Several online recruitment companies in the country continue to charge candidates applying for jobs, despite previous reports that this practice is illegal.

"As per the UAE Ministry of Labour, it is illegal to take fees from candidates, and online recruitment companies or recruitment agencies that do so are violating the law," Ihab Hashwa, Regional Operations Manager, CareerJunction Middle East told Emirates Business.

Article 18 of the UAE Labour law states no licensed employment agent or labour supplier shall demand or accept from any worker, whether before or after the latter's admission to employment, any commission or material reward in return for employment, or charge him for any expenses thereby incurred, except as may be prescribed or approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Persons supplied by an employment agent or labour supplier shall, immediately upon assuming employment, be regarded as employees of that employer and shall have all the rights of the employees of the firm in which they are employed. They shall relate directly with their employer, without any involvement on the part of the employment agent, whose function and relationships with them shall cease as soon as they are supplied to and employed by the employer.

However, the practice still continues. A popular website in the country demands a fully refundable fee payable within 10 business days after the submission of application. It states the fee is fully refundable only after six months have passed and the candidate is not successfully placed by that time.

"The hiring process typically takes anywhere from one to four months. The application fee is a nominal amount of $92 CAD that is used as a deposit to secure the photographs and content of your resume on our main website. In order to pay the security deposit and complete your registration, please (click here). This would be the first step in fast-tracking your career in Dubai," the website says.

Recently, a job seeker called the paper, complaining of a recruitment company extracting money from her husband and some friends who had been made redundant.

Panos Manolopoulos, Managing Partner Middle East, Stanton Chase, said this practice is absolutely "unethical". "Taking money from candidates is stark trading and unethical to the practices of human resources," he said. "It also defies professional codes of conduct as this means selling candidates to companies even when they were not good enough. A recruitment firm should find the right candidate and add value to the company with whom he will be employed."

As the number of people loosing their jobs increases, online recruitment companies have witnessed an increase in the number of job applications. "Our clients who advertise their jobs with us have seen an increase in the number of applications over the last few months, due to the influx of talent from abroad and can also be attributed to the number of layoffs that have taken place," said Hashwa.

Moreover, as candidates are desperate for getting jobs, the chances of them turning to websites that promise them a job in return for money is greater now. "We all know it is difficult to survive without a job for too long. In the current market conditions where job competition has become stiffer, it can be said that candidates will not leave any stone unturned to find an appropriate job," said Hashwa.

Manolopoulos agreed: "Candidates are getting desperate and companies are taking advantage of this situation. There are a lot of website that bombard your e-mails about job offers but once you enter their website, they ask for money."

Candidates are advised not to be lured by recruitment companies that offer jobs for money. It's best to stick to reputed firms with good standing. "We do not charge our CareerSeekers for using our web service. Whether that includes searching for jobs, creating their resume on our web service or even applying for jobs advertised on our site, our services for CareerSeekers are free of charge," said Hashwa.

According to Amer Zureikat, Regional Manager, Bayt.com, their website is absolutely free to use for candidates. "Jobseekers on Bayt.com can register for free and immediately avail of thousands of fresh job opportunities from the region's largest database of employers at no cost to them. They can apply instantly and directly to jobs that match their interests and qualifications or simply post their CVs online and wait for top employers to contact them. Bayt.com remains an effective way for jobseekers to find jobs in the region free," he said.