Labour Minister Puts Hold On Overseas Recruitment
The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security has temporarily suspended all overseas recruitment activities connected to the Guinea route, citing allegations that some private employment agencies and unidentified individuals have been using the route to facilitate the movement of Sierra Leoneans seeking employment abroad.
The suspension, announced in a public notice dated 11 September 2026, takes immediate effect and will remain in place while the Ministry investigates the circumstances surrounding the reported activities.
The Ministry said it is taking the allegations seriously and has commenced investigations to establish the facts and determine whether recruitment agencies and individuals involved have complied with Sierra Leone’s laws, regulations and approved procedures governing the recruitment and deployment of workers overseas.
The development raises fresh concerns about the protection of Sierra Leoneans seeking employment opportunities outside the country, particularly those who may be vulnerable to exploitation, fraudulent recruitment arrangements, trafficking and other forms of abuse.
The Ministry has also directed all currently licensed Overseas Recruitment Agencies to report to the Ministry for verification of their overseas recruitment activities. The verification will include documents relating to the recruitment, processing and deployment of Sierra Leonean workers.
The agencies have been instructed to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation, suggesting that the authorities intend to examine not only activities linked to the Guinea route but also the broader operations and documentation of licensed recruitment agencies.
The Ministry has strongly advised members of the public to refrain from dealing with any agency or individual offering overseas recruitment or employment opportunities through the Guinea route during the suspension period.
The warning comes as overseas employment continues to attract Sierra Leoneans seeking better economic opportunities, making effective regulation and oversight of recruitment agencies critical to preventing citizens from falling victim to fraudulent schemes or unsafe migration arrangements.
The Ministry said further updates will be issued as the investigation progresses.
To provide greater clarity on the allegations and explain the measures being taken, the Ministry is scheduled to hold a press conference at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, 14 September 2026, at the Ministry’s Conference Room.
The press conference is expected to shed more light on what occurred along the Guinea route, the agencies or individuals under scrutiny, and what additional measures the Government intends to introduce to protect Sierra Leonean migrant workers.
The investigation also places renewed pressure on the Ministry to ensure that overseas recruitment is transparent, properly documented and conducted through legally approved channels, while ensuring that those found to have violated the law are held accountable.
