Safety centre

Never pay to apply. Check before you trust.

Most people who go abroad for work come back with savings and skills. But fake job offers, unlicensed brokers and illegal fees cost workers and their families dearly every year. This page explains the warning signs, the rules that protect you, and how to check an agency yourself — in a few minutes, on official government websites.

Red flags of a recruitment scam

One of these is reason to stop and check. Two or more: walk away.

A fee to apply or to be selected — "registration fee", "visa processing fee", "file opening", "security deposit" or "advance", especially paid to a personal bKash, Nagad or bank account.
Promises that sound too good — "free visa", a very high salary with no experience or language needed, a guaranteed visa, or a job offered without any interview or test.
Nobody you can check — no licence number, an agency that is not on the government list, an "agent" who only talks through WhatsApp, Telegram or imo, or who moves the conversation off the platform at once.
Travelling on the wrong visa — being told to fly on a tourist or visit visa and "get the work permit there", or to skip BMET clearance.
"IT", "typist", "call-centre" or "customer service" jobs in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia recruited over social media. These have been used to traffic people into online scam compounds.
Government or famous names used as bait — fake ads in the name of BOESL, embassies or well-known foreign companies. For South Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS), recruitment from Bangladesh runs government-to-government through BOESL; a private agency selling "Korea EPS visas" is a warning sign.
Pressure and secrecy — "pay today or lose the seat", no written contract, a contract you are not allowed to keep, or someone wanting to hold your passport.
Money requests after "selection" — crypto "investments", "insurance" or "bond" payments are a common second stage of the same fraud.

The Employer Pays Principle

The International Labour Organization's General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment, with its definition of recruitment fees and related costs, says that workers should not be charged recruitment fees or related costs, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part. The same idea is known as the Employer Pays Principle: the employer — not the worker — pays the cost of recruiting.

These ILO principles are guidance rather than a law of any one country, but many responsible employers and buyers follow them, and they are the standard Ovelink holds overseas vacancies to.

On Ovelink

Every overseas vacancy must state the fee charged to the worker. Zero is shown in green as “Employer pays recruitment costs”.
Any other amount is shown as a red warning on the vacancy, with the recruiter's own explanation of what it is for.
Applying through Ovelink is always free.

How to check a recruiting agency's licence

In Bangladesh, recruiting agencies for overseas jobs need a government recruiting licence. Its number starts with RL (for example "RL 1234"). You can check it yourself:

Ask the agency for its RL number. A genuine agency will give it without hesitation. On Ovelink, it is shown on the vacancy and the agency's page.
Open the government Overseas Employment Platform agency list and search for the number.
Check that the name and address match, the licence status is Active, and the validity date has not passed. Expired, cancelled or suspended licences cannot legally recruit.
As a second check, see whether the agency is a member of BAIRA, the association of licensed recruiting agencies.
Visit the office named on the licence. Pay only the agency itself, never a middleman, and always get a receipt.

The government can suspend or cancel licences, so a licence that was valid last year may not be valid today. Check close to the time you pay.

Migration costs

The Government of Bangladesh has in the past published maximum migration costs for several destination countries. We could not confirm the figures currently in force, so we do not show them here. Before paying anything, ask BMET or the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare for the current official amount for your destination, and compare it with what you are being asked to pay.

Whatever the amount: pay the licensed agency, not an individual; get an itemised, signed receipt; and keep copies of everything.

Before you fly

A written contract that states the employer, job, salary, hours, contract length and what is provided, in a language you understand. Keep a copy.
The right visa — a work visa or work permit for that employer, never a tourist or visit visa.
BMET registration, the pre-departure orientation (PDO) and the emigration clearance card. The clearance is checked at the airport for work-visa departures. Apply through BMET online clearance.
Police clearance from Bangladesh Police and the medical test your destination requires.
Welfare Board membership — the Wage Earners' Welfare Board supports migrant workers and their families.
Copies of everything — passport, visa, contract, receipts — kept with your family, and the contact details of the Bangladesh embassy in your destination.

Each country guide has the official visa websites and a document checklist.

What our badges mean — and don't mean

We show three separate checks. They are never combined into one "trusted" label, because each one tells you something different.

Verified employer / Verified agency: A moderator checked the organisation's registration documents (such as a trade licence) and that the person managing the page can act for it. It says the organisation exists and is who it claims to be. It does not say any particular vacancy is real.
Licence verified: For recruiting agencies only: the RL licence number was checked against the government register and was valid at the time. Licences expire and can be cancelled — the badge disappears when the recorded expiry date passes, and you can always check again yourself on the government list.
Vacancy verified: A moderator saw the demand letter, job order or visa approval for this specific vacancy. If the recruiter later changes the salary, fee or other key terms, the badge is removed until the new terms are checked.
Unverified / Vacancy not verified / Licence not verified: Nobody has checked that item yet. It does not mean the vacancy is fake — but be extra careful, and never pay in advance.

No badge guarantees a visa or a job. Visas are decided only by the destination country's government. A badge is a check we made at a point in time, not a promise.

How to report

On Ovelink: use the Report button on any vacancy, company page, profile or message, and choose “Scam or fraud” if you were asked for money. Reports are confidential and reviewed by a moderator. Vacancies can be removed and agencies' badges withdrawn.
In Bangladesh: complaints about recruiting agencies go to BMET and the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment — see their official websites above. If you have been cheated, you can also go to the police.
If you are already abroad and in trouble: contact the Bangladesh embassy or high commission in that country, and local police in an emergency.

If someone's life or freedom is in danger, contact the police first.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Last reviewed October 2026.