We Demand Justice for the Victims of TPLC

Canadian and Philippine Government Authorities

In 2023, The Promise Land Consultancy (TPLC) recruited workers from the Philippines through social media, luring them to Canada on Temporary Resident Visas (TRV-Visitor) with false promises of employment through Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) and work permits. TPLC charged exorbitant fees, ranging from $2,500 to $40,000, for fake immigration services.

Victims signed contracts, including retainer agreements and employment contracts, but none included valid LMIA attachments. Those “hired” by TPLC were instead coerced into recruiting more victims. They were paid below minimum wage, worked longer hours than stated, and were denied basic labor protections. Victims later learned from TPLC’s former immigration consultant (IC) that the company was illegally operating as an unlicensed recruitment agency. The IC urged them to leave TPLC immediately.

When victims demanded refunds, they were pressured to sign waivers relinquishing their right to sue and told they would have to wait 90 days for repayment. To date, only three victims have been refunded.


CBC Investigation on the Promise Land Consultancy, covered by Aloysius Wong

Impact on Victims:
  • Victims depleted their savings or fell into debt, believing they were investing in a path to permanent residency.
  • Once in Canada, they were subjected to exploitative labor, working longer hours for lower pay without legal protections.
  • With their visas expiring in three months and no legitimate job offers, victims face the risk of becoming undocumented, making them susceptible to deportation and further exploitation.
  • The financial loss, uncertainty, and betrayal have led to stress, anxiety, and hopelessness.
  • Many victims, including professionals who left stable careers, are now unable to support their families or send money home.
  • Victims have filed complaints with the BC Employment Standards Branch, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Philippine Consulate/Migrant Workers Office, Vancouver Police Department, and Small Claims Court. They have also met with advocates, including Migrant Workers’ Centre, Migrante BC, and Damayan BC, and gained the support of MLA Mable Elmore, who endorsed their case to Minister of Labour Harry Bains. Their story has been covered by CBC, OMNI News, DZMM, and Philippine Asian News Today.
Campaign Achievements:
  • We held dialogues with the Philippine Consulate and the Migrant Workers Office (MWO), pushing for concrete action and access to AKSYON funds for victims.
  • With the help of the Migrant Workers Centre (MWC), victims are exploring legal options and gaining access to legal representation.
  • Our campaign has raised awareness of TPLC’s fraudulent activities, applying public pressure through media exposure and mass actions at TPLC offices.
  • We launched protests at TPLC and key locations, demanding refunds and accountability.
Legal Progress:
  • Victims have filed cases in Small Claims Court, with some winning favorable judgments. In March 2025, one victim won a case ordering TPLC to pay $2,000 monthly.
  • We are pursuing a federal injunction to shut down TPLC, which will strengthen our case for a class-action lawsuit seeking full restitution.
  • Victims filed complaints with the Department of Migrant Workers. Despite TPLC’s no-show at hearings, a directive is expected to blacklist them from recruiting.
We support the victims’ demands:
  1. For the Promise Land Consultancy to refund the money and pay for damages to the victims.
  2. To investigate the Promise Land Consultancy. End the outright deceitful hiring and illegal work practices of Promise Land Consultancy.
  3. Provide them with proper documentation to work and provide for their families or support with repatriation to the Philippines.
We support their particular demands that:
1) The Philippine Government must take the necessary steps to serve the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs):
  • Vancouver Philippines Consulate General (PCG) must release their Assistance for Nationals funds to immediately support the needs of the victims, including supplying resources for safe housing, food, and clothing, etc. while the investigation is underway. We also ask protection for the victims and their families from any retaliation.
  • The Philippines’ Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) should support their repatriation as necessary, investigate and hold owner Jose Mari Miranda alias Joseph Powers accountable, pay them their refunds owed, and pay them for damages caused to their health and overall situation.
2) The Canadian government (Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC); Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety (CBSA); Arif Virani, Minister of Justice; and Harry Bains, the BC Minister of Labour) must prosecute and arrest the Promise Land Consultancy owners and management as their illegal practices are still ongoing.
  • The Labour Export Policy of the Philippines continues to place Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in vulnerable positions, making them susceptible to trafficking and exploitation. The victims of TPLC are fighting to prevent others from enduring the same fraudulent schemes, standing alongside community members and organizations in their demand for justice.
In Solidarity,
[NAME]
Petition by
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Migrante British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
Sponsored by
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Justice 4 Victims of TPLC Campaign

To: Canadian and Philippine Government Authorities
From: [Your Name]

We, the undersigned, stand in solidarity with the migrant workers who were defrauded, exploited, and abandoned by The Promise Land Consultancy (TPLC) in their pursuit of a better life in Canada.

In 2023, TPLC lured Filipino workers through deceptive social media campaigns, promising employment and immigration opportunities via fake Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) and false job offers. Victims were charged exorbitant "placement fees" of up to $40,000 CAD and entered Canada on visitor visas, only to find there were no real jobs or valid work permits awaiting them.

Instead of employment, they were coerced into unpaid labour, pressured to recruit more victims, and denied their legal rights. When they demanded accountability and refunds, TPLC silenced them with intimidation and illegal waivers.

The impact has been devastating:
- Victims have lost their life savings and face mounting debts.
- Many are undocumented or at risk of deportation.
- Their physical, emotional, and mental health have deteriorated.
- Their families in the Philippines are suffering due to lost remittances.

We commend the victims' courage in coming forward and their ongoing efforts to seek justice through legal channels, despite barriers and retaliation.

We call on the Canadian and Philippine governments to take immediate, coordinated action to ensure justice, protection, and restitution for the victims.

To the Canadian government, we urge that you:
A. Investigate and prosecute The Promise Land Consultancy and its owners for fraud, human trafficking, and labour exploitation.

B. Provide open work permits and regularization pathways for all victims, to protect them from further harm and allow them to rebuild their lives.

C. Ensure enforcement of labour standards, including back pay and damages for all affected workers.

D. Stop the abuse of Temporary Resident Visas and strengthen protections for all migrant workers entering Canada.

To the Philippine Government, we urge that you:
A. Blacklist TPLC and its recruiters from operating in the Philippines and overseas.

B. Release Assistance to Nationals (ATN) funds immediately, ensuring victims have access to food, housing, medical care, and legal aid.

C. Support voluntary repatriation for victims abroad who wish to return home, and guarantee their safety and welfare upon return.

D. Hold recruiters accountable, including Jose Mari Miranda (a.k.a. Joseph Powers), and compensate victims for damages.

These workers are not criminals. They are parents, professionals, caregivers, and community members who were preyed upon by a broken migration system that prioritizes profit over people.

Justice for the victims now! End the labour export policy!