UAE | Employment
Immoral agents cashing in on Dubai jobseekers
Hundreds of people have fallen victim to unscrupulous recruitment agencies that lure customers with false promises.
- By Anjana Sankar, Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:01 August 14, 2008
Dubai: Hundreds of people have fallen victim to unscrupulous recruitment agencies that lure customers with false promises.
Sony, a commerce graduate, responded to an advertisement placed in the local media and the advertiser asked her to attend an interview.
"When I walked in for the interview at the Sharjah-based company they told me the job was a five-day job, eight hours a day, with accommodation and food. The salary was what I had demanded. To take it further I had to register with the agency and pay a non-refundable amount of Dh100," she said.
She was assured the job was guaranteed and the registration fee was worth paying.
"On payment I was handed a registration card with a reference number, and informed that I would be contacted after three days for a final interview. I was later taken to the original company by the recruiter at their cost, for placement and other formalities," she said.
But after a few days the agency demanded another Dh500 to forward her details to the company.
"I declined to pay the amount. I had no choice but to forgo the registration fee of Dh100 I had already paid," she said.
She was put through similar formalities by a Dubai-based recruitment firm, but bitter experience in the past stopped her from paying.
Hakim Mohammad, a Pakistani graduate on a visit visa, said he lost Dh650 as he paid both the registration fees and the second round of payment as demanded by the Sharjah-based firm.
"After that, there was no news from them." said Mohammad.
At least a dozen Gulf News readers also contacted the paper to report similar incidents where they said they had been cheated out of their money by false promises of job placements.
When Gulf News called up the firms posing as a prospective candidate, a recruitment agent who responded to the calls assured the reporter an office administrator's job was available without even bothering to check the caller's qualifications.
When asked whether the candidate should send a resume, the agent asked the reporter to come and register by paying Dh100 to secure the job.
Investigations have revealed that most of these firms are the same ones which came under fire from the public last year, and police complaints were lodged against them by many applicants who alleged they were cheated by the company managements.
Over 30 job applicants turned up at the British Management Consult and Employee Service office located on the Buhaira Corniche in Sharjah. Police had to intervene when the unruly crowd demanded their money back as the company cold not find them any placements.
In their defence, recruitment firms say they charge candidates for the service they offer, and that they have also expenses such as staff salaries and rent.
"We do not see any problem in taking money from candidates if they agree to pay for certain conditions. Many candidates have got placements through us. It is only those who cannot find jobs that are complaining," said Shabeer Ali, Managing Director of Al Aabas International, a Sharjah-based recruitment agency.
He says skilled and semi-skilled candidates are demanding huge salaries that cannot be met in the current job market. He claims that the company found placements for more than 50 mid-level professionals in July alone. On average, more than 30 to 35 people register with the company daily.
However, the Ministry of Labour maintains it is illegal for recruitment agencies to charge candidates registration fees.
Humaid Bin Deemas, Assistant Undersecretary at the Ministry of Labour, said it is illegal to take money from jobseekers purely to broker between the employer and the jobseeker. He assured Gulf News he would use labour inspectors as undercover agents, and if companies are found to be flouting rules, action will be taken.
Sajid Hussain, General Manager of the Talent Management Consultancy, said they do not charge their candidates as it is illegal, and they levy fees from their corporate clients in return for finding the right candidates for them.
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