Careers in the GCC
How to check a recruiting agent is genuine on eMigrate
Before you hand over your passport or sign anything for a job abroad, make sure the recruiting agent is genuine. This guide shows how to check a recruiting agent is genuine in a few simple steps, using the official eMigrate portal of the Government of India.
The short answer: ask for the agent’s Registration Certificate (RC) number and look for it in the list of active recruiting agents on emigrate.gov.in. If the agent is not on the list, or the details do not match, stop and call the MEA helpline on 1800 11 3090.
What a Registration Certificate is
Under India’s emigration law, no one may carry on recruitment for a job abroad without a Registration Certificate, or RC. The certificate is given by the Protector General of Emigrants, who works in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). MEA advisories sometimes call it a licence, and each RC has its own number.
MEA says the agent must show the RC number in their office and in every job advert. If you cannot find it, ask for it. A genuine agent will give it to you without fuss.
In the law, recruitment also includes putting out a job advert, so the person or company behind an advert for overseas jobs should be registered too. Sub-agents are not allowed, and a foreign employer can recruit directly in India only with a permit. Recruiting without registration is an offence that can lead to prison.
How to check a recruiting agent is genuine
The registered recruiting agent list on eMigrate is open to everyone. Follow these steps before you go any further with an agent:
- Ask for the agent’s full registered name and RC number, and note down both.
- Open emigrate.gov.in and click the link for the list of active RA (recruiting agents).
- Find the agent in the list and check that the name and RC number match what you were given.
- If the agent is missing, or any detail is different, do not go ahead. Call the MEA helpline and ask.
- Keep your passport and original certificates with you until the job and the employer have been checked.
The list shows agents who are active, so an old certificate on paper is not enough. Check online each time, even if a friend or relative has used the same agent before.
ECR, ECNR and emigration clearance
Every Indian passport is either ECR or ECNR. In plain words, an ECR passport means you need emigration clearance before you leave India to work in certain countries. An ECNR passport means you do not.
Emigration clearance is permission from the Protector of Emigrants to go abroad for work. There are 18 ECR countries, and all six GCC states (the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain) are among them. Clearance is needed only by:
- People with ECR passports going to work in an ECR country
- Nurses going to work in an ECR country, whatever their passport type
Your passport is usually ECNR if you have passed 10th. Other ECNR groups include holders of 2-year NCVT or SCVT or 3-year polytechnic diplomas, nurses with INC-recognised qualifications and people over 50, among others.
Clearance is applied for on eMigrate, through a registered agent or directly by a foreign employer, and the Protector of Emigrants approves or rejects it. Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana, an insurance policy for emigrant workers, is compulsory for ECR workers going to ECR countries and is one of the documents needed.
There are also rules for women. Women under 30 with ECR passports cannot get emigration clearance for any job in an ECR country. Women with ECR passports aged 30 or over can be recruited for these countries only through state-government recruiting agencies.
Warning signs of a fake agent
A fake job offer abroad often looks real at first. Be careful if you notice any of these:
- There is no RC number on the advert or in the office, or the agent will not share it
- The name or RC number is not in the eMigrate list of active agents, or does not match
- The person says they are collecting candidates for another agent, as sub-agents are not allowed
- You are asked to hand over your passport or original certificates before the job and employer are checked
- The agent promises a sure job or visa, when every job depends on employer demand and visa approval
- You hold an ECR passport and are told you can go to work in a GCC country without emigration clearance
If any of these happen, stop and check before you take another step. Your family can help you look up the agent too.
Where to get help
The MEA runs a helpline called Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra. You can reach it on the toll free number 1800 11 3090, on WhatsApp at +91 74283 21144, or by email at helpline@mea.gov.in. To complain about a recruiting agent, contact the Protector General of Emigrants through emigrate.gov.in.
The MEA also answers common questions on its pages for intending emigrants and overseas employment. Before you fly, the government runs a one-day Pre-Departure Orientation on your destination, its language and culture, the emigration process and welfare schemes.
India has published a draft law to replace the current emigration law, so names and steps may change. Always check the latest position on eMigrate or with the MEA helpline.
How AnywhereSkills can help
AnywhereSkills is a skilling company, not a recruiting agent. We prepare candidates at our centres in Bangalore, Sircilla, Hyderabad and Delhi NCR for careers in the GCC and Europe, through programmes such as the Mobile Crane Operator Programme (15 working days) and the Pipe Welder Programme (30 working days). Every programme ends with a certificate of completion and a scorecard for every module.
Selection, visas and deployment are handled only by recruiting agents registered with India’s Ministry of External Affairs. We do not issue any visa, work permit or emigration clearance. Your scorecard is shared with a recruiting agent only with your consent, and you can check that agent on eMigrate in the same way as any other.
Jobs abroad depend on employer demand and visa approval, and no job or visa is guaranteed. You can read more on our Work in the GCC page.
Common questions
Is AnywhereSkills a recruiting agent?
No. AnywhereSkills is a skilling company. Job support abroad is given only through recruiting agents registered with India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
Do I need emigration clearance?
If you passed 10th, usually not, because your passport is normally ECNR. Nurses are the exception, as they need clearance to work in any ECR country, including all six GCC states.
What if the agent is not listed?
Do not hand over your passport or certificates, and do not go ahead with that agent. Call the MEA helpline on 1800 11 3090 or write to helpline@mea.gov.in for advice.
AnywhereSkills is a skilling company, not a recruiting agent. Jobs abroad depend on employer demand and visa approval, and no job, visa or work permit is guaranteed
