Key takeaways
- ✓Under MLC 2006, recruitment and placement must be free for seafarers.
- ✓No fee for finding or getting a job may be passed on to you — directly or indirectly.
- ✓The only exceptions are the cost of your national medical certificate, seafarer’s book and passport (or similar travel document).
- ✓Licensed agencies must also have protection that compensates seafarers if the agency or shipowner fails them.
The rule
Regulation 1.4 of the MLC says every seafarer should have access to an efficient and accountable system for finding work on a ship — without charge to the seafarer.
The detail is in Standard A1.4, paragraph 5. As the ILO explains it, no fees or other charges for recruitment, placement or for providing employment may be borne by the seafarer, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part.
The exceptions
According to the ILO’s guidance, visa costs are not on that list — they are for the shipowner to pay.
- •Your national statutory medical certificate
- •Your national seafarer’s book
- •A passport or similar personal travel document
Who the rule applies to
The MLC’s requirements for private recruitment and placement services apply where recruiting and placing seafarers is their main business, or where they place a significant number of seafarers. Countries that have ratified the convention must license or regulate these agencies.
Licensed agencies must also have a system of protection — for example insurance — that compensates seafarers for monetary loss if the agency or the shipowner fails to meet its obligations under the employment agreement.
Red flags
- •A “registration”, “processing” or “placement” fee before you get a job
- •A training course you must buy from the agency itself to be considered
- •Wages that are reduced to “pay back” the agency
- •No licence number, or a licence you cannot verify with the national maritime authority
- •Pressure to pay quickly, in cash or to a personal account
What to do if you are asked to pay
Ask for the agency’s licence number and check it with the maritime authority of the country where the agency is based. Keep copies of any payment requests and messages. You can report a breach to that authority, to the flag state of the ship, or to a seafarers’ welfare organisation or union.
Maritime Delivery is free for crew: creating a profile, applying and getting paid never cost a fee, and you keep 100% of the agreed pay. Agencies on the platform can show a crewing licence, which our team checks before it is marked as verified.
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal for a crewing agency to charge seafarers a fee?+
Under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, no fees or charges for recruitment or placement may be passed on to seafarers, directly or indirectly. The only exceptions are the costs of a national medical certificate, a national seafarer’s book and a passport or similar travel document.
Who pays for a seafarer’s visa?+
According to the ILO’s guidance on the MLC, visa costs are not among the exceptions, so they should be paid by the shipowner, not the seafarer.
How do I check if a crewing agency is licensed?+
Ask for the agency’s licence number and check it with the maritime authority of the country where the agency is based. A legitimate agency will give it to you without hesitation.
Does the rule apply to yacht crew?+
The MLC applies to seafarers on ships covered by the convention, which includes many commercially operated yachts. Rules for private yachts can differ by flag state — check with the flag administration if you are unsure.
Sources
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