Employer Guide9 min readUpdated April 2026
How to Verify a Recruitment Agency is Government Licensed in India (2026 Guide)
Step-by-step guide to verifying whether an Indian recruitment agency holds valid government licensing before you engage them. Check eMigrate, APRAB, Protector of Emigrants registration.
Key Takeaways
- RA license number is the primary verification credential — always check it on emigrate.gov.in before engaging any Indian recruitment agency
- eMigrate portal verification is free, official, and takes under 5 minutes — there is no excuse for skipping this step
- ISO 9001:2015 is an additional quality indicator but not a substitute for RA license verification
- Large upfront payments from employers are not standard practice — legitimate agencies charge structured service fees post-placement
- Raj HR Services RA Number: B-3252/DEL/PER/1000+ — verifiable on emigrate.gov.in
Why Government Licensing Matters for Overseas Recruitment from India
India is one of the world's largest sources of skilled and semi-skilled labor for overseas markets. It is also, unfortunately, one of the most fraud-prone labor recruitment markets globally. The International Labour Organization estimates that tens of thousands of Indian workers are defrauded annually by unlicensed or fraudulent recruitment agents who charge excessive fees, falsify job offers, or simply disappear with deposited funds.
For employers, engaging an unlicensed Indian recruitment agency carries serious risks beyond the ethical concerns. Workers recruited by unlicensed agents often lack proper documentation (fake qualifications, incorrect emigration clearances), which leads to visa rejections, airport detentions, and legal exposure for the employer. In some destination countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, and EU countries with labor compliance requirements — employers are required to verify that their Indian recruitment agency holds valid government authorization.
The Indian government regulates overseas recruitment through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) under the Emigration Act 1983 and subsequent rules. The key licensing mechanism is the Recruiting Agent (RA) license — a mandatory government registration that agencies must hold to legally recruit Indian nationals for overseas employment in Emigration Check Required (ECR) countries.
What Is a Recruiting Agent (RA) License?
An RA license is issued by the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) under India's Ministry of External Affairs. It authorizes a recruitment agency to: source Indian workers for overseas employment, collect and process emigration clearances, execute overseas employment contracts on behalf of foreign employers, and charge regulated fees from workers (the government mandates the maximum fee workers can be charged — typically one month's salary for initial placement).
RA licenses are issued for a 5-year period and require renewal. They are state-specific and must be held by the company that is actively recruiting — not a shell entity. The license includes conditions: security deposit requirements, ban on charging above-regulated worker fees, mandatory documentation standards, and financial accountability obligations.
Important: In addition to RA license, larger and more reputable agencies hold additional certifications including ISO 9001:2015 (quality management), PSARA license (if they operate security services), and membership in APRAB (Association of Professional Recruitment Agencies Bangladesh — note: this applies to some pan-South-Asian agencies) or AIERI (Association of Indian Overseas Employment Agencies). These are not mandatory but indicate higher compliance standards.
Step-by-Step: How to Verify an Agency's License
Step 1: Ask for the RA License Number directly. Any legitimate licensed agency will have their RA number prominently on their letterhead, website, and all official documents. The format is typically: B-XXXX/DEL/PER/XXXX (for Delhi-based agencies). The B prefix indicates the city code; DEL = Delhi, MUM = Mumbai, CHE = Chennai, KOL = Kolkata. If an agency cannot or will not provide their RA number immediately, that is a serious red flag.
Step 2: Verify on the eMigrate portal. Go to emigrate.gov.in — the Government of India's official eMigrate system. Navigate to 'Recruiting Agent' search. Enter the RA number or agency name. The portal will show the agency's registration status, license validity date, and any active complaints or suspensions. This is the definitive official verification — always check here even if the agency has provided documentation.
Step 3: Check the MEA RA Public Register. The Ministry of External Affairs publishes a list of all registered Recruiting Agents. Search for the agency name and cross-reference the license number with the entry in the official register. Ensure the license is currently valid (not expired).
Step 4: Verify ISO certification if claimed. If the agency claims ISO 9001:2015 certification, ask for the ISO certificate number and the certifying body name. Verify directly on the certifying body's website (most major ISO certification bodies like Bureau Veritas, DNV, SGS maintain online certificate verification portals).
Step 5: Check for employer complaints. Search the agency name in combination with 'complaint', 'fraud', or 'issue' on Google in both English and Hindi. Also check the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) grievance portal and the eMigrate portal's complaint section.
Step 6: Request a physical verification visit or virtual office tour. Legitimate agencies operate from verifiable physical office premises. Request a virtual tour via video call, or — for large deployments — arrange an in-person verification visit to their office. An agency that refuses this request warrants extreme caution.
Red Flags That Indicate an Unlicensed or Fraudulent Agency
Cannot produce an RA license number immediately when asked.
RA number exists but does not match the company name on the eMigrate portal.
License expired and agency claims 'renewal is in process' for more than 3 months.
Agency requests a large upfront fee from the employer (legitimate agencies earn through service fees structured after placement, not large advance retainers from employers).
No physical office address or address does not match what appears on official documents.
ISO or government certification documents that cannot be verified on the issuing body's portal.
Workers are asked to pay amounts significantly above the government-regulated maximum (charging excessive worker fees is both unethical and illegal under the Emigration Act).
Promises of unusually fast deployment timelines (e.g., 'workers in 2 weeks') that contradict known permit processing timelines.
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