Almost all applicants are looking for a job abroad via the Internet. It is so convenient to have a large selection of vacancies in your hand. Many employment and recruitment agencies are available online. They create their websites, groups in social networks, etc. Those who are looking for a job in a company and come to such websites can see the beautiful design, convincing reviews, and fabulous offers. Applicants can believe in all these offers with a blind eye. So, how to check whether the agency with which you are contacting works legally or it is just engaged in human trafficking?
- First of all, you need to verify the state registration and the availability of a special license. Any intermediary company that intends to help you in finding work abroad must have these official documents. The license shows that the company is registered with the competent ministry and can begin to establish partnership relations with foreign employers. But in no case, it doesn’t show that this company can send anyone and anywhere.
In addition to the license and state registration, the recruitment company must have an agreement with a foreign company- employer with an indication of the place and name with which the intermediary cooperates and for what period the permission for cooperation was issued. All this should be certified by the relevant state body. For example, if the agency has obtained a work permit in Spain, it does not mean that the intermediary can employ in all cities of Spain, but only in a specific location with the particular employer specified in the document and certainly not in another country.
- Scammers almost never ask anything about the professional skills of a potential candidate for a job. They take everyone who responds. It often refers to girls who want to work abroad. When the vacancy is for a waitress, the applicant must have a relevant experience and knowledge of language. Before going to work abroad, it is better to improve language with native speakers. When the agency promises to teach applicants at place, this is done for the agency profit with the focus on the quantity of applicants and not on the quality of the services provided.
- People who provide a job are obliged to give you all information about the work in the form of a contract with terms, wage, housing, medical and social insurance, prescribed expenses, etc. This information must be certified by the stamp and signature of the company to whom the license was issued. You should have evidence of specific terms you are agreed to when arriving. What you just will be told, personally, by phone or via the Internet, does not matter. It will not help you if you see at place something completely different from what you were promised.
- The agency must have a legal address and telephone numbers for communication and not only the website, e-mail, and communication with the help of messengers. Ask for the address of the intermediary and both personal and working phone numbers. You should check these phone numbers by calling and making sure that you are being answered by a person who is negotiating with you or at least an employee of the same organization. Some scout managers can claim that they work for a particular agency, although in fact they have no relation to it.
- Each legal agency has the right to employ only citizens of its own country. When a recruitment agency offer jobs abroad for citizens of another country, that agency (entrepreneur or intermediary) violates the law. For example, if the agency officially works in Russia, then they cannot offer jobs to citizens of Ukraine. In this way, you are at risk and you will not be able to bring these people to justice in case of problems. Later, you will be just told that they do not know anything about you.
- For employment in another country you need to have a work visa and not tourist, cultural and other kind of visas. These are obvious signs of illegal aspects of such employment. No matter how much you will be convinced that it is cheaper, safe, verified, and better for you. It’s dangerous and legal agencies will never resort to such a risk.
- Find and read comments, feedback, and reviews about the work of that recruitment agency. Every agency is trying to raise its rating and convince why it is necessary to work with them. Many agencies that offer the work abroad has a web page with positive feedback from those who used their services. It is better to ignore these web pages and reviews written there since every owner of a website has the ability to independently write, delete, add, and publish reviews. You will never find the true reviews on the agency’s website. Reviews should be sought in independent forums about working abroad. If there are thousands of laudatory messages on the agency’s website, but no single word beside it, it immediately becomes clear where they came from.
- Remember that a decent agency never takes an advance payment for services. If you are offered to pay consulting services, filing and processing documents, sending them to the employer and the like, this is a good reason to be in doubt of that agency. You will only be interested for them until the moment you give money and then, you will be told that, for example, your candidacy did not suit the employer or the embassy of the country denied a visa. Before the labor contract with the immediate employer is concluded, there is still nothing to pay the agency for.
Finally, before you go abroad, always leave all the information to your relatives (names, phone numbers, address, license number, e-mails, website etc.) of the intermediary who helped you with your employment, as well as contact information of your employer.
