The mushrooming of Illegal Job Agencies has now come under the government scanner. Nearly 32 job agencies operating illegally in the state have been identified which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will be cracking down on.
According to a report, these illegal agencies in the state have been recruiting people for jobs abroad. They have been involved in sending not just Goans, but also people from neighboring Maharashtra and Karnataka abroad for employment.
There has not been any specific complaint however registered, but these illegal job agencies have come under the scanner after it was learned that these firms collected resumes from several candidates and also money, and have promised them jobs in abroad countries, mostly Dubai. Furthermore, reports of some candidates being duped by such agencies will also be looked into.
A recent meeting was held between the Union Ministry’s Protector of Emigrants and the state authorities, including the DGP of Goa Police.
Accordingly, 32 such illegal agencies/individuals have come under the scanner of the authorities and are being investigated.
There are only eight registered overseas recruitment agencies in the state, the rest all are illegal.
It is however learned that though the Protector of Emigrants can take penal action against these illegal agencies, they will first try convincing these agencies to formally register with the MEA.
According to the report, though ground action on these illegal agencies hasn’t yet taken place in the state, the authorities can consider searching these premises and seizing their files and computers to investigate further.
According to the mandated law, no overseas recruiter or job agency can charge more than Rs30,000 to the person – excluding visa, travel tickets, and medical processes.
The Protector of Emigrants will investigate further into these agencies and will then forward the cases to the state police authorities to take further action against them.
