Going abroad can be an exciting experience opening up new horizons for you. However, it is very important to follow basic safety tips so that not to endanger your possessions, your health and life. Regrettably, each day, a number of misinformed people become victims of fraud: they lose their money to swindlers or even get trapped into slavery. Therefore, please read the below information attentively and share it with other people who consider going abroad. You might save your or someone else’s life and possessions.

1. Beware of human trafficking danger! Some criminal groups operate in Ukraine that sell people into slavery abroad while promising them legal employment. IOM mission in Ukraine works to prevent trafficking in human beings. If you consider an offer of employment abroad, please visit Counter-Trafficking Program website of the IOM Mission in Ukraine http://stoptrafficking.org to minimize risks of becoming a human trafficking victim. 

You can also visit one of our Centres for Migrant link or call CMA hotlines: 
     0-800-505-501 - FREE from any landline phone in Ukraine
     527 - FREE from life:), Kyivstar, MTS, and Beeline mobile phone numbers

2. Beware of fraudulent agencies! Some companies offer to consult you on immigration issues and to help file your application. Some others offer arrange your legal employment abroad or help explore educational opportunities. Please be careful. Thoroughly gather information on the company before you decide to use its services since, unfortunately, nowadays a number of fraudulent agencies are operating in Ukraine.

3. Be careful with your passport! Never leave your passport to anyone outside embassies, consulates or border checkpoints. This is your ID document and it should be with you at all times. If you lose your passport abroad or someone takes it away from you by force, contact your embassy or consulate in the respective country.

4. Be prepared for emergency situations! Write down contact information of Ukraine’s embassy/consulate in the country you are going to and do not hesitate to contact its staff in troublesome situations. Click here for a list of Ukrainian embassies and consulates abroad.

5. Make photocopies of all important documents! Before you travel, make photocopies of your passport, visa, insurance, and any other key documents related to your trip. Keep them in a safe place separate from original documents. Also, leave copies with your relative or friends at home. Copies of your documents will be very helpful if you lose your original documents.

1. Some companies offer to find employment abroad and to help file your application. Please be careful. Thoroughly gather information on the company before you decide to use its services. Although some companies can be very helpful in finding a job for you and help you adjust to living and working in a foreign country, unfortunately, a number of fraudulent agencies are operating nowadays in Ukraine.

2. To work abroad, you need an authorized permission from the country you are interested in. It has to be either explicitly indicated on your visa or you need to have a special work permit. Otherwise your employment will be illegal and thus you will be unprotected form abuse by your employer. Also, if law-enforcement bodies discover an illegal migrant worker, the person can be deported and refused future entry into the country.

3. If a specific foreign employer abroad invites you to work, the employer normally will need to apply for a special authorization to be able to offer you legal employment and all the supporting papers you will need for obtaining an appropriate type of visa before you travel. If your employer suggests you to come without such an authorised permission, check thoroughly whether such actions comply with operative regulations of the employment country BEFORE you travel abroad. In case it does not, your employment will be illegal and thus you will be unprotected from abuse by your employer. Also, if law-enforcement bodies discover an illegal migrant worker, the person can be deported and refused future entry to the country.

• Do get additional opinions regarding the legality and legitimacy of propositions to go abroad by contacting CMA counselors, consulates, and embassies.

• Do make sure the status of your employment abroad is legal. You should have a work permit or visa before leaving – not a tourist visa.

• Do visit the embassy of the destination country in person, especially when applying for a work visa.

• Do inform yourself of employees’ and migrants’ rights in your destination country; most countries have standards regarding minimum wages, maximum working hours, and compensation in case of work-related accident.

• Do ask your employer abroad about health benefits and social protection that you should expect. Remember, employers have obligations towards their employees.

• Do write a list of agreement terms between you and your employer so that you clearly understand the obligations and benefits of your employment abroad before departing.

• Do familiarize yourself with dangers of trafficking in humans, remember that it can happen to anyone and take all the necessary precautions.

• Do make photocopies of all important documents related to your trip (visa, passport, insurance, contract, invitation letter etc) and keep them in a safe place separate from originals. Also, leave copies to your relatives and friends.

• Do write down contact information of organizations that will help you protect yourself in case of abuse. Your contact list should include Ukrainian embassies/consulates abroad and, if possible, non-governmental and governmental organisations oriented towards defending migrants’ rights in your destination country.

• Do NOT believe everything you read, see or hear about organizations offering employment abroad; many of these jobs are scams and dangerous.

• Do NOT leave the country before you know the exact contact information of the place you will work at and have a safe and trust-worthy place to stay. Share that information with at least three relatives and friends!

• Do NOT let anyone take your passport except for authorized staff of embassies, consulates, and border checkpoints.