eMigrate portal: what it is and how to use it (workers, agents and employers)

eMigrate (emigrate.gov.in) is the Government of India's online system for overseas employment. Job seekers use it to check whether a recruiting agent is registered and to apply for emigration clearance if they hold an ECR passport. Foreign employers use it to register and raise demand. The helpdesk number is 0091-11-26887772.

Departures hall at Terminal 3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Photo: PDXDUS, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.

What is the eMigrate portal and what is it used for?

Who uses eMigrate and for what

You are	What you do on eMigrate
A job seeker	Check that a recruiting agent is on the list of registered agents before you pay anything.
A worker with an ECR passport going to an ECR country for a job	Apply for emigration clearance from the Protector of Emigrants. See the ECR passport guide.
A foreign employer	Register as an employer, get login credentials, and raise a demand for workers.
A recruiting agent in India	Receive the Demand ID raised by a foreign employer and complete the remaining procedures.
Someone who has been cheated	Lodge a complaint through the eMigrate system, or call the OWRC helpline on 1800 11 3090.

For workers: applying for emigration clearance (ECR passport)

These steps follow the Indian Embassy in the UAE's description of direct recruitment through eMigrate. If you were recruited through an agent, the agent may complete parts of the process for you. Ask for your application number and check its status yourself. The Ministry of External Affairs does not state the clearance fee or processing time on its guidance page, so confirm both on the portal before you pay.

Log in to eMigrate and open Emigrant, then Apply for Emigration Clearance for ECR Countries.
Enter your passport, visa, insurance, personal, travel and employment details.
Take the Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) insurance policy through the portal from an authorised insurance company.
Upload your signed employment contract, your photo and the insurance papers.
The system generates an application number (EN#). Pay the clearance fee online or at a State Bank of India branch.
The Protector of Emigrants office processes the application. Download the clearance paper from the portal when it is issued.

For job seekers: check an agent before you pay

The full checklist is in our guide to checking whether an agency is MEA registered.

Ask the agent for their Recruiting Agent registration number.
Look the agent up in the list of registered recruiting agents on eMigrate. The Ministry of External Affairs points job seekers to this list.
If the name, address or number does not match, do not pay. Report it.
A registered agent must issue a receipt, and there is a legal limit on what they can charge. Read the agent fee limit guide.

For foreign employers: registration and demand

Employers in the UAE also have visas attested by the Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate in Dubai. Employers in other countries should follow their own Indian mission's page. If you are an employer looking for a registered partner, see Job Spectra for employers.

Go to emigrate.gov.in and choose the Employer section.
Download the request letter to the Indian Mission for foreign employer registration and complete the employer registration form (company or individual).
Upload the required documents, such as the trade licence, government approval, passport copy, address proof and letter of authorisation.
Login credentials are sent by email, which the Embassy of India in the UAE says takes about a week.
Check the minimum referral wage for each designation in the minimum referral wages report on eMigrate before you recruit.
Raise a demand. If you need more than 10 workers, you must recruit through an approved agent in India, and the system generates a Demand ID that goes to the agent.

Help and complaints

eMigrate helpdesk: 0091-11-26887772 or helpdesk@emigrate.gov.in.
Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC): toll-free 1800 11 3090 in India, which the Ministry says operates round the clock.
Complaints about agents can be lodged through the eMigrate system, with the Protector General of Emigrants, or on the MADAD portal.

Mistakes workers make

Paying an agent before checking the registration on eMigrate.
Signing a contract that has not been uploaded to or generated through the system when your passport is ECR and the destination is an ECR country.
Assuming a visit visa is a loophole. Emigration clearance is required for employment in the 17 ECR countries, not for genuine non-employment travel.
Not keeping the receipt, the contract, the clearance paper and the insurance policy together.

Official sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Information only, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the eMigrate portal?

The Government of India's online system for overseas employment (emigrate.gov.in). Workers, recruiting agents and foreign employers use it for registration, demand, emigration clearance and complaints.

Do I need eMigrate if I have an ECNR passport?

Emigration clearance is only required for ECR passport holders going to one of the 17 ECR countries for employment. You can still use eMigrate to check whether an agent is registered.

How do I check whether a recruiting agent is registered?

Look the agent up in the list of registered recruiting agents on emigrate.gov.in, using the agent's registration number and name. See the full checklist.

Who do I call for help with eMigrate?

The eMigrate helpdesk on 0091-11-26887772 or helpdesk@emigrate.gov.in. For problems with an agent or employer, call the OWRC toll-free on 1800 11 3090.