Going to Saudi Arabia for work? 7 checks before you pay any agent

It is a story you hear again and again. A worker in Bihar or Kerala pays a "visa agent" money for a Saudi job. The agent stops answering the phone. There was never a visa.

You can protect yourself with seven checks. They take one afternoon. Do them before you pay anyone anything.

1. Is the agent licensed? Check on eMigrate

In India only recruiting agents registered with the government may send workers abroad. Go to emigrate.gov.in and open "List of active RA". Search the agent's name or licence number. If the agent is not on the list, stop.

A licensed agent also shows the licence number in the office and in every advertisement, including WhatsApp and Facebook posts. No number in the advert is a warning sign.

2. How much may the agent charge?

Indian government advisories say a recruiting agent may not take more than Rs 30,000 plus 18% GST from you for its services. Medical tests and similar costs can be extra, but the agent's own charge has this limit.

3. Ask for a receipt for every rupee

The agent must give you a receipt for money it takes. No receipt, no payment. Pay to the company's bank account, never cash to a person who says he works for the agent.

4. Never pay for a "visa" before an employer has chosen you

A real job comes in this order: an employer chooses you, often after an interview, then the visa work starts. If someone wants money first and promises the visa later, it is almost always a trap.

5. Read the job offer before you sign

• The employer's company name and city in Saudi Arabia.
• Your job title and trade, the same as what you do.
• Your monthly basic salary in riyals, and what else is included (food, housing, transport).
• Working hours and the length of the contract.

Keep a copy (a photo on your phone is fine). If the salary on the paper is lower than what the agent told you, ask before you go, not after you land.

6. Know if your passport is ECR

Look at your passport. If it says ECR (emigration check required), you need emigration clearance before you travel. The licensed agent arranges this on eMigrate. Never fly without it.

7. Save the helpline numbers

Before you leave, save these on your phone:

• Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (help for Indian workers going abroad): 1800 11 3090, free from India.
• The Embassy of India in Riyadh: see eoiriyadh.gov.in for the current 24-hour numbers.

Also ask your agent about the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana, the government insurance for Indian workers going abroad. It costs little and covers a lot.

A safer way to look for a job

On AQLIA you register for free. We check your documents, and Saudi employers see your profile. When an employer chooses you, a licensed Indian agency handles your papers, and you can follow every step on your phone. Pay only through the official process, and never pay cash to anyone who says he works for AQLIA.

Hindi: रजिस्टर करें. Urdu: رجسٹر کریں.