Contract Substitution: How to Spot It and What to Do

Contract substitution means the contract you accepted at home is replaced with a different one, usually with worse terms, before you travel or after you arrive. It is a recognised problem in labour migration. Knowing how it works is the best protection, because it usually depends on you being tired, far from home and under pressure to sign.

What it looks like

• The salary is lower than the one you accepted.
• The job title or duties are different, often lower or broader.
• Housing, food or travel that was promised is no longer included.
• A new contract is placed in front of you at the airport, on arrival, or on your first day, and you are told to sign quickly.
• The contract is in a language you cannot read and nobody offers a translation.

Why it works

Once you have paid costs, left your job and travelled, saying no feels very costly. Some recruiters and employers rely on that. They expect you to sign rather than go home.

Before you travel

• Keep a full copy of the offer and the contract you accepted, on paper and as photos on your phone.
• Ask for the contract in a language you can read, and read every page.
• Ask whether the contract will be registered with your government, where that is a requirement, and whether you can see the record. Our verify page lists where to check in each source country.
• Do not rely on promises made only by phone or message. Ask for them in writing.
• Share a copy with a family member you trust.

If a new contract appears

• Do not sign straight away. Say you need time to read and take advice. It is a reasonable request.
• Compare the new contract line by line with your copy of the first one. Look at pay, job, hours, housing, travel costs and length.
• If anything is worse, ask in writing why it changed and ask for the original terms.
• Take photos of both versions and of any pages you are shown.
• Contact the labour authority in your destination or your own embassy for advice. Their details are on our before-you-fly pages.

If you have already signed

• Keep all copies and note the date, place and who asked you to sign.
• Write down what was said, who said it, and who else was there.
• Ask for the original terms in writing and keep the reply.
• Contact the authorities listed above. Many have a complaint route for migrant workers.
• Tell your specialist or recruiter in writing, and keep the message.

What not to do

• Do not hand over your passport to anyone who is not an official.
• Do not pay extra money to "fix" a contract problem to a person or an account that cannot give you a receipt.
• Do not delete messages or photos. They are your evidence.

How EMIGRATLY approaches this

Every candidate has a named specialist and the offer is shown in your dashboard before you travel, so you can compare anything you are later asked to sign. If what you are given is different from what you accepted, tell your specialist straight away. This guide gives general principles and is not legal advice. Check your own government's current rules.