More welfare facilities, job security:

Amended Act to benefit Sri Lankan workers abroad

by Ananda KANNANGARA

Over 200,000 Sri Lankans seek employment overseas annually and around 1.4 million workers in foreign countries will benefit by the Amended Act No. 21 of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) which was approved by Parliament last week.

