In short: check the office in the licensed-offices registry published on the Ministry of Labour website, and read the status column rather than just the name — the registry distinguishes an active office from a suspended one. Compare the registered name, address and national establishment number against what the office tells you.
Verifying the licence is the cheapest protective step available to you, and it takes about two minutes. It is what separates dealing with a regulated party from dealing with one you cannot complain about.
The official registry
The Ministry of Labour publishes a public registry of licensed offices, listing for each one:
- office number
- establishment name
- owner
- address
- national establishment number
- licence status
Read the status column, not just the name
The common mistake is being satisfied by seeing the office’s name. But the registry records different states: offices marked active, and others recorded as suspended, for example for an expired licence.
The name means the office is known to the Ministry. The active status is what means it is operating now.
Compare what the office says with what the registry says
Ask the office for its registered establishment name, then look it up and compare the name, the address, the national establishment number and the current status.
A difference between the trading name on the sign and the registered name is not necessarily a problem, but it is a question deserving a clear answer.
Signs worth pausing on
- Refusing to give the registered establishment name or the national establishment number.
- Requesting amounts with no stated basis, when the recruitment cost is fixed by ministerial decision.
- Firm promises of a specific arrival date, when the process runs through several authorities and the source country.
- Pressure to complete payment before a clear contract is signed.
- No fixed address you can visit.