The Consulate-General of India (CGI) in Dubai issued a public advisory on 12 October cautioning Indian nationals against “fraudulent visa and migration processing agencies” operating in the UAE. The notice lists multiple unregistered consultancies that charge hefty fees for work permits in Europe, Canada and the Gulf but disappear once payment is made. CGI Dubai reminds residents that overseas employment clearances for ECR-category workers can only be processed through India’s eMigrate portal and that legitimate UAE job contracts must be attested by both MOHRE and the mission. Victims are encouraged to file police complaints in Dubai and register grievances on the Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra helpline. The warning comes amid a spike in complaints from semi-skilled Indian workers who were lured by social-media adverts promising “visa-on-arrival” jobs at salaries far above market rates. In many cases, passports were seized and workers left undocumented, exposing them to detention or deportation. For HR teams relocating staff to Dubai, the advisory underscores the importance of using approved PROs and performing due diligence on third-party recruiters. Employers found to have hired workers on tourist visas risk UAE labour fines and can face blacklisting in India under the Emigration Act.
