How to verify a Gulf recruitment agent

Anyone recruiting Indian workers for jobs abroad must hold a Recruiting Agent (RA) licence from the Ministry of External Affairs. Working through an unlicensed agent is the single biggest risk factor in Gulf job fraud. Here is how to check, in order.

1. Ask for the RA licence number

A genuine agent will give you their RA licence number without hesitation. It appears on their certificate and should be displayed at their office. If the agent avoids the question, says the licence is “under renewal”, or claims they “work under” someone else’s licence, stop.

2. Check the number on eMigrate

Go to emigrate.gov.in and use the list of active registered agents. Check three things:

• The licence number exists and is active, not expired or suspended.
• The name on the licence matches the agency you are dealing with — not a similar-sounding name.
• The registered address matches the office you visited.

A licence belonging to a different company, even a “sister concern”, does not cover the agent in front of you.

3. Verify the job offer itself

• Ask for the demand letter from the foreign employer and the employer’s full name and address.
• Search the employer online. Call or email them directly if you can, and ask whether they have authorised recruitment through this agent.
• For most Gulf countries, your employment contract should be available for you to read before you pay anything or hand over your passport.

4. Know the legal service charge

Registered agents may only charge a capped service fee (check the current cap on eMigrate — historically in the region of ₹30,000 plus tax). Demands for several lakhs as “visa cost”, “emigration clearance”, or “security deposit” are not lawful charges. Genuine employers pay recruitment costs for most Gulf jobs.

5. Watch for these red flags

• Payment demanded in cash, or to a personal bank account or UPI ID.
• No printed receipt with the agency’s name and registration number.
• Pressure to pay a “booking amount” today because “the quota closes tomorrow”.
• You are told you’ll travel on a visit visa and the work visa will be “converted later” — see our guide on visit visas sold as work visas.

If every check passes, keep copies of the licence, receipts, contract, and demand letter before paying. If any check fails, report the agent — it helps the next person.