Investigate a recruitment payment request by identifying who charges it, the service claimed and the rules for the actual origin and destination. Keep a written evidence log before deciding what to pay.
What the official guidance establishes
ILO fair-recruitment principles say workers should not bear recruitment fees or related costs. That international principle should be distinguished from the national rule and enforcement channel applicable to a particular payment request. Read ILO: fair recruitment principles and recruitment fees for the original scope and current instructions.
Describe the charge precisely
Record the recruiter’s legal name, amount, currency, requested payment method and stated purpose. Ask for an itemised written explanation and receipt terms. Keep government application charges, optional professional assistance and a fee for obtaining a job as separate categories to investigate.
Check the responsible authorities
Find the official recruitment or labour-protection guidance for the countries involved and the actual work programme. Ask about the specific charge and recruiter when the rule is unclear. Do not rely on a generic statement that every payment connected with moving abroad is the same kind of fee.
Preserve the evidence and choose the next action
Retain the offer, messages, invoice and any payment evidence. Use independently verified contacts for the employer, regulator or worker-support service. If a disputed payment has already been made, ask the payment provider and relevant authority about the available process without assuming recovery is guaranteed.
Your working sheet
This is an optional IMMIGEUROPE planning worksheet, not an official application form or a new document requirement.
| Record | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Request | Who charges, amount and claimed service |
| Evidence | Invoice, messages and payment details |
| Rule source | Official country/programme guidance |
| Enquiry | Specific question, authority and response |
Worked planning example
A fictional recruiter describes one unexplained lump sum as “visa and placement.” The worker asks for the individual charges and the responsible official service for each. The log keeps the request unresolved instead of treating the label as proof that the payment is legitimate.
Pause the payment decision while its purpose or legality remains unclear. Keep the next action in the moving planner and use the guide library for the next part of your move.