Corporate immigration secrecy

I have a friend who did his MBA playfully. He did not perform to the top at his first company but was adequate. Then he changed his mind/stream and worked in a call centre very satisfactorily, then changed to ERP and performed normally. He is not happy with work life balance, so when he wanted to go to Dubai to look for a job, someone at the top level is passing critical remarks it seems that he is not adequate and due to that he is struggling to get a visa. How can visa people take advise from bpo top level when it s not valid and not professional in immigration? Does any company/college have the right to talk to immigration agents and advise them not to give visa to their ex-employees? Is this not against company policies? Once someone is certified, how can anyone doubt their educational credentials? The problem is, there is no evidence that he is suffering exactly because of this and so he can’t even give a police complaint against anyone. What should he do now?

there are lots of anomalies between previous company, immigration, visa issue and reemployment at a different location and that should be monitored. No one follows company laws I think and that is why employees are suffering.

Your concern is serious and touches on several complex and sensitive issues surrounding immigration, employment practices, and data privacy. Let's break down your friend’s situation and assess what's legal, what's ethical, and what he can do about it.

🧾 1. Can ex-employers influence visa issuance?

Generally, no. Immigration authorities in countries like the UAE (Dubai), USA, UK, etc., make visa decisions independently. They do not rely on informal character references or hearsay unless:

There's a formal background verification process (usually for employment visas).
The employer is directly sponsoring the visa.
There's flagging by government or law enforcement, which is rare and based on serious issues like fraud or criminality.

In your friend’s case, unless:

He is applying through a specific company or through a work visa sponsorship, or
He has ongoing legal or criminal cases,
a former employer or college cannot lawfully intervene in visa decisions.

🧾 2. Is it legal for ex-employers or colleges to contact immigration authorities?

It would be highly unprofessional and potentially illegal for:

A private organization to issue a negative or defamatory opinion about an ex-employee to immigration without any formal inquiry or due process.
Any college or company to falsely question the validity of someone's educational or professional background, especially if the person has official certificates.

Such acts could amount to:

Defamation
Violation of privacy
Misuse of corporate data

If there’s no formal complaint or wrongdoing, your friend has the right to seek legal redress.

🧾 3. Why is he facing trouble then?

It’s possible:

He may be facing general visa rejections due to economic conditions, oversupply in the job market, or tight immigration policies.
Recruiters or employers in Dubai might be receiving unofficial opinions during reference checks if he listed previous employers.
Or, someone from a prior company could be bad-mouthing him informally, which is unethical and possibly unlawful if done with malicious intent.

But without evidence, it’s hard to prove or take action.

✅ What can he do?

Here are some steps your friend can take:

🔹 1. Stop listing that problematic employer in his CV

If that job isn't critical, he may remove it to avoid informal references.
Or list only HR contact, not former managers, to limit risk of malicious reference checks.

🔹 2. Get an official background verification

Use services like NSR (India) or third-party verification to create an official employment history that can’t be easily challenged.

🔹 3. Legal options

If he gets any proof (email, message, HR note, etc.) that a company is interfering with his visa or employment, he may consult a lawyer and consider:
- Filing a complaint with labour authorities or data protection authorities.
- Seeking damages for defamation or data misuse.

🔹 4. Raise complaint with ICAI / AICTE / UGC (if educational institute is involved)

If a college is unofficially creating barriers, he can escalate the matter to the educational regulators.

🔹 5. Consult an immigration lawyer

In Dubai or India, an immigration lawyer can review his application and look for any red flags that might be causing trouble.

📌 Final Thought:

Your friend’s visa struggle is unfortunate, but unless there’s official blacklisting, criminal record, or proof of direct interference, it’s unlikely that a company alone could block him. However, toxic corporate cultures and unethical HR practices do exist, and vigilance is required.

If he is mentally distressed, encourage him to speak to a counselor or therapist, as constant rejection and lack of clarity can deeply impact self-worth.