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Modelling · 159 agencies · 21 countries

How to become a model, anywhere.

Apply to a legitimate agency directly, through its own website or published open call, with natural, unedited digitals and your basic details — never through a stranger’s message and never for a fee. This guide lists 159 agencies’ official application routes across 21 countries, with the local rules on fees and contracts.

By , Founder & Editor · Updated · Editorial policy

Editorial scene · AI-generated illustration

Where to apply

Which agencies can I apply to in my country?

Application routes checked 2026-10-01

The Cast Index model register · Free

Want to be listed on The Cast Index?

Models aged 18 and over, anywhere in the world, can apply for a free, desk-reviewed listing with 1–3 photos and their details. No fees — and it is not an agency or a ranking.

Apply to be listed See the register ↗ Daftar jadi model ↗

Step by step

How do you apply to a modelling agency?

Apply directly, with simple digitals, to agencies you have checked — and never pay to be seen.

  1. 01

    Take simple digitals

    Agencies ask for recent, natural photographs — face and full length, little or no make-up, no filters — rather than a paid portfolio.

    What to send ↗
  2. 02

    Find the agency’s own application route

    Use the form, email address or open-call times published on the agency’s own website. Each country page below links to them directly.

    Choose your country ↗
  3. 03

    Check the agency is legitimate

    Confirm the website, address and contact details match, look for trade-association membership where it exists, and read the local rules on fees.

    Rules by country ↗
  4. 04

    Never pay to be represented

    In the UK the law bars upfront fees for finding fashion and photographic models work, and agencies such as IMG and Elite state on their own sites that they never ask for payment to recruit you.

    How to spot a scam ↗
  5. 05

    Read the contract and keep control

    Get terms in writing, know the commission and how earnings reach you, and involve a parent or guardian if you are under 18.

    Under 18? ↗

Official programmes

Are there official model searches?

Fees, contracts and safeguarding

What are the rules on modelling agency fees?

Indonesia

  • Under the Manpower Act (Law 13 of 2003), a child is anyone under 18, and employers may not employ children except in the cases the Act sets out (Articles 1 and 68). JDIH BPK — UU No. 13 Tahun 2003 tentang Ketenagakerjaan ↗
  • A child may work to develop their talents and interests only under the direct supervision of a parent or guardian, for no more than three hours a day, and in conditions that do not disturb their development or school time (Article 71). JDIH BPK — UU No. 13 Tahun 2003, Article 71 ↗
  • Ministerial Decree KEP.115/MEN/VII/2004 adds that, for children under 15, the employer needs a written agreement with the parent or guardian, work must be outside school hours and capped at three hours a day and 12 a week, and a parent or guardian must be on site. Any employer using children for this kind of work must notify the local manpower office at least 14 days beforehand. The decree does not name modelling specifically. JDIH Kemnaker — KEP.115/MEN/VII/2004 ↗

Australia

China

  • The Labour Law bars employers from recruiting anyone under 16. Arts, sports and special-craft units that recruit under-16s must follow state rules and protect the child’s right to compulsory education (Article 15). MOHRSS — Labour Law of the PRC ↗
  • Workers aged 16 and 17 are “juvenile workers” with special protection: they may not be given mining, toxic or other prohibited heavy work, and employers must give them regular health checks (Articles 58, 64 and 65). MOHRSS — Labour Law of the PRC ↗
  • The Provisions on the Prohibition of Using Child Labour (State Council Decree 364) bar any organisation or individual from finding work for under-16s. The fine is 5,000 yuan per child, and a job agency that does so loses its licence (Articles 2 and 7). MOHRSS — Provisions on the Prohibition of Using Child Labour ↗

Denmark

France

Germany

  • Employing children — under 15, or still in full-time compulsory schooling — is prohibited, except where the supervisory authority grants an exception for events. Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz § 5 ↗
  • On application, the authority may allow children to take part in advertising events and film and photo shoots for limited hours (up to two hours a day for ages 3–6, three hours for older children), with written parental consent and a medical certificate no more than three months old. Jugendarbeitsschutzgesetz § 6 ↗
  • A private placement agent may charge a jobseeker only if a job actually results, must agree the fee in writing, and may not demand or accept advance payments. SGB III § 296 ↗

India

Italy

Japan

  • Under the Employment Security Act, a job-placement business that charges for its services needs a licence from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (Article 30). MHLW — 職業紹介事業の業務運営要領 第1 (placement business guidelines, Chapter 1: overview) ↗
  • The ministry’s guidance lists “model” (someone who appears in fashion shows or other events, or is photographed for newspapers, magazines and the like) among the few occupations for which a licensed placement business may charge the job-seeker, under a fee table it must disclose, plus for now an application fee of up to ¥710 per application. It may take no other fee in connection with placement. We could not confirm from the agencies’ own pages whether any agency listed here operates as a licensed placement business. MHLW — 職業紹介事業の業務運営要領 第6 手数料 (placement business guidelines, Chapter 6: fees) ↗
  • The Labour Standards Act bars employing a child until the end of the first 31 March after their 15th birthday. With permission from the relevant government office, children of 13 and over may do light work outside school hours, and younger children may work in film production and theatre; the employer must keep a school head’s certificate and a parent’s or guardian’s consent, and these children may not work between 8pm and 5am (Articles 56, 57 and 61). The Act does not mention modelling and applies only where a child is employed. Japanese Law Translation — Labor Standards Act (Act No. 49 of 1947) ↗

