Is a job offer in another country that requires me to travel at my own expense before a contract is signed a scam?
Very likely. Legitimate overseas employers sponsoring foreign workers cover travel costs or sign a contract before any travel is undertaken.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Overseas job scams are particularly harmful because victims lose both money and time, and in some cases end up stranded abroad. The scam typically involves an attractive job offer in a wealthier country, an 'almost finalised' contract, and a request for the applicant to fund their own travel, visa fees, or medical checks before the contract is issued. Once the money is paid, the employer becomes unresponsive or the contract never arrives. A more dangerous variant involves traffickers who use fake overseas job offers to lure victims into debt bondage or forced labour. Genuine employers who recruit internationally provide signed contracts before the candidate is expected to travel and meet all mandatory immigration-related costs themselves.
The trafficking variant makes this category more serious than a typical financial scam, and it has recognisable precursors: a vague job description with an excellent salary, insistence on a rushed departure, instructions to travel on a tourist visa 'to be converted later', and an employer who controls the travel arrangements end to end. Working on the wrong visa also leaves you exposed even in the mild cases — deportable, unprotected by labour law, and dependent on the very people who misled you. Before committing to any overseas role, verify the employer with the destination country's business registry, confirm the visa route with that country's embassy yourself, and leave copies of your documents and itinerary with someone you trust.
Common red flags
- Contract not yet signed but travel is required immediately
- You must pay visa fees, medical checks, or travel costs upfront
- Employer communicates only by messaging app with no physical office address
- Job offer was unsolicited and found on a social media group
- Salary or working conditions sound unusually good for the role
What to do now
- Never travel for a job without a signed contract in hand
- Verify the employer on the business register of their country
- Check with the destination country's embassy for work visa advice
- Report suspicious overseas job offers to your national fraud service
Frequently asked questions
Is it normal for an employer to ask for copies of my passport before a contract is signed?
Passport copies are sometimes needed to begin visa sponsorship, but only after a formal offer is made and documented. They should never be requested as a precondition of receiving a job offer.
Who pays visa and work permit costs in a genuine international hire?
Sponsoring employers typically handle and pay for the work permit process themselves. Where a candidate must pay an official fee, it goes directly to the government authority — never to the employer or a 'travel agent' they nominate.