What is the employer-pays principle?
Under international ethical-recruitment standards such as the ILO's General Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment, workers should not pay for recruitment services or related costs. Employers bear those costs.
Why it matters commercially
- Workers who pay fees often start in debt, which raises absconding and attrition risk
- Clients, lenders and certification schemes increasingly audit supply chains
- Compliance reduces exposure to legal and reputational risk
- Workers selected on merit rather than ability to pay are better matched
Common warning signs in your supply chain
- Unusually cheap quotations that do not add up
- Reluctance to share candidate-facing documents and contracts
- Reports of workers paying sub-agents
- Retention of passports or documents
How to audit your recruiters
Ask for contract copies, request a written no-fee declaration, sample worker interviews, and verify the chain of sub-agents. Periodically confirm with arrived workers that they have not paid any fees.
Our commitments
- No recruitment fees or related costs charged to workers
- Transparent contracts and wage terms
- No retention of workers' passports
- Grievance channel for candidates and workers
This guide is general information for employers and not legal advice. Immigration and labour rules change; confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or your labour consultant.