LabourConnect: A Digital Platform for Verified Skilled Labour Hiring

Skilled and semi-skilled workers in construction and allied trades are still hired mostly through informal channels such as labour chowks, middlemen and word of mouth. This causes unverified identities, uncertain skills, wage disputes, long searching time for contractors and no reliable work history for workers. This paper presents LabourConnect, a mobile-first Progressive Web Application (PWA) that connects verified skilled workers directly with contractors and employers. A worker registers by scanning a QR code displayed at a site or gate, verifies a mobile OTP, uploads documents and pays a small verification fee. After administrator approval the worker receives a QR-enabled Digital Skill Card. Contractors post job requirements and an AI-based weighted matching engine ranks the best workers using trade, experience, distance, expected salary, rating and availability. Contractors shortlist, unlock contact details through a secure payment and hire. Ratings and a trust score build reputation over time. The system is designed with React.js, FastAPI, Supabase (PostgreSQL), Firebase and Razorpay. This paper describes the problem, the proposed system, architecture, modules, database design, matching logic, security measures and the planned evaluation.