IECAP to help eradicate fly-by-night agencies

CEBU, Philippines — A group of immigration service consulting agencies in the Philippines have established the International Education Consultants Alliance of the Philippines (IECAP) to help the government police the proliferation of ‘fly-by-night’ agencies that continue to victimize Filipinos.

IECAP is a 27-member association composed of agencies operating around the country and is now working with the Department of Migrant Workers with the end goal of providing industry standards for the government

“Hopefully the government will not have to create a special department for it, because we are self-regulating ourselves protecting the Filipino students [who have plans to study abroad],” said Bertch Ian Ranis, one of the founding members, and IECAP vice president for internal affairs.

In a press conference, Ranis said that with the increasing interest in Filipinos studying abroad, there has been a rise in ‘fly-by-night’ agencies. As a result, IECAP is intensifying its efforts to help the government regulate and eliminate pseudo-immigration consulting agencies.

Ranis, the co-owner and managing director of Fil-Global Immigration Services Corp (Fil-Global), a company that has been operating in the Philippines for 10 years, is one of the key initiators in creating IECAP. Fil-Global has seven offices across the Philippines, including one in Cebu.

Ranis, a former overseas student who later pursued a career in immigration consultancy, encouraged prospective students planning to study abroad to verify the legitimacy of educational consultants and ensure their businesses are legally registered with the government.

Last year, 80,000 Filipinos went abroad on student visas. The trend is on the rise, with an expected annual growth of at least 20 percent, he said.

Demand for Nurses

According to Ranis, there is a significant surge in the demand for Filipino nurses working in the United States in the next eight to ten years.

Fil-Global, an immigration and educational consultancy service provider, noted that the aging population and the baby boomer generation entering retirement are seen to fuel the demand for nursing professionals.

“We are witnessing a renewed and strong demand for Filipino nurses in the United States,” said Ranis.

A study by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) showed that the Registered Nursing (RN) workforce is expected to expand by six percent over the next decade. The RN workforce is anticipated to grow from 3.1 million in 2022 to 3.3 million in 2032. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics likewise projects 193,100 openings for RNs each year through 2032 when nurse retirements and workforce exits are factored into the number of nurses needed in the US.

The AACN is said to be working with schools, policymakers and nursing organizations to form collaborations to address the shortage of nursing professionals.

Banking on this demand, Ranis said that Fil-Global is intensifying its efforts to assist more Filipinos to study, work and live in the US as nurses.

“Our goal is to provide the necessary support, from visa processing to job placement, ensuring that our nurses are well-prepared and confident as they embark on their careers in the US,” Ranis said.

Fil-Global announced the rollout of its pioneering Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, the first agency to introduce a 1-year BS-Nursing program in the US, in collaboration with Oklahoma City University, with a 50 percent scholarship and guaranteed employment.

“This innovative program aims to offer Filipinos an accelerated pathway to a rewarding nursing career in the United States,” Ranis said.

The program offers free hospital placement for Registered Nurses who have passed the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination [for] Registered Nurses) Exam under the EB3 Green Card program. This initiative is designed to streamline the process for Filipino healthcare professionals seeking to build their careers in the US.

Ranis also announced that the company sealed an exclusive partnership with the University of California, providing a 6-month postgraduate program for Filipinos, complemented by a 1-year paid work placement in New York. This partnership aims to enhance career prospects and provide valuable international work experience.

The company is offering a Fully Funded STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Program in collaboration with MPOWER Financing, providing up to US$100,000 in loans to cover board, lodging, and tuition fees for Master’s degrees in STEM disciplines.

This is designed to support talented students pursuing advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“With the increasing demand, agencies like Fil-Global, are making this commitment to the US government in assisting more Filipino nurses secure employment opportunities for the US healthcare sector,” Ranis said.

USA Expo Cebu

As part of its 10th Anniversary, Fil-Global in Cebu is conducting a USA Expo on July 20, 2024, at the Lex Hotel, Escario Street corner Juana Osmena Extension, Cebu City intended for those looking to advance their education and career opportunities in the US, and other countries.

The one-day expo will provide free Career Expo, Immigration Consultation, and visa application processing, among others.

Founded on August 11, 2014, in London, United Kingdom, Fil-Global Immigration Services Corporation is the first and only ISO-certified 9001:2015 education consultancy in the Philippines offering a wide range of immigration, internship, and university placement services across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, and more.

Fil-Global now offers free consultancy services to potential students pursuing their overseas dreams.

Ranis mentioned that providing these consultancy services for free will motivate more students to seek help from the agencies, rather than turning to entities they often encounter on TikTok and other social media platforms. — (FREEMAN)