MEA urges job seekers to use safe, legal services while applying for overseas jobs

New Delhi [India], December 14 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday urged people to use the safe and legal services of registered Recruiting Agents (RA) while applying for overseas jobs as notably, there has been a huge surge in the number of overseas job seekers being cheated by unregistered recruitment agents.
Reportedly, these job seekers are getting overcharged for over Rs 2 lakhs as these illegal agents operate without obtaining a licence from the MEA.
"It has been noticed that there has been a huge rise in the number of overseas job seekers being cheated by unregistered recruitment agents by fake job offers and also overcharging to the tune of Rs 2-5 lakhs. These unregistered/illegal agents operate without obtaining a license from the Ministry of External Affairs, which is mandatory for any recruitment for work abroad," the MEA said in a statement.
These agents operate through various social media sites including, Facebook, WhatsApp, text messages and other such mediums and provide little or no such details of their whereabouts and contacts.
They usually communicate only through WhatsApp, making it difficult to ascertain the location and identity of the caller and the genuineness of the job offer.
"Such agents also lure workers to work in difficult and life-threatening conditions, the statement said, adding that such cases are being reported for recruitment to work in several "East European Countries, some of the Gulf countries, Central Asian countries, Israel, Canada, Myanmar and Lao People's Democratic Republic."
Meanwhile, according to the MEA statement, valid job offers come along with an Employment Contract duly signed by the Foreign Employer, recruitment Agent and the emigrant worker.
The Employment Contract must mention the terms and conditions of the job being offered and the salary and other emoluments.
Moreover, valid job offers must allow the worker to emigrate on the strength of an employment or work visa or other similar visas except a tourist visa.
It may be noted that a tourist visa should only be used for the purpose of tourism. However, usually, reputed foreign employers provide for the cost of airfare, boarding and lodging, and insurance coverage, the statement noted.
Additionally, emigrant workers should make themselves aware of the local conditions of the destination country.
"The information may be obtained by attending Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) Centers or from the Community Welfare Wing of the concerned Indian Embassy in the destination country," the statement said.
Furthermore, the Indian government makes it mandatory for registered recruitment agents to purchase Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) for migrant workers which provides various benefits including Rs 10 Lakh sum assured on death cases and work-related injury and medical expenses with a one-time premium (Rs. 275 for the cover of two years and Rs 375 for the cover of three years).
"In view of the above, persons seeking jobs abroad are requested to use the safe and legal services of registered Recruiting Agents (RA) only. All registered RAs are issued a license number which is prominently displayed in their office premises and their advertisements, including newspapers and social media," the MEA said.
Prospective emigrants are advised to cross-check the genuineness of the RA by visiting the government website www.emigrate.gov.in and click the link "List of active RA", the MEA advised.
"As per the Emigration Act 1983, no recruiting agent shall collect from the prospective emigrant the service charges more than Rs 30,000 + GST (18%), in respect of services provided by it to that emigrant and the recruiting agent shall issue a receipt to the emigrant for the amount collected by it in this regard," it added.
Moreover, going abroad through any other channel of recruitment involves serious risk of being defrauded of money, not landing in the promised job and difficult living conditions abroad.
All unregistered agencies are being warned not to get involved in overseas recruitment activities. Such activities are in violation of the Emigration Act 1983 and amount to human trafficking, which is a punishable criminal offence. (ANI)