipinos dream of building a better life in Canada 🇨🇦, and some are willing to sacrifice everything for that chance. Unscrupulous companies take advantage of this hope.
For example, an investigation in January 2025 revealed that Jeanett Moskito, a recruiter, was accused of tricking “hundreds” of Filipino migrants. She operated through her companies, Link4Staff and Berderald Consulting. While these companies have faced 35 labor violations in the last ten years, they continue to operate.
One victim, John Gabriel Quizo, moved from the Philippines 🇵🇭 to Canada 🇨🇦 in 2022 to study hotel and restaurant management. He paid $6,000 after being told he would get a full-time job and a legal work permit, which would lead to permanent residency. Instead, after working for seven months, his student visa ran out and no new permit was provided. He was dropped from the work schedule, lost his legal status, and ended up homeless and living in a shelter. In his own words, he is “too ashamed to fly back home.”
A Widespread Pattern of Exploitation
It is important to see these cases as part of a larger picture. In 2019, a businessman from Halifax, Hector Mantolino, pleaded guilty to breaking the rules under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. He had exploited 28 Filipino workers by telling them he could make their Canadian dream come true. In reality, the workers received less money than promised—sometimes just $3.13 an hour when the contract called for $10.60. To try to make up the difference, one worker, Joven Ednalaguim, was forced to work 20 hours a day, which led to exhaustion and two car accidents.
Stories like these keep repeating. In May 2024, a group of Filipino migrant hotel workers in Thompson told of emotional abuse, unfair scheduling, and being fired in ways that seemed designed to keep them from speaking up. They said they were trapped by their contracts and could not switch jobs unless they first applied for a new work permit.
The pattern is clear: employers and recruiters take advantage of the desperation and hopes of Filipino migrant workers. And when things go wrong, these workers often find themselves alone, scared, and without help, because their immigration status is tied to the people who hold power over them.
Behind the Scenes: The Role of Agencies in the Philippines
It’s not just Canadian companies taking advantage of hopeful workers. Many employment agencies and money-lending companies in the Philippines 🇵🇭 also join in. Together, they pressure women looking for work as domestic helpers overseas. Workers are forced to pay illegal recruiting fees and take out high-interest loans—sometimes at rates higher than 130%.
The pressure to pay off these loans means workers have very little money left for themselves or their families. They are trapped in a cycle they cannot escape. And if they complain about their situation, the debt—and the threat of being sent home—keeps them quiet.
Why Do So Many People Fall for These Promises?
The simple answer is hope. The promise of steady jobs, higher wages, and a path to permanent residency in Canada 🇨🇦 makes the offer hard to resist. These promises can seem more real when they come from companies with names like The Promise Land Consultancy or from people who speak the same language and share the same culture.
However, many of these companies are not licensed by Canadian immigration authorities. In Canada 🇨🇦, only licensed immigration consultants, lawyers, or paralegals can legally provide immigration advice for a fee. To check if someone is a registered consultant, you can use the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants’ online registry.
The Promise Land Consultancy case stands out because internal documents showed the use of official signatures without permission and fake job offers made to people who desperately wanted to move to Canada 🇨🇦. The company also made use of so-called “referral” programs that paid existing clients for bringing in even more clients, which is a common hallmark of a pyramid scheme.
What Is a Pyramid Scheme?
A pyramid scheme is a dishonest business model that pays people for recruiting others into the scheme, rather than for selling real products or services. In the case of PLC, the migrant workers themselves were put to work recruiting others—often their friends and relatives—promising jobs or student visas that never existed. As more people join and hand over fees, the people at the top of the “pyramid” profit most, while those at the bottom are most at risk of being left with nothing.
Canadian law makes most pyramid schemes illegal, but they can be hard to prove, especially when they are disguised as normal recruitment or consulting work.
