Fake Overseas Job Offers: How to Spot a Recruitment Scam Before You Pay
Every week, people lose their savings to job offers that never existed. The pattern is almost always the same: a well-paid job in Canada, the UK, Dubai or Europe, a quick "interview", an offer letter with a real company's logo, then a fee. Visa processing, LMIA, sponsorship certificate, medical, insurance, "refundable" deposit. Once the money is sent, the recruiter disappears.
We are a recruitment company, so we will say this plainly: legitimate employers and recruiters hiring overseas workers do not need your money to give you a job. In the main destination countries, it is the employer who pays for sponsorship, and in several of them it is illegal to pass that cost on to you.
This guide shows the scam patterns we see most often, how to check that an employer and a sponsorship are real, which fees are legitimate, and what to do if you have already paid.
If you remember one thing, make it this: any request to pay for the job itself is a reason to stop and verify before you send another message.
In this guide
The scam patterns we see most often
The fake LMIA
Canada's Labour Market Impact Assessment is a government decision issued to an employer. You cannot buy one, and no recruiter can "get you an LMIA" for a fee. Scammers send PDFs with Government of Canada logos, a file number and a job title, then ask for a "processing fee" or an "LMIA purchase" payment, sometimes thousands of dollars.
A real LMIA is issued to the employer, who applies and pays the processing fee to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). You will usually see only a copy, along with a job offer, when you apply for your work permit. Our guide to visa sponsorship jobs in Canada explains how the genuine process works.
The fake UK Certificate of Sponsorship
The UK version uses a fake Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). The victim is told they have been "assigned" a CoS for a care, driving, warehouse or hospitality job and must pay to "release" it. Sometimes the CoS is real but was sold by a dishonest sponsor, which can lead to a visa refusal and a lost licence for the employer.
Be especially wary of UK care-worker offers. The UK closed the care worker visa to new applicants from overseas in July 2025, so an offer to sponsor you from abroad for a care role is now a warning sign in itself. Our UK Skilled Worker visa guide covers which jobs can still be sponsored.
The "visa processing fee"
A recruiter offers a job in Dubai, Poland, Malta, Romania or Canada, then asks for a fee to process the visa, work permit or "embassy appointment". Payment is requested to a personal account, a mobile money wallet, a money transfer service or in cryptocurrency. Real government fees are paid through official portals or visa application centres, never to a recruiter's personal account.
WhatsApp and Telegram recruiters
You are contacted out of the blue on WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook or LinkedIn by a "recruiter" or "HR manager". The interview is a text chat. The offer arrives within days. Many of these are run from overseas call centres and use real names of real HR staff, copied from LinkedIn.
Cloned company websites and email addresses
Scammers copy a real employer's website, change one letter in the domain, and send offers from that address or from a free Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo account. The offer letter uses the real company's logo, address and even a real manager's signature.
"Task" jobs and pay-to-train schemes
Some scams skip the visa entirely: you are "hired" for remote tasks, paid small amounts at first, then asked to deposit money to release larger earnings. Others promise a job abroad after you pay for training, certification or a language course run by the same people.
Red flags at a glance
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Asked to pay for an LMIA, CoS, work permit or "job slot" | Employers pay for sponsorship in Canada, the UK and the UAE |
| Offer without a proper interview | Real employers interview, often by video, sometimes more than once |
| Salary far above the market rate for the job | A common hook for less-experienced applicants |
| Communication only on WhatsApp or Telegram | Real HR teams use company email and video calls |
| Email from Gmail, Outlook or a misspelt domain | Company recruiters use the company domain |
| Pressure to pay quickly or lose the job | Creates panic so you skip checks |
| Payment to a personal account, crypto or gift cards | Real fees go to governments or regulated firms |
| "Guaranteed" visa approval | Nobody outside the government can guarantee a visa |
How to verify an employer and a sponsor
Do these checks before you share your passport or pay anything.
- Find the employer independently. Search for the company's official website yourself, not from a link in the message. Call the switchboard and ask HR to confirm the vacancy and the recruiter's name.
- Check the email domain. It should match the company's real website exactly.
- UK: check the sponsor register. The Home Office publishes the register of licensed sponsors, updated almost daily. Search the employer's exact legal name and check it holds a Worker licence for the right route.
- Canada: check the job on Job Bank. Many employers using the LMIA process must advertise on Job Bank. ESDC also publishes quarterly lists of employers that received positive LMIAs and a public list of employers found non-compliant.
- UAE: check the contract with MOHRE. Genuine offers lead to a MOHRE offer letter and contract. You can check the status of a work permit through official MOHRE channels. Our live and work in Dubai guide explains the real process.
- Check the recruiter. In the UK, many recruitment agencies are members of trade bodies, and you can look up the company on Companies House. In India, overseas recruiting agents must be registered through the government's eMigrate system. In the Philippines, check that the agency is licensed by the Department of Migrant Workers.
If anything does not check out, stop. Real employers do not mind you checking.
Licensed immigration advisers
Paying for immigration advice is legal, but only from someone authorised to give it.
- Canada. Paid immigration advice must come from a lawyer, a Quebec notary or a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Check the public register by name and licence number.
