How to Verify a Recruitment Agency Before You Pay

Every legally operating foreign employment agency in Sri Lanka must display an SLBFE license number issued by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. Ask for it directly and get it in writing — on a business card, letterhead, or written quotation. A legitimate agency will give this without hesitation.

Be suspicious of anyone who is vague about their license number, gives you a number that doesn't match their business name, or asks you to 'trust them' without documentation.

Use this site's verify tool, or check directly on the official SLBFE website, to confirm the license number is currently valid — not suspended, not cancelled, and matches the agency's actual name.

Licenses are renewed periodically and can be suspended or cancelled for misconduct. An agency that was licensed last year may not be licensed today, so always verify close to the time you plan to transact — not from an old screenshot or word of mouth.

Compare the physical office address the agency gives you against the registered address on file. Scammers sometimes use a legitimate agency's name and license number while operating from a different, unregistered location.

If possible, visit the registered office in person before making any payment.

Insist on a proper receipt for any payment, showing the agency's registered name and license number. Recruitment fees in Sri Lanka are regulated — an agency demanding unusually large upfront fees, or refusing to itemize what you're paying for, is a major red flag.

You should receive a written employment contract — ideally reviewed with you in a language you understand — before departure. Do not accept verbal promises about salary, working conditions, or job duties that differ from your written contract.