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Seafarers never pay for a job: recruitment fees under MLC 2006

Published

"Pay 500 dollars and the place on board is yours" is the most common trick used against seafarers. The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) answers it clearly.

The rule

MLC Standard A1.4 requires countries to make sure that no fees or other charges for recruitment or placement, or for providing employment, are borne by the seafarer — directly or indirectly, in whole or in part. The cost of finding you a job is paid by the shipowner, not by you.

The only exceptions

The same standard lists the costs a seafarer may pay personally:

  • the national statutory medical certificate;
  • the national seafarer's book;
  • a passport or similar personal travel document.

The convention says that visas are not part of these exceptions: their cost is borne by the shipowner.

Training is not on the list either. If you need a certificate for the job, you may choose where to get it — but nobody may make a paid course "at our training centre" a condition of getting the job.

Other protections in Regulation 1.4

  • Recruitment services must not use blacklists or other means to stop seafarers who are qualified from getting work.
  • Seafarers should be able to check the agreement before signing and keep a copy.
  • Countries must have a system that protects seafarers from monetary loss if a recruitment service or the shipowner fails to meet its obligations.

The details depend on the national law of the country where the agency works. Ask the maritime or labour authority of that country if you are unsure.

If someone asks you for money

  • Do not pay, even "a deposit that will be returned".
  • Keep the messages, the payment details and the names.
  • Check the agency on our Check a crewing agency page and in the official registry of its country.
  • Report it to the authority that licenses recruitment services in that country.

On MaritimeJobFinder

Searching, applying, your application form and its PDF are free for every seafarer. We do not publish vacancies that ask seafarers to pay for a job. Optional Gold tools (document reminders) give no advantage with employers.

Source: Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, Regulation 1.4 and Standard A1.4 — published by the International Labour Organization (ilo.org).