Licensed Recruitment Companies in Uganda

Before you pay any recruitment company or hand over your passport for a job abroad, check that it is licensed by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) on EEMIS, the government's External Employment Management Information System. Then check that the job itself is genuine and that you have a written contract.

Uganda's labour export sector is large, and so are the scams around it. These checks protect your money, your documents and your safety.

Step 1: Check the company on EEMIS

EEMIS is run by the MGLSD. It lists recruitment companies registered for external employment, and the Ministry says that all jobs and recruitment companies on it are vetted and approved.

1. Open eemis.mglsd.go.ug and choose Check Recruitment Companies.
2. Find the company by name.
3. Check the licence dates. Each listing shows a licence period, for example "Jul 15, 2026 - Jul 14, 2028". The licence must cover today's date.
4. Compare the address and phone number on EEMIS with the ones the company gave you. A scammer can borrow a real company's name, but not its official contacts.

Step 2: Check the job

A licensed company can still advertise a job that is not real or is not what it seems. EEMIS also lists approved jobs for Ugandans who want to work abroad. Before you commit:

• Look for the job on EEMIS, or ask the company for the employer's name and the job order, and check them.
• Ask for the job title, employer, city, salary, working hours, accommodation and contract length in writing.
• Make sure you will travel on a work visa, not a visit or tourist visa.

What it takes to be licensed

EEMIS sets out what a local company must have to be licensed for external recruitment. Among other things, it must:

• Be registered under the Companies Act or Partnership Act of Uganda.
• Provide a bank guarantee of UGX 100,000,000.
• Have only Ugandan shareholders and directors.
• Have a minimum authorised share capital of UGX 50 million.
• Provide a verified financial statement and income tax returns if it has existed for more than a year.

These requirements are why a genuine agency has an office, a bank guarantee and a record the Ministry can check - and why a "recruiter" who works only from a WhatsApp number should make you suspicious.

Warning signs of a fake recruitment company

• It is not on EEMIS, or its licence dates have passed.
• It asks for money before you have a verified job offer and a contract.
• It refuses to give fees and what they cover in writing, or wants cash with no receipt.
• It tells you to travel on a visit visa and "change it there".
• It wants to keep your passport, or the employer abroad does.
• The job, salary or country changes after you pay.
• It recruits only through social media and has no physical office you can visit.

Before you travel

• Get your passport through the official Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control process, not through an agent's contact.
• Sign a contract that states your salary, hours, rest days, accommodation, contract length and who pays your return ticket. Keep paper and digital copies.
• Share your details - the agency, employer, address abroad and contract - with your family.
• Save the contacts of the Ugandan embassy or consulate in your destination country.

If something goes wrong

If an agency takes your money and disappears, or you are stranded or mistreated abroad, report it to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (through the help desk on EEMIS) and to the police, and contact the nearest Ugandan mission if you are already abroad. Keep every receipt, message and document as evidence.

Sources

• EEMIS: External Employment Management Information System (MGLSD)
• Nile Post: Government publishes list of licensed labour export firms (April 2026)

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if a recruitment company in Uganda is licensed?+

Search for it on EEMIS, the External Employment Management Information System run by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development at eemis.mglsd.go.ug. Check that the company is listed, that its licence dates cover today, and that its name, address and phone number match the company you are dealing with.

Where can I find a list of licensed recruitment companies in Uganda?+

The current list is on EEMIS, which shows each registered company with its licence period. The Ministry also publishes lists of licensed labour export companies from time to time, but lists printed or shared on social media go out of date, so always confirm on EEMIS.

Can I get a job abroad without a recruitment company?+

Yes, if you find a direct job with a genuine employer. Make sure you have a written contract and the correct work visa before you travel, and never travel on a visit visa expecting to change it to a work permit.

Is it safe to pay a licensed recruitment company?+

Being licensed does not make every fee fair. Get any fee and what it covers in writing, pay only to the company's official account against a receipt, and never pay before you have a verified job offer and contract.