**Executive Summary**
The document is a response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha regarding Labour Employment Agencies for overseas employment, answered on December 8th, 2025. As of December 1st, 2025, 2,436 recruiting agents are registered with the Ministry of External Affairs. No entity can operate as a Recruiting Agent (RA) without a valid Registration Certificate (RC), and the government prioritizes the welfare of prospective emigrants.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Registration and Operation of Recruiting Agents (RAs)**
* As of 01.12.2025, 2,436 recruiting agents are registered with the Ministry of External Affairs (details available on emigrate.gov.in).
* Per Section 10 of the Emigration Act, 1983, a valid Registration Certificate (RC) is required to operate as a Recruiting Agent (RA).
* The process of RA registration is governed by Sections 11 and 12 of the Emigration Act, 1983, and Rules 7 to 10 of the Emigration Rules, 1983.
* Registration is done online via the eMigrate portal, which involves RAs, Foreign Employers (FEs), and prospective emigrants.
* RAs must not charge emigrants more than the prescribed amount for services and must provide a receipt.
* **Complaint Handling and Penalties**
* Complaints against registered RAs result in a Show Cause Notice (SCN) under Section 14 of the Emigration Act, 1983, directing resolution.
* Failure to respond to the SCN or a satisfactory response can lead to RC cancellation or suspension for 30 days.
* The Competent Authority can revoke the suspension after stakeholder consultation and resolution of the complaint.
* **Combating Illegal Recruitment**
* The Ministry of External Affairs publishes a list of unregistered RAs and advisories/alerts on fraudulent agencies on the eMigrate portal.
* The Ministry of External Affairs acts against illegal migration through unregistered/illegal RAs with State Government support.
* Complaints about illegal agents are referred to State police for investigation and prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
* Action is taken against illegal recruiting agents in the cyber domain with the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), MHA, and State Police.
* **Emigrant Welfare and Awareness**
* Government prioritizes the welfare of prospective emigrants.
* The Ministry of External Affairs conducts awareness campaigns on safe migration through workshops, trainings, and digital campaigns.
* Awareness is raised on emigration regulations, schemes like Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), and advisories from Indian Embassies.
* Job seekers are advised to verify the antecedents of Recruiting Agents.
* 3,505 unregistered agents have been notified on the eMigrate portal as of October 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Prospective Emigrants**
* **Impact:** Enhanced protection against exploitation by illegal or fraudulent recruitment agencies. Access to information and awareness campaigns to make informed decisions about overseas employment.
* **Action Required:** Verify the credentials of Recruiting Agents before accepting job offers. Utilize resources like the eMigrate portal and advisories to stay informed.
**Stakeholder: Registered Recruiting Agents (RAs)**
* **Impact:** Increased scrutiny and accountability in their operations. Must adhere to regulations regarding fees and service charges. Subject to complaint mechanisms and potential penalties for non-compliance.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with the Emigration Act, 1983, and Emigration Rules, 1983. Respond promptly to any Show Cause Notices and resolve complaints to the satisfaction of the complainant.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of External Affairs**
* **Impact:** Responsible for maintaining the register of recruiting agents and ensuring compliance to regulations. Monitoring and controlling the eMigrate portal. Proactively combating illegal recruitment activities through awareness campaigns and coordinating with State authorities.
* **Action Required:** Continue to monitor and update the register of RAs. Maintain and update the eMigrate portal with information on illegal agents and safe migration practices. Collaborate with State police and the I4C to take action against illegal recruiting agents.
**Stakeholder: State Governments & Police Authorities**
* **Impact:** Involved in the investigation and prosecution of illegal recruiting agents. Responsible for addressing complaints and maintaining law and order in relation to emigration-related issues.
* **Action Required:** Investigate and prosecute illegal recruitment activities under relevant legal provisions. Collaborate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the I4C to address cybercrime related to illegal recruiting agents.
**Stakeholder: Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C)**
* **Impact:** Plays a crucial role in combating cybercrime related to illegal recruiting agents.
* **Action Required:** Collaborate with the Ministry of External Affairs and State police to take action against illegal recruiting agents in the cyber domain.
Key Entities Referenced
Emigration Act, 1983: Governs the registration and regulation of recruiting agents for overseas employment, including penalties for violations.
Ministry of Labour and Employment: Indian government ministry responsible for addressing questions related to labour employment agencies for overseas work.
