New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday issued an advisory for those travelling to Cambodia and the Southeast Asian region for jobs. It asked Indian nationals to secure employment only through authorised agents approved by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The MEA has cautioned Indian nationals about the risks associated with fraudulent job offers. The ministry highlighted the presence of fraudulent agents who are tempting individuals with false promises of employment in the Southeast Asian region. These fake agents, in collaboration with their Indian counterparts, take clueless job seekers into the hands of scam companies, particularly those involved in cyber crimes. All job seekers should to confirm their job profile with the MEA, said the advisory.
“All Indian nationals who are travelling for jobs in Cambodia and the Southeast Asian region, are advised that many fake agents are operating in the region, who along with agents in India, are luring people to scam companies, involved especially in cyber crimes. Anybody who takes up a job in Cambodia should do so only through authorised agents approved by the Ministry of External Affairs of India,” the advisory stated.
According to the Indian Embassy in Cambodia, agents in places like Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and India associated with these firms are recruiting Indian nationals by taking a simple interview and the typing test, offering high salaries, hotel bookings along with return air tickets and visa facilitation. However, the MEA cautioned that individuals who fall into those lucrative fraudulent schemes may lead themselves to distressing situations such as being forced to work under harsh conditions and subjected to physical and mental torment by criminal syndicates.
Victims are illegally taken across the border into Laos from Thailand and held captive to work in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos under harsh and restrictive conditions. At times, they are taken hostages by criminal syndicates indulging in illegal activities and forced to work in strenuous conditions under constant physical and mental torture.
Advisory for Indian Nationals travelling to Laos & Cambodia. pic.twitter.com/eSm0mgh48C
— Diaspora Engagement Division (@DiasporaDiv_MEA) May 17, 2024
MEA said, Visa on Arrival in Thailand or Laos does not permit employment to Indian nationals on such visas. The Visa is only to be used for tourism. Those convicted of human trafficking crimes have been sentenced to up to 18 years in prison in Laos. Therefore, Indian nationals are advised not to get enticed and entrapped in such fraudulent or exploitative job offers and are requested to exercise extreme caution and verify the antecedents of recruiting agents as well as any company before taking up any job offer in Laos. For any help or clarification on job offers in Lao PDR, please contact the Indian Embassy at Emergency Contact number +856-2055536568 or email: cons.vientianne@mea.gov.in.
