List of Blacklisted Overseas Recruitment Agencies (How to Check)

Every year, thousands of innocent Indian workers lose their life savings to fake recruitment agencies. These scammers promise high-paying jobs in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, or Europe, collect massive "advance fees," and then disappear.

To combat this, the Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) maintains an active Blacklist of fraudulent agents. Here is how you can protect yourself by checking this list.

Why Do Agencies Get Blacklisted? An agency is placed on the government blacklist (or the "Prior Approval Category" list) for several reasons: - **Operating without a license:** Recruiting without a valid RA (Recruiting Agent) license. - **Overcharging:** Charging workers more than the legally allowed service fee (which is a maximum of ₹30,000 or 45 days' salary, whichever is lower). - **Fraudulent Offers:** Issuing fake visas or fake demand letters. - **Stranding Workers:** Sending workers abroad to employers who do not pay them, or failing to rescue workers in distress.

How to Check the eMigrate Blacklist Before you hand over a single rupee or your original passport to any agent, follow these steps:

1. Open your browser and go to the official portal: emigrate.gov.in
2. On the homepage, look for the "List of Unregistered/Illegal Agencies" or the "List of Active RAs" section.
3. You can search for the agent by their Name, City, or RA Number.
4. The Red Flag: If the agency's name appears on the unregistered/illegal list, or if their RA license status says "Suspended" or "Cancelled", you must leave their office immediately.

What if the Agent Refuses to Give an RA Number? If you ask an agent for their RA number and they make excuses (e.g., *"We work under a sub-agent,"* or *"Our license is pending renewal"*), consider it a scam. Legitimate agencies proudly display their RA number on their signboards, business cards, and advertisements.

The Safest Way to Find Jobs The easiest way to guarantee you are dealing with a legitimate agency is to use the **My Videsh** platform. We have a zero-tolerance policy for fraud. We strictly digitize job advertisements only from agencies that hold an **Active, verified RA license** on the eMigrate portal. Your safety is our absolute priority.