- Australia. Migration agents must be registered with the Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA), which keeps a public register. Australian legal practitioners can also give immigration advice.
- United Kingdom. Immigration advisers must be regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority (formerly OISC) or be a qualified solicitor or barrister.
- New Zealand. Advisers must be licensed by the Immigration Advisers Authority unless exempt.
A licensed adviser can charge for their professional service. They still cannot sell you a job, an LMIA or a CoS.
Which fees are legitimate?
This is where honest applicants get confused, because some costs really are yours to pay.
| Fee | Who normally pays |
|---|---|
| Canada LMIA processing fee | Employer (cannot be recovered from the worker) |
| UK Certificate of Sponsorship and Immigration Skills Charge | Employer (cannot be passed on to the worker) |
| UAE work permit, entry permit and residence visa | Employer |
| Visa or work permit application fee | Usually the worker, paid to the government |
| Biometrics, medical exam, police certificate | Usually the worker, paid to official providers |
| UK Immigration Health Surcharge | The worker, paid to the Home Office (some employers reimburse) |
| Recruitment agency placement fee | The employer, in reputable recruitment |
Canada's rules are clear on this. Its guidance on temporary foreign workers' rights says employers cannot make you pay to get or keep a job or recover recruitment fees from you, and that you only pay for your work permit, medical exam and biometrics where required.
If a recruiter tells you the employer "will refund" the fee after you arrive, assume you will never see it again.
What to do if you have already paid
Act quickly. The first 24 hours matter most.
- Stop paying. Scammers often come back with a second fee for "clearance" or "tax". Do not send more.
- Contact your bank or transfer provider immediately. Ask them to stop or recall the payment. Card payments may be disputable. Bank transfers and money transfer services are harder to reverse, but a fast report sometimes works.
- Keep everything. Screenshots of chats, emails, the offer letter, payment receipts, phone numbers, account details and the website address.
- Secure your identity. If you sent your passport, ID or bank details, alert your bank and watch for accounts opened in your name.
- Report it to the police and the fraud authority in the country where you live, and in the country the job was supposedly in.
- Beware of recovery scams. People who claim they can get your money back for a fee are often the same criminals, or others who buy victim lists.
Where to report a recruitment scam
- Canada: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and Service Canada's tip line on 1-866-602-9448 for abuse of temporary foreign worker programmes
- United Kingdom: the national fraud reporting service run by City of London Police (long known as Action Fraud), and the Home Office if a licensed sponsor is involved
- United States: the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Australia: Scamwatch and ReportCyber
- UAE: Dubai Police eCrime platform and MOHRE
- Home countries: your national police cybercrime unit, and in India or the Philippines the emigration authority that licenses recruiters
Report the fake profile or number to WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook or LinkedIn as well. It will not get your money back, but it may stop the next person.
How to look for overseas jobs safely
Use employer careers pages, official government job boards and established recruitment agencies with verifiable offices and registrations. Expect a real interview, a written contract that names the employer, salary and duties, and a visa process that runs through official portals.
Some sectors have well-trodden legitimate routes. Healthcare is one; our guide to nursing jobs abroad covers the registration steps that genuine employers require, which scammers usually skip.
If an opportunity feels unusually easy, it is worth asking why a real employer would hire someone abroad without checking their qualifications, references or registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it ever legal to pay a recruiter for a job abroad?
In some countries, recruiters can charge limited service fees under local law, but in the main destinations (Canada, the UK, the UAE) employers pay the cost of hiring and sponsorship. A recruiter who asks you to pay for the job itself, an LMIA or a CoS is either breaking the rules or running a scam.
How can I tell if a Canadian LMIA is real?
A real LMIA is issued to the employer, not sold to workers. Check that the employer exists, that the job was advertised (often on Job Bank), and ask the employer's HR department directly, using contact details you find yourself. If you are asked to pay for it, it is not genuine.
How do I check a UK Certificate of Sponsorship?
First check the employer on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors. Then contact the employer through its official website to confirm the job and the CoS reference. A real sponsor will not charge you for the CoS.
Can I get my money back after a job scam?
Sometimes, if you act fast. Contact your bank or transfer provider at once and report to the police. Card payments are the most recoverable; cash, crypto and gift cards are the least. Ignore anyone who offers to recover the money for a fee.
Are WhatsApp job offers always fake?
Not always, but most unsolicited WhatsApp offers for overseas jobs are scams. A legitimate recruiter will be happy to move to company email and a video interview, and will give you details you can verify independently.
Final Thoughts
Scams work because they target the people who most want a better job and have the least time to check. Slow down. A genuine employer that has decided to sponsor you will still want to hire you next week, after you have checked the sponsor register, called their HR team and read the contract.
Keep your money for the fees that really are yours: government application fees, medicals, biometrics and your flight. Pay those only through official portals and approved centres. And if anyone, including a recruiter who seems friendly and professional, asks you to pay for the job itself, walk away and report them.
This guide is general information based on official sources at the time of writing, not legal or financial advice. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change often, so check the official government website or speak to a licensed immigration adviser before you apply. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