Ministry of External Affairs: Responsible for the eMigrate portal and taking action against illegal migration through unregistered/illegal RAs.
eMigrate portal: Web-based application for registration and management of overseas employment, designed to connect stakeholders including recruiting agents, foreign employers, and emigrants.
Emigration Rules, 1983: Rules governing the process of registration of Recruiting Agents (RAs).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1228
TO BE ANSWERED ON 08TH DECEMBER, 2025
LABOUR EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES FOR OVERSEAS
1228. DR. GANAPATHY RAJKUMAR P:
SHRI THIRU THANGA TAMILSELVAN:
Will the Minister of LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the private sector Labour recruitment/employment
agencies that have been approved for specific purposes i.e. for
overseas demand registered with the Government as on date;
(b) whether any Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been issued
to start and operate such recruitment/employment agencies in the
country for overseas recruitment;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is aware of the fact that many overseas
recruitment agencies have been misleading/cheating the
unemployed persons/employment seekers by giving them false
assurances of decent job in good companies with high salaries etc.
in Gulf countries and charging more money as consulting fee from
them;
(e) if so, the details thereof;
(f) whether the Government has received any complaints against such
overseas recruitment agencies; and
(g) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
(SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)
(a) to (g) As on 01.12.2025, a total of 2,436 recruiting agents have been
registered with the Ministry of External Affairs and their details are
available online (emigrate.gov.in).
As per Section 10 of the Emigration Act, 1983, no person/agency
can function as Recruiting Agent (RA) without a valid Registration
Certificate (RC) issued by the Registering Authority i.e. Protector Generalof Emigrants (PGE). The process of registration of RA is governed by the
Sections 11 and 12 of Emigration Act, 1983 and Rules 7 to 10 of the
Emigration Rules, 1983. The whole process of registration is done online
through a web-based application i.e. eMigrate portal which brings all the
stakeholders, including the RAs, Foreign Employers (FEs) and the
prospective emigrants on a common platform. As per the Emigration
Rules 1983 (as amended from time to time), no RA shall collect from the
prospective emigrant the service charges more than the prescribed
amount, in respect of services rendered by it to that emigrant and the RA
shall issue a receipt to the emigrant for the amount collected by it in this
regard. Whenever, any complaint against a registered RA is received, a
Show Cause Notice (SCN) is issued to the concerned RA, under Section
14 of the Emigration Act, 1983, directing them to resolve the complaint.
In case, the RA fails to respond to the SCN or reply is not found to be
satisfactory, their RC can be cancelled or suspended for 30 days as per
Section 14(2) of the Emigration Act, 1983. The order of suspension can be
revoked by the Competent Authority only after consultation with all the
stakeholders and after ensuring that the complaint has been fully
resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant. Ministry of External
Affairs also publishes a list of unregistered RAs on the eMigrate portal.
Advisories/alerts on fraudulent/illegal recruiting agencies are also hosted
on this portal. Ministry of External Affairs also takes action against illegal
migration through unregistered/illegal RAs with the support of concerned
State Governments.
Government accords utmost priority to the welfare of the
prospective emigrants. As and when complaints against the illegal
agents/dubious firms luring Indian youth in false recruitment offers
through various channels are received, such matters are referred to the
State police for investigation and prosecution under the relevant legal
provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other legislation in
place including the ones enacted by the some State Governments. In the
cyber domain, action is also taken against illegal recruiting agents in
association with Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), MHA and
State Police authorities. Requests to take down social media posts of
illegal Recruiting Agents from all over India have been regularly shared
with I4C.Ministry of External Affairs also issues advisories through
eMigrate portal, social media handles and other modes of publicity about
the perils of fake job rackets and ways to prevent the same. Till October
2025, a total of 3,505 unregistered agents in country have been notified
on the eMigrate portal. The awareness campaign on safe and legal
migration through eMigrate portal is carried out by the Ministry of
External Affairs across the country from time to time by conducting
workshops, trainings, information sessions, digital campaigns for media
groups, police officials and law enforcement agencies, local
administration, aspiring recruiting agents, entrepreneurs and general
public. During these sessions awareness on emigration regulations,
schemes beneficial for emigrants like Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana
(PBBY), Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), eMigrate portal and
various advisories issued by Indian Embassies are brought to the notice
of all stakeholders including job seekers, and advise them to verify all
antecedents of Recruiting Agents before accepting any kind of
employment offer and not be enticed and entrapped in the fraudulent job
offers.
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