Panchkula, Aug. 1 (UNI) Complaints against fake overseas job and visa rackets have risen sharply in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana this year, with the federal government identifying 3,505 unauthorised immigration agents and urging job seekers to use only registered recruiters for overseas employment.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) told Parliament that details of the unregistered agents have been published on the eMigrate portal to alert prospective emigrants against fraudulent recruitment agencies.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said overseas recruitment is governed by the Emigration Act, 1983, under which no individual or agency can recruit Indian workers without a valid Registration Certificate issued by the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE).
Official data showed Delhi recorded 153 complaints against illegal recruitment agents in 2025, up from 92 in 2024 and four in 2023. Police investigations in the national capital resulted in 13 prosecution sanctions this year.
Punjab reported 80 complaints in 2025, compared with 18 a year earlier, while Haryana registered 33 complaints, up from two in 2024, indicating a widening spread of fraudulent overseas recruitment networks across North India.
The ministry said complaints received against unauthorised recruitment agents are forwarded to the concerned state and union Territory police for investigation and prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other applicable laws.
It said awareness campaigns are being conducted through the eMigrate portal, social media platforms and 17 Protector of Emigrants offices across the country to educate prospective migrants about safe and legal migration channels. The ministry also coordinates with state governments and law enforcement agencies to curb illegal recruitment.
To support Indian workers overseas, Indian Missions and Posts provide assistance through 24x7 emergency helplines, WhatsApp, email, walk-in facilities and grievance platforms, including MADAD, CPGRAMS and the eMigrate portal.
The government has also established Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras in New Delhi, Dubai, Jeddah, Kuala Lumpur, London and Riyadh to offer counselling and assistance to emigrant workers.
Separate figures tabled in Parliament showed that complaints lodged on the eMigrate portal against unauthorised agents rose to 321 in 2025, of which 224 have been resolved, underscoring the continuing challenge posed by illegal overseas recruitment rackets.UNI KK AAB