Check an Overseas Recruiter Licence in Pakistan

Last Updated: July 17, 2026

Just because a recruiter’s licence number has been posted on Facebook, their office’s banner or on a WhatsApp message doesn’t mean that they are trustworthy. The number could be expired, taken from another agency or relate to a totally different business.

So, while it is important to verify that there was a licence in Pakistan in the past the next step is to verify the recruitment agents that existed. It is essential to check on the current status of the licence, name of the registered proprietor, official office address, authorized branches, recruitment performance and permission for the foreign job offered by the licence.

The official online records that are required for these checks are provided by Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BE&OE).

Start with the exact identity of the recruiter

Before opening the official directory, ask the recruiter for three details:

Complete agency name
OEP licence number
Name of the proprietor or licensed owner

Overseas-employment system has private recruitment firms, called Overseas Employment Promoter, or OEP, who have licences issued by the government of Pakistan. The BE&OE Directory is the official directory that the public can search by promoter licence number, title of the licence and promoter’s name.

Don’t look for a job by just the name of the ad. Genuine results can look false owing to the use of similar names for the agencies, spelling variations and unofficial abbreviations.

The licence number is generally the most specific and hence the best place to begin with since it is a licence number. An office-region abbreviation can also be added to a number e.g. RWP, LHR, KAR, PWR, and others having to do with the Protectorates.

Use the official BE&OE OEP directory

Go to BE&OE website and open up the section called List of Overseas Employment Promoters.On BE&OE website, open the List of Overseas Employment Promoters section. Choose the right search which is, input the licence number/agency details and check the results.

The directory currently separates records into the following categories:

Valid
Invalid
Expired
Cancelled
Surrendered
Suspended
All licences

Typical record could be displayed with the licence number, proprietor’s name, licence title, current licence status, expiry date, registered head office, contact information, authorised branches and the number of permissions on the record.

Take a screen shot or PDF on the day that you verify the result. Records may be updated and a saved copy will allow you to have a record of what it was showing officially prior to your payment.

What each licence status means for your decision

The status shown in the directory should guide your next step.

Licence status	What the applicant should do
Valid	Continue verification, but do not assume the specific job is approved
Expired	Do not proceed until BE&OE confirms that the licence has been renewed
Suspended	Stop dealing with the recruiter unless the suspension is officially removed
Cancelled	Do not use the agency for overseas recruitment
Surrendered	Treat the agency as no longer operating under that surrendered licence
Invalid	Do not proceed without direct clarification from BE&OE
No result	Recheck the number and name, then contact the relevant authority

To have a valid status is important but not enough.

This is the most crucial element in the verification process and a licensed agency cannot just take a license to recruit for any job that it advertises.

If you’re interested in applying, BE&OE recommends that you avoid working with licensed agencies without job orders. It also cautions against transacting with individuals not acting as an agent of a licensed agency.

Match the person with the official business record

When you have found the licence make sure to check the record in the directory with the office contacting you.

Check the following:

Does the agency name match exactly?
Is the person presenting himself as the owner listed as the proprietor?
Does the office address match the registered head office or branch?
Is the telephone number connected to the official record?
Is the branch where you are meeting listed in the directory?
Is the person collecting money an authorized representative?

BE&OE recommends that job seekers refrain from doing recruitment work at addresses other than that of the agency. It also states that there is a need for proper provincial recruitment authority for recruitment activity undertaken in different province.

If the applicant is brought to the person’s office which is a hotel, training institute, rented hall or café, the person may say that the official office is under renovation or is too busy. The above should not be used as an excuse for not verifying.

Call the agency on the phone number listed in the official phone book. Inquire if the person contacting you is their employee, and if the job posting is part of their authorized demand.

Check the specific foreign job permission

The “permissions available” label next to an OEP record is not a demonstration of a permission that is one of the permissions shown. Open or view the appropriate foreign-job record on its own.

The BE&OE foreign-jobs system supports searches using information such as:

Job title
Permission number
OEP licence number
Licence title
Country
Salary range

Records of foreign jobs may include information regarding the job, number of positions in job available, number of positions in job total, salary information, place of duty, grant date, permission number, OEP or foreign-employer information.

