Question : MALPRACTICES BY RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

(a) whether the Government is aware that despite stringent guidelines on manpower recruitment agents, aspirants have to shell out huge sums to the recruiting agents for work visa in foreign countries;

(b) if so, the guidelines so laid down in this regard;

(c) whether the stranded Indian Nurses in strife-torn Iraq have refused evacuation citing payment of huge fee to recruitment agencies;

(d) if so, the facts thereof; and

(e) the strict measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to check the rising incidence of malpractices by recruitment agencies?

MINISTER OF OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS General (Retd.) V.K. Singh

(a)&(b): Complaints are received from time to time about overcharging by recruitment agent. If the complaint is against registered recruiting agencies, action is taken by this Ministry as per provisions of the Emigration Act, 1983 and rules thereof. If the complaint is against unregistered agencies, it is referred to the state government for taking action under the relevant law of the land.

(c)& (d): Some of the stranded Indian nurses in Iraq had requested that they would not like to go back to India and instead prefer to be relocated to safer areas within Iraq.

(e): After following due process, action such as suspension, cancellation of registration certificate and forfeiture of bank guarantee as laid down by Emigration Act, 1983 and Emigration Rules, 1983 in case of registered recruitment agencies has been taken, and in case of unregistered recruitment agencies wherever applicable, prosecution has been sanctioned as required by the investigating authorities.