Malaysia

  • Anyone who acts as an intermediary to find work for a job seeker must be licensed under the Private Employment Agencies Act 1981; recruiting without a licence carries a fine of up to RM200,000, up to three years in prison, or both. JTKSM’s guidance does not say whether modelling agencies fall within the Act. JTKSM — Private employment agency FAQ ↗
  • A licensed agency may charge a job seeker a registration fee of no more than RM30 for work in Malaysia, and a placement fee of no more than 25% of the first month’s basic wage once a job offer is accepted. If the employer pays the placement fee, the agency cannot also claim it from the job seeker. Private Employment Agencies Act 1981 (Act 246), ss. 14A–14B and First Schedule ↗
  • Charging more than these fees, or knowingly deceiving a job seeker with false information, is an offence carrying a fine of up to RM50,000, up to one year in prison, or both. JTKSM — Private employment agency FAQ ↗

Singapore

  • Anyone who places job seekers with employers in Singapore needs an employment agency licence from the Ministry of Manpower. MOM’s guidance does not mention modelling agencies, so it is unclear whether an agency that books models for freelance jobs is covered. Ministry of Manpower — Who needs an employment agency licence ↗
  • A licensed employment agency may charge a job seeker no more than one month’s salary for each year of the employment contract, capped at two months’ salary, and must issue an itemised receipt for any fee. Employment Agencies Rules 2011, rule 12 ↗
  • If the employer fails to employ you, or ends the job within six months for reasons other than those the rules list, a licensed agency must refund at least half of the fees you paid. Employment Agencies Rules 2011, rule 13 ↗

South Africa

South Korea

Spain

  • Under-16s may not be employed, and their participation in public shows may be authorised by the labour authority only in exceptional cases, in writing and for specific events, where it does not endanger their health or development. Estatuto de los Trabajadores, art. 6 (BOE) ↗

Sweden

  • Employers may not let children under 13 work, except very light work or with a permit from the Swedish Work Environment Authority to perform in cultural or artistic activities or at sports or advertising events. Arbetsmiljöverket — AFS 2023:2, chapter 8 ↗
  • Employers hiring children under 13 for such work must apply for a permit, and the authority asks for applications at least eight weeks before work starts. No permit is needed for 13- to 17-year-olds working as performers or extras, though the authority can rule on their hours. Arbetsmiljöverket — permits for minors’ performances ↗

Thailand

United Arab Emirates

  • The UAE Labour Law prohibits employing anyone under 15, and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation does not issue work permits below that age (Article 5 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, as summarised by the government portal). UAE Government portal — Employment and training of minors ↗
  • Juveniles aged 15 to 18 may work only under a ministry work permit. The permit needs written consent signed by a parent or guardian, a medical certificate of fitness for the work and a ministry-approved contract. Juveniles may not work at night or in dangerous or harmful jobs. The page does not mention modelling specifically. UAE Government portal — Employment and training of minors ↗
  • The government portal says charging recruitment fees to prospective employees is illegal, and that recruitment, travel and residence-permit costs are borne by the employer. We found no rule written specifically for modelling agency fees, and the page does not say how this applies to agencies representing freelance models. UAE Government portal — Protection of workers’ rights ↗

United States

  • New York’s Fashion Workers Act (Labor Law, Article 36) has applied since 19 June 2025; since 21 December 2025, model management companies and groups must register with the State Department of Labor. NYS Department of Labor — Fashion Workers Act ↗
  • New York model management companies may not require a deposit or charge a fee for signing, take more than 20 per cent commission, or create or use a model’s digital replica without separate written approval. NYS DOL — responsibilities of fashion management and clients ↗
  • In New York, print and runway models under 18 need a Child Performer Permit from the Department of Labor, and employers must put at least 15 per cent of their earnings into a trust account. NYS DOL — child model FAQs ↗

Go deeper

Modelling guides.

FAQ

Modelling, answered

How do I become a model with no experience?

Apply to reputable agencies through their own websites or published open calls with natural digitals. Agencies scout new faces without previous experience; a paid portfolio is not required to apply.

Can I apply to modelling agencies in other countries?

Yes — most international agencies accept online applications from anywhere, and many work through a “mother agency” in your home market that places you with agencies abroad. This guide covers 21 countries.

Do real modelling agencies charge a fee?

Reputable agencies earn commission on work they book rather than charging you to join. In the UK, agencies cannot legally charge fashion and photographic models an upfront fee for finding work. Practice varies by market — in Japan, the industry association says models customarily pay for lessons and promotional photos — so check each country page.

What photos should I send to a modelling agency?

Recent, natural digitals: a clear face shot and a full-length shot in simple, fitted clothes, with little or no make-up and no filters. Never send nude or lingerie photos — reputable agencies say they never ask for them.

Can I get listed on The Cast Index as a model?

Yes. Models aged 18 and over can apply to the free Cast Index model register with a link to their portfolio or agency page. Every application is reviewed by the desk before anything is published, and a listing is not representation or a ranking.

How tall do you need to be to model?

It depends on the agency and the work. Many application pages state no minimum height; see what each agency publishes on our model-height guide.