BI targets fly-by-night language schools

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has launched a crackdown on English language learning schools that have been operating illegally in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The fly-by-night schools cater to foreign students, mostly South Korean and Chinese, who enroll without student visas, which is against the law, Immigration Director Roy Almoro said yesterday.

Almoro said the bureau is set to create a special task force, composed of immigration legal officers and intelligence operatives, to go after fly-by-night language learning schools.

"We have been receiving numerous reports that these learning centers have been accepting foreign students wanting to speak English," Almoro said. "The problem is that they accept them even if the enrollees do not have study visas."

The BI official explained that the country’s immigration law strictly prohibits foreigners from enrolling at any school here without first securing a study permit or student visa from the bureau.

The language schools should also be accredited by the government.

Almoro said the task force will also investigate reports that some of the students enrolled at language schools were being brought into the country by human trafficking syndicates.

After they learn English, the foreigners would then be smuggled to other countries like the US and Canada.

Almoro said the bureau has temporarily suspended the processing of applications for accreditation by language schools due to alleged proliferation of colorum language centers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

However, the BI official clarified that the suspension order does not apply to schools, colleges, universities that are already recognized by the government and accredited by the bureau.

The indefinite suspension of accreditation of language schools was ordered by Acting Immigration Commissioner Arthel Caronongan last March 15.

To further ensure that accredited schools comply with the bureau’s rules and regulations, ocular inspections of all language centers will be conducted before their accreditation can be renewed.

Records from the BI Student Desk showed that there are more than 5,000 aliens currently enrolled in various schools, colleges, and universities throughout the country.