The Impact on Filipino Migrant Workers
The cycle of exploitation has real and lasting effects on the lives of Filipino migrant workers. Here is what many have faced:
– Large debts from fees and loans
– Loss of jobs and legal status
– Mental distress, shame, and anger
– Being forced into poor or illegal working conditions
– A fear of speaking out due to threats of being deported
For those who do find the power to speak out, the path is not easy. As seen with Lilian Tanoja, legal avenues such as small claims court can take a long time and may not always offer relief.
Is Anything Being Done?
These latest stories have sparked fresh calls from migrant support groups and labor organizations for stronger government protection. Steps being asked for include:
– More oversight of immigration consultants and recruitment agencies
– Harsher punishments for those found running pyramid schemes
– Better worker education so migrants can spot warning signs
– Stronger support services for victims
Canadian authorities have options to fight these scams, but keeping up with ever-changing tricks used by bad actors is tough. Even with rules in place, there are not enough inspectors or resources. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provides official information for newcomers and warns them to check the background of anyone offering immigration advice.
Lessons for Migrant Workers
As reported by VisaVerge.com, migrant workers must always check if a consultant or recruiter is certified by Canadian authorities. Promises that seem “too good to be true” should always set off alarm bells. Here are some safety steps Filipino workers can follow:
– Never pay any money for a job offer without checking with Canadian and Philippine government agencies
– Never give money for a visa or permit before seeing proof of official approval
– Ask to see the consultant’s license and check it online
– Speak with local migrant associations or legal clinics for free advice if something feels wrong
The Bigger Picture
These cases show a troubling pattern of abuse that is not limited to one company or even one country. Filipino migrant workers in Canada 🇨🇦 and worldwide face the risk of being tricked by those who promise easy paths to a new life. Some lose not just their savings but their health—their hopes are shattered by those they trust most.
However, awareness is the first step to change. As more stories come out and as community groups push for reform, it is possible for future migrants to avoid falling into the same traps. Governments in Canada 🇨🇦 and the Philippines 🇵🇭 must keep working together to protect the hopes of those who seek a brighter future abroad.
Conclusion and Guidance
The unfolding story of The Promise Land Consultancy and similar recruitment schemes targeting Filipino migrant workers shows why strong oversight is needed in Canada’s immigration system. Migrant workers should remember:
– Check the credentials of any immigration consultant
– Be aware of common warning signs, like high fees and promises of fast-track immigration
– Report any suspicious activity to authorities immediately
For those facing hardship due to recruitment scams, help can be found through community legal clinics, labor centers, and official government websites. The struggles faced by people like Lilian Tanoja and John Gabriel Quizo highlight the importance of sharing these stories and supporting each other in the search for a safe, legal path to building the Canadian dream.
For updated, official advice on Canadian immigration rules, requirements, and how to protect yourself and your family, visit the Government of Canada’s official immigration website.
The hope for a better life should never put anyone at risk of being preyed upon. By learning from the hard experiences faced by others and working together, both individuals and authorities can help stop the spread of pyramid schemes and bring real change for Filipino migrant workers everywhere.
Learn Today
Pyramid scheme → A fraudulent business model where participants earn money mainly by recruiting others, not by providing real jobs or services.
Visitor visa → A short-term permit allowing a foreign national to enter and temporarily stay in Canada, but not to work legally.
Small claims court → A low-level Canadian court where individuals can resolve minor financial disputes, such as fee refunds, without hiring a lawyer.
Regulated Canadian immigration consultant → An individual officially licensed to provide immigration advice or services for a fee under Canadian law.
Permanent residency → Legal status allowing a person to live and work in Canada indefinitely, without being a Canadian citizen.
This Article in a Nutshell
A major Canadian fraud case targets Filipino migrant workers through false job promises. Promise Land Consultancy allegedly charged up to $40,000, using a pyramid scheme. Many victims face debts, lost legal status, and shame. Experts urge migrants to check consultants’ licenses and warn stronger government action is needed to stop future abuse.
— By VisaVerge.com
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