More jobs for Lankans in Qatar

Ananda KANNANGARA

A five-member State sector labour delegation from Doha Qatar, led by Under Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Hussain Yoosuf Al-Mallar will arrive tomorrow on the invitation of Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Keheliya Rambukwella.

The objective of their four-day visit to Sri Lanka is to discuss employment opportunities for Lankan workers in Qatar and also to implement various other welfare projects, included in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between two countries last year. The Qatar labour delegation, during their stay in the country will hold discussions with officials of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). According to SLBFE, Deputy General Manager Foreign Relations L.K. Ruhunage, over 100,000 Sri Lankans are currently employed in the construction and hotel sectors in Qatar and 70 per cent of them are male workers.

He said the MoU will pave the way for a large number of Sri Lankans to find employment within the next three months.

"In addition to skilled jobs, a certain percentage of Lankans are also engaged in professional job categories in Qatar"

.When asked about the overseas job programs in future, Ruhunage said the Bureau is expected to send over 150,000 Lankans for foreign jobs before end of the year and all job selections will be made by the SLBFE in a transparent manner.