Hi guys!
I want to share about my situation right now, I was direct hired from SG by my employer here in AU and now holding a 457 visa. During my hiring process, may agreement kami ng employer ko na sila magbabayad lahat ng visa fees & airfare. So we agreed na i-proceed na pag apply ng visa. The employer introduced me to their usual agent na nag-aayos ng ibang visa din for the company’s workers (coz they also sponsored future hires from Pinas) After ko dumating dito sa Australia a few weeks ago, yung agent na nag arrange ng visa process ko is sinisingil ako ng Placement Fee of 6k!omg. I was so shocked considered na malaking amount yan. My question is why?! I didnt even hire them to find me a job and na introduced lang yung agent sakin ng employer ko na sila daw tutulong sa pag ayos ng visa ko. Everything na correspondence ko is between my employer, myself & the agent. I tried to ask kung para saan ang placement fee na na bill sakin, ayon daw sa Law sa pinas, usually may 1 month basic salary placement fee na sinisingil. And I still dont understand eh this is same case ng pagpunta ko ng SG which I am also a direct hire, I didnt pay for any placement fee. At hindi din ako nanggaling Pinas na dumaan pa sa PDOS, etc because I am already a documented OFW sa SG pa lang. I did fly directly from SG to AU. I am so confused kung may laban ba ako dito o I’ll pay for it na lang. My concern is kapag nag insist ako na ipaglaban na hindi ko kelangan magbayad, baka naman matanggal ako at ma bad record ako sa employer ko. I wasnt even informed na kelangan ko magbayad ng ganyan, eh di sana di ko na lang tinanggap yung offer, pinag ipunan ko na lng sana yung PR visa ko.
Hope you can advise me guys. Thanks a lot in advance.