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Madad portal complaint: save these 5 helplines before a job abroad goes wrong

Tips · 2026-11-06 · 9 min read

If a job abroad goes wrong, a MADAD portal complaint is one of several official routes open to an Indian worker, and it works best when you know which channel handles which problem. MADAD is the Ministry of External Affairs' online grievance system, PBSK is its 24-hour helpline, and the Australian High Commission runs its own visa line. Save all of them on your phone, and on a family member's phone, before the flight.

This guide does not replace the official pages. It puts the channels side by side so you can pick the right one quickly. If you are still comparing offers, start with our list of places to report a fake overseas job agent; this post is for the moment after a problem starts, or for being ready before it does.

MADAD portal complaint: what it is and what it takes

MEA launched an online Consular Grievances Management System named MADAD on 21 February 2015. Members of the public can register grievances on it directly, and MEA says these include salary disputes and recruiting agent problems. The portal sits on MEA's consular complaints and grievances page, which is the place to start: MEA consular complaints and grievances.

A written complaint is easier to follow up than a phone call, because you can attach what you have. Before you open the form, collect the job offer, any contract, payment receipts, chat messages with the agent or employer, and a copy of your passport and visa grant. Keep the originals safe and file only copies.

MADAD does not come with a promised result or timeline on the MEA page, so do not wait on it alone if your situation is urgent. Use the phone channels below at the same time.

PBSK: the helpline that answers around the clock

The Pravasi Bhartiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK), previously known as the Overseas Workers Resource Centre (OWRC), was established in 2008 to give information on emigration and to register and follow up complaints from migrant workers and their families. Note the last part: families can use it too, which matters when a worker abroad cannot safely make the call.

MEA's overview of its overseas employment work, dated 21 April 2026, lists these ways to reach PBSK:

• 24X7 toll free helpline: 1800 11 3090
• Chargeable number for overseas callers: 011-26885021
• WhatsApp: +91 74283 21144
• Email: helpline@mea.gov.in

From Australia or New Zealand, the chargeable number is the one MEA lists for overseas callers. WhatsApp is often the cheapest way to send photos of a contract or a payslip. PBSK supports emigrants and their families in 11 Indian languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Oriya, Punjabi, Hindi and English, so you do not have to explain a dispute in your second language.

KPSK: six walk-in centres for families at home

MEA has also set up 6 Kshetriya Pravasi Sahayata Kendra (KPSK) walk-in centres at Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Patna and Kochi, working with the local Protector of Emigrants office. If your parents or spouse live near one of those cities, they can visit in person with copies of your documents instead of phoning. If they do not, the helpline covers the same ground by phone.

This is also the practical answer for a worker who cannot speak freely abroad: someone at home can start the paperwork. If you are still choosing an agent, our guide to recruiting agent service charges in India explains what an agent may charge.

Visa questions: the Australian High Commission line

A job problem is often also a visa worry: the employer has stopped paying, you wonder whether you can change jobs, or someone says your visa will be cancelled. For visa questions the Australian High Commission lists its Visa/Citizenship helpline as +61 2 6196 0196, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, local time. It also says that personal email accounts of officials are not channels for visa enquiries, so do not send visa questions to an official's private address, whatever an agent tells you. The page is here: Australian High Commission visa and migration page.

One fact calms many fears. The Fair Work Ombudsman's guidance for visa holders says an employer can't cancel a worker's visa; only Home Affairs can grant, refuse or cancel visas, and contacting the Fair Work Ombudsman will not get a visa cancelled. A boss who says "I will cancel your visa" is not describing how the system works, although you should still read your own visa conditions on the official pages.

Workplace pay problems once you are in Australia

When the problem is pay or conditions at work in Australia, the Fair Work Ombudsman is the body that handles workplace questions. For help in another language, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to call the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94. The visa-holder page is at Fair Work Ombudsman: visa holders and migrants.

Know what you were promised before you ask. Our explanation of the Australian payslip shows the lines worth checking each pay, which is the evidence most pay disputes start from.

Which channel for which problem

How to use these channels step by step

1. Save the numbers now: PBSK, the High Commission visa line and the interpreter service, in your phone and in a message to a family member.
2. Photograph every document you sign, before you hand anything over, and store the photos somewhere other than your phone.
3. When trouble starts, write down dates, amounts, names and what was said, on the same day.
4. Contact PBSK by phone or WhatsApp first for guidance, and register a MADAD grievance with your copies attached.
5. For a visa question, use the High Commission line; for a pay question in Australia, use the Fair Work route through the interpreter service.
6. Keep a note of every reference number you are given, and update the same case instead of opening new ones.

A clear work history on paper also helps when you change jobs later. A tool such as Build AI CV can keep your CV current so your dates match your documents.

What to check about the numbers you find online

MEA's overseas employment overview is dated 21 April 2026, and it is the document the PBSK contact details above come from, so numbers in older forwarded messages may be out of date. Check the date on any list of helplines before you trust it. Remember too that Australia and New Zealand are not on MEA's list of 19 ECR countries, so the Emigration Clearance process it describes applies to employment in the listed countries. Our ECR passport guide explains the difference, and anyone who asks you to pay for a clearance for an Australian job should be questioned.

Common mistakes

• Saving numbers from social media forwards. Use the numbers on the MEA and High Commission pages, and re-check them from time to time.
• Waiting until the money stops. Contact PBSK when something feels wrong, such as a changed contract or a request for more fees.
• Handing over the passport. Keep your own passport and give copies instead.
• Sending visa questions to an official's personal email. The High Commission says personal accounts are not a channel.
• Relying on a visitor visa for work. Our guide on working on a tourist visa from India shows why that route fails.

Our 30-day arrival plan shows what to set up in the first month. You can also see who is hiring in community services jobs or read the Skills in Demand visa guide for the sponsored route, where sponsorship depends on the employer and the visa rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can my family file a MADAD portal complaint for me?

MEA's page says members of the public can register grievances directly, and PBSK is set up to follow up complaints from migrant workers and their families. Check the portal's current form for what it asks of the person filing, and keep copies of your documents ready.

Is the PBSK helpline number free from Australia?

The number 1800 11 3090 is listed as a 24X7 toll free helpline, while MEA lists 011-26885021 as the chargeable number for overseas callers. WhatsApp and email are the other listed options, so use the one that suits your connection.

Which languages does PBSK support?

PBSK supports emigrants and their families in 11 Indian languages: Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Oriya, Punjabi, Hindi and English. This matters if you want to explain a dispute in your mother tongue.

Can my employer cancel my visa if I complain?

The Fair Work Ombudsman's visa-holder page says an employer can't cancel a worker's visa; only Home Affairs can grant, refuse or cancel visas. Contacting the Fair Work Ombudsman will not get a visa cancelled either. Read your visa conditions on the official pages and use the High Commission line for visa doubts.

Where do my parents go if they live in a small town?

MEA has set up 6 walk-in centres, at Delhi, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai, Patna and Kochi, working with the local Protector of Emigrants office. If none is close, they can call or message PBSK instead, using the numbers listed above.

Key takeaways

• MADAD is MEA's online grievance system, and it covers salary disputes and recruiting agent problems.
• PBSK runs a 24X7 helpline, 1800 11 3090, with a chargeable number, WhatsApp and email for overseas callers.
• The Australian High Commission's visa line is +61 2 6196 0196 on weekdays, 9am to 5pm local time.
• An employer cannot cancel your visa; only Home Affairs can.
• Save the numbers and copies of your documents before you travel, and share them with family.

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