Sri Lankan President calls for resolution of issues faced by migrant workers

Last updated on March 14th, 2022 at 03:59 am

Sri Lankan – President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited head office of Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment at Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Koswatta, Battaramulla for inspection and assessed its operations on Friday.

During the visit, President Rajapaksa instructed Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) officials to work more diligently and attentively to seize all opportunities for skilled migrant workers in the foreign employment market. Furthermore, President stressed that high skills of migrant workers would in turn lead to high salaries and job securities.

The mission of the Foreign Employment Bureau is to “create efficient and equitable avenues for the people to reap the benefits of the overseas job market with their skills, while contributing to the local economy and safeguarding the interests of all stakeholders”. Furthermore, the bureau’s main functions include “issuance of licenses for recruitment agencies, training and registration of expatriates, conciliation, welfare, legal affairs, marketing and research”.

Sri Lanka is a hub of skilled migrant workers in varying fields such as engineering, medicine, accountancy, teaching, architecture, law, banking, nursing, computer technology, hotels and restaurants.

President further stressed that special attention is to be paid to safety of workers who are travelling abroad for employment. He added that steps must be taken to rapidly resolve any issues and challenges that are faced by the workers at their workplaces.

President also assessed 24 hour information service center that has been established to provide clear information to migrant workers and also inquire of their issues. He further paid special attention to the measures that have been taken by the Labor Welfare Divisions at Sri Lanka’s Missions overseas in direction of ensuring the welfare and security of the migrant community of Sri Lanka which is working in those countries and the actions that are taken by the Foreign Employment Bureau.

During the inspection were also present Minister of Labor Nimal Siripala de Silva, State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretaries to Ministries and Chairman of the Bureau Major General (Retd) Mahinda Hathurusinghe.