Request the permission number of the vacancy that you are interviewing for from the recruiter. Then check with the advertisement and the contract.

also read : How to Find Government Verified Overseas Jobs Through OEC and BE&OE

The following details should agree:

Verification field	Advertisement	BE&OE record	Contract
Job title
Destination country
Place of duty
Salary and currency
Number of positions
OEP name
Licence number
Permission number

Don’t discount substantial disparities.

Constructing workers’ permission doesn’t verify a drivers’ ad. An edited social-media graphic does not constitute an official demand and an employment contract, and therefore cannot replace the salary detailed in that employment contract.

Job records from foreign countries may also indicate the availability of those jobs and possibly have an “offer-expiry-date. Therefore, an old ad can be reprinted after the demand period has ended and/or the vacancies have been used up.

Review the recruiter’s performance record

BE&OE maintains an Overseas Employment Promoters’ performance database separately from others. It can display the number of workers sent abroad under OEP in the last few years and number of complaints received/pending during the period shown.

Care needs to be taken in interpreting performance figures.

An unrecorded deployment by a recruiter may mean that the recruiter is brand new, inactive or is conducting a small operation. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fraud. Not all recruiters who have numerous expatriates are free from risks as well.

Numbers of complaints need to be put into context. The complaint can be under investigation, resolved, closed, referred to another office or an official notice is issued. Presence of a complaint does not mean that all of the allegations are proven.

The performance page may be used as a screening tool in addition to the check of the licence, permission, contract and payment request, but is not a replacement.

Search the official complaint database

The BE&OE complaint database enables consumers to check the status of complaints and will display the category, OEP licence number, licence title, office that the complaint was referred to, the status of the complaint and the fine, if any. The published statuses are those cases that are under investigation, show cause notices, warnings, closed cases and referrals to other authorities.

Use the recruiter’s licence number and agency name to search.

Pay attention to:

Repeated complaints
Recent unresolved cases
Show cause notices
Official warnings
Referrals to BE&OE headquarters
Referrals to the Federal Investigation Agency
Licence suspension or cancellation

Don’t publish an accusation when there is a complaint – don’t jump to conclusions. Correctly use the term “official” and don’t represent an un-solved allegation as a final determination.

Never confuse a travel agent with an OEP

It is not the same if a travel agency is to sell tickets or offer travel-related services for a trip, but that does not necessarily mean that they are authorized to recruit workers for foreign employment.

BE&OE also cautions those who are looking for jobs to work with travel agencies/training centres who guarantee overseas work. It also advises that the applicants do not consider a tourist visa as an overseas employment contract.

The same caution applies to:

Trade-test centres
Language institutes
Visa consultants
Documentation agents
Social-media page administrators
Informal local subagents

These businesses might offer a needed service within their particular profession, but they do not imply that these businesses are licensed by the OEP or approved foreign job demand.

Check the contract before making payment

Not all payments requests are acceptable, although they are in line with a valid licence.

BE&OE recommends applicants to only pay placement fees if they have a valid employment contract and official receipt. It also advises job-seekers to not pay over the maximum amount of placement fees.

Before transferring money, confirm:

What service the payment covers
Whether the amount is officially permitted
Which business account or authorized channel receives it
Whether the payment matches the employment process
Whether you will receive an official receipt
Whether the contract has already been provided
Whether refund conditions are documented

Don’t make any payments to other personal accounts. Never give money without a receipt with the details of the agency.

Save or make copies of all receipts, bank transfers, ads, contracts, voice messages, e-mails and messages. They can be crucial in the event of a controversy.

Red flags that require you to stop

Pause the process when the recruiter:

Refuses to provide an OEP licence number
Gives a licence belonging to another business
Uses an expired, suspended or cancelled licence
Cannot provide a permission number
Asks you to meet only outside the registered office
Says verification is unnecessary
Promises employment on a tourist visa
Demands payment before showing a contract
Refuses to issue an official receipt
Pressures you to pay immediately
Claims that all documents will be corrected after arrival
Asks you to hide information from government officials
Offers forged experience, medical or educational documents

A true licence record cannot correct an invalid contract, or a job permission that was not related to the contract, or an illegal visa set-up.

