Pakistanis seeking overseas jobs advised to beware of scams

ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis who are going abroad to find a job should avoid fraud, never pay money to travel agencies based on someone’s words.

The main work of travel agencies is only ticket booking and hotel reservation and they have no legal connection with getting a job or work visa abroad.

The Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment has warned Pakistanis seeking employment abroad that travel agencies have no legal connection with the process of issuing overseas job visas or getting a job.

Citizens should not pay money to travel agencies to find a job under any circumstances because their legal scope is limited only to booking travel tickets.

Overseas job fraud

The bureau’s advisory states that candidates should use only the Foreign Jobs Portal, which is available on the official website of the Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment, to secure and transparent employment abroad.

According to the announcement, through this portal, candidates can get information about licensed recruiting agencies and can also establish direct contact with them, which significantly reduces the risks of fraud and illegal recruitment.

The bureau has further directed that if any travel agency tries to defraud or illegally collect money in the name of overseas employment, the affected persons should immediately file a complaint with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) so that legal action can be taken against the responsible elements.

The Bureau of Immigration and Overseas Employment has urged citizens to verify all employment opportunities abroad only through the official Foreign Jobs portal and avoid falling for unverified sources or travel agencies.