Guidelines for Indian nationals seeking employment through Recruiting Agents

  • Be sure of your Recruiting Agent. Ask him to show his Registration Certificate issued by the Protector General of Emigrants, Government of India. Do not deal with him unless he is registered and the registration is valid. In case of doubt, check with any of the offices of the Protectors of Emigrants (POEs) or the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE).
  • DO NOT deal with sub-agents as they are not permitted under the Emigration Act, 1983 and Rules.
  • Ask the Recruiting Agent to show you the Demand Letter and Power of Attorney from the foreign employer.
  • Also carefully go through the Employment Contract detailing the salary/wage levels and other service conditions.
  • DO NOT pay the Agent anything other than the service charge more than the equivalent of his wages for forty-five days as offered in the employment contract, subject to a maximum of Rupees twenty thousand.
  • Make payments preferably by Demand Draft or Cheque and obtain a receipt. Complaints of overcharging or cheating can be lodged with the concerned POE or with the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE).

Check before Departure

  • Ensure you have a valid Passport at least for six months. A valid Visa must be either stamped on or accompany your Passport. Always keep a photocopy of your Passport and Visa.
  • You must possess a copy of the Employment Contract signed by you and your foreign employer duly attested by the registered recruiting agent.
  • Insist on a copy of Employment Contract in English duly authenticated by the recruiting agent.
  • Open a Savings Bank Account in one of the Banks in India to enable you to send your remittances from abroad.
  • Before you take up any legal employment in Malaysia, please get familiar with the laws and working conditions of Malaysia. Employment of foreign workers, Acts related to matters of employment in Malaysia including minimum wages and compensation is available at https://mohr.gov.my/index.php/ms/
  • Other guidelines concerning foreign workers arriving in Malaysia, immigration and visa related matters and provisions regarding visa for foreigners seeking employment is available at www.immi.gov.my under the head ‘main services’ and sub head ‘foreign worker’. Under the head ‘online services’ procedures for online applications are also provided.

Customs Formalities

  • Ensure that you do not carry any narcotics or contraband goods. Possession of drugs (including Ketamine) is a serious offence punishable by death.
  • DO NOT accept any unchecked parcel from any one while traveling. If you have to take a parcel for someone, check thoroughly that it does not contain alcohol or narcotics; otherwise, it may land you in serious difficulties on arrival in the country of employment.
  • You will become illegal in Malaysia if you do not have the above required documents, i.e. Valid Indian Passport, Valid Employment Visa from Malaysian High Commission/Consulate and Employment Contract.
  • In case any legal worker intends to break the terms of contract and wants to return to India prematurely, according to Malaysian laws, Checkout memo is required to be done by the Malaysian employer with the Immigration authorities. In the absence of this Check-out-Memo, no legal worker can leave the country as he will not be cleared by the Immigration.