Report an Unlicensed Job Agent Who Took Your Money in Pakistan: Up to 14 Years Under the Emigration Ordinance

Short answer: Taking money for a foreign job without being a licensed Overseas Employment Promoter is an offence under section 22 of the Emigration Ordinance, 1979. The punishment is up to fourteen years in prison, or a fine, or both. A Special Court tries these cases, on a written complaint backed by federal government sanction.

A man says he can place you in a Gulf job for Rs 400,000. He has no office, no licence and no paper from the Protector of Emigrants. After you pay, the visa does not come. Most victims feel they have no case because they paid in cash and "agreed" to it. The Ordinance says otherwise.

We read the Emigration Ordinance as published in the Federal Investigation Agency's law compendium on 12 October 2026. We did not read the Emigration Rules or the Bureau of Emigration's current fee list, so we state no fee.

Section 22 punishes anyone who takes money for a foreign job outside the rules

Under section 22, a licensed promoter who charges more than the prescribed amount, or any person who is not a promoter and demands or receives money or anything valuable for a foreign job, can be jailed for up to fourteen years, fined, or both.

The section also covers money taken "on the pretext of" providing the job. That wording matters. The agent does not have to deliver anything. A false promise is enough.

Recruiting or advertising without permission is also banned

Section 9 bars anyone other than the Overseas Employment Corporation from recruiting a Pakistani for emigration, or advertising or interviewing for it, without prior permission of the Director-General or the Protector of Emigrants. Section 17(4) applies the same punishment to editors and publishers of such advertisements.

This is why an advertisement on a wall or a social media page is not proof of a real job. A real promoter holds a licence and is accountable. Our guide on checking a job offer in Thailand, Cambodia or Myanmar shows a case where the Bureau of Emigration warned about exactly this kind of offer.

A licensed promoter who breaks the rules is liable too. Section 17(3) says a promoter involved in a breach is liable unless he proves he could not have prevented it.

How a case is started: a written complaint and federal sanction

Section 24 says a Special Court takes cognizance only on a written complaint accompanied by the previous sanction of the Federal Government. If sanction is neither granted nor refused within sixty days of the reference, it is deemed to have been given.

This is different from an ordinary FIR. A complaint under this Ordinance goes through a written application and a sanction step. The Special Court is headed by a person who is or has been a Sessions Judge or Additional Sessions Judge.

1. Collect the evidence: messages, receipts, the agent's identity, any papers he gave you.
2. Write a complaint stating dates, amounts paid, names and promises.
3. Send it to the FIA. Its overseas and immigration sections list complaints@fia.gov.pk and complaints.img@fia.gov.pk.
4. Ask for a reference number and keep a copy of everything you hand in.
5. If the matter reaches the Special Court, you may appeal an acquittal to the High Court within 45 days.
6. Take legal advice at each step. Our guide on getting a free lawyer in Punjab shows one route.

What to keep as evidence

Keep proof that you paid and proof that the person promised a foreign job. A bank slip or wallet transfer with the agent's name is strong. Voice notes, chats and the advertisement itself also help. Never hand over your passport as the only "security".

Before you pay any agent, check the licence and read the contract. Our guides on the Oman work visa process and the OPF membership card show what a genuine route involves.

Common questions

Is it legal for an agent to take money for a foreign job?

Only a licensed Overseas Employment Promoter may charge, and only the prescribed amount. Anyone else who demands or receives money for a foreign job commits an offence under section 22.

How many years can an unlicensed agent get?

Up to fourteen years under section 22, or a fine, or both. Fraudulently inducing a person to emigrate under section 18 carries the same maximum.

Do I need a lawyer to complain?

The Ordinance asks for a written complaint with federal sanction. A lawyer is not named as a requirement, but the sanction step is technical, so advice helps.

What if I paid in cash with no receipt?

You can still report. Use chats, call records, witnesses and any papers the agent gave you. A written complaint with a clear timeline is the starting point.

Can I get my money back?

The Ordinance text we read sets punishments, not a refund process. A civil claim for recovery is a separate step that needs a lawyer.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

We read the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, as printed in the FIA law compendium, and the FIA overseas complaint page on 12 October 2026. The text is a compilation that may not show every later amendment, so check the Gazette. We did not read the Emigration Rules, the prescribed promoter fee or the Bureau of Emigration's complaint route, and we have not called any helpline.