What to do when the recruiter cannot be verified

First, make sure that you’ve entered the licence number right. Searching by business name and proprietor name is also an option.

Then, request an explanation from the recruiter in regard to the discrepancy in writing. Never assume that a web site is “not updated” based on a verbal statement from someone, without BE&OE confirmation.

Use official contact details of relevant Protectorate of Emigrants or BE&OE office, as necessary. Complaints received at BE&OE headquarters could be sent to the appropriate Protectorate office, BE&OE may seek comments or reply from the OEP.

Prepare the following evidence:

OEP licence number
Agency and proprietor name
Advertisement
Permission number
Contract or offer letter
Payment proof
Receipts
Passport handover receipt
Phone numbers
Messages and emails
Office location
Names of witnesses

Don’t put off assembling evidence until the recruiter leaves.

The best practice is to check the agency to be sure before talking about payment. If you’re told by a recruiter who discourages you from looking at an official government record, he has already provided you with a reason to take your time.

also read :Highest Paying Trade Jobs in Gulf Countries 2026

Practical Recruiter Verification Checklist

Before using an overseas recruitment agent, confirm:

The OEP appears in the official BE&OE directory.
The licence number matches the business name.
The licence status is currently valid.
The expiry date has not passed.
The proprietor’s name matches the official record.
The office or branch is officially listed.
The representative is connected to the licensed agency.
A valid permission exists for the specific job.
The job title, country and salary match.
Vacancies remain available.
The employment contract has been provided.
The visa category is for legal employment.
Every payment has an official receipt.
Complaint and performance records have been reviewed.
Copies of all documents and conversations are saved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I check an OEP licence online?

Use the official BE&OE List of Overseas Employment Promoters. Search by licence number, licence title or proprietor name, then review the current status, expiry date, office and branch details.

Does a valid licence guarantee that the job is genuine?

No. A valid licence confirms the agency’s current licensing status. You must still verify the job permission, employer, salary, contract and visa arrangement.

What should I do if the licence has expired?

Do not pay or submit original documents until the official directory shows a valid renewal or BE&OE confirms the recruiter’s authority.

What does permissions available mean?

It indicates that the OEP record is connected to available recruitment permissions. You must open or search the specific foreign-job permission to confirm that it matches your vacancy.

Can an OEP recruit from an unlisted branch?

BE&OE advises applicants not to transact recruitment business outside the agency’s registered address and to verify relevant authority where recruitment occurs elsewhere.

Does a complaint prove that an OEP committed fraud?

Not by itself. Review the complaint’s official status. It may be under investigation, closed, referred, settled or followed by formal action.

Can a travel agency send workers abroad?

A travel agency is not automatically authorized to recruit workers. Verify whether the business separately holds a valid OEP licence and an approved job permission.

Where should I report a suspicious recruiter?

Use the official BE&OE complaint channel or contact the relevant Protectorate of Emigrants. Matters involving suspected forgery, trafficking or serious criminal activity may also require referral to the appropriate law-enforcement authority.

Disclaimer

The information included in this guide was reviewed on the 17th of July 2026, using official information. There is a possibility of a change of OEP licence status, licence expiry date, permission, complaint and government procedures. Verify BE&OE live recording prior to any money, original documents or overseas employment.

Official Sources Used

BE&OE List of Overseas Employment Promoters and licence-status directory
BE&OE instructions for avoiding illegal recruitment
BE&OE foreign-jobs and permission records
BE&OE OEP performance database
BE&OE public complaint records
BE&OE service-delivery timeline for complaints

Final Factual Verification Notes

Check the live directory again on the publication date because OEP statuses can change.
Do not reproduce personal complaint details unnecessarily.
Update screenshots whenever the BE&OE interface changes.
Do not describe an unresolved complaint as proof of guilt.
Verify any fee separately through current official guidance before publishing an amount.
Replace the author placeholder with a real name and truthful credentials.

How to Check an Overseas Employment Promoter Is Licensed in Pakistan