The government of Pakistan has issued a warning to its citizens regarding the visit and Umrah visas.
According to the official notification issued by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE), Islamabad, seeking employment abroad, or working on an Umrah or visit visa, is a punishable offence.
According to the Emigration Ordinance 1979, no licensed and registered employment promoter (recruitment agency) is allowed to use a visit visa, Umrah visa, or study visa for employment purposes.
The notice further said that if anyone promises you a job abroad through such visas, please report the matter to the BEOE.
The government made it clear by saying that for overseas employment, only a work visa should be used.
Some illegal agents send people abroad on visit visas and later promise to arrange work visas, which often turn out to be false.
If you are found working on a visit visa, you may face deportation and legal action against you.
The government has released new guidelines for Pakistanis travelling overseas, with the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment warning citizens against the misuse of visit visas for employment purposes.
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According to the statement, any citizen who intends to seek employment after travelling abroad on a visit visa should contact the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment and submit a complaint or request through the proper legal channels.
The bureau emphasised that the misuse of visa categories for employment purposes is illegal and punishable under the law.
Officials noted that some individuals attempt to secure jobs abroad after entering a country on a visit visa, but such practices constitute a violation of immigration regulations.
The statement further warned that individuals found working on a visit visa in a foreign country could face arrest and legal action by the authorities of that country.
The authorities advised citizens to use only legal and registered channels when seeking employment overseas in order to avoid fraud, detention, deportation, or other legal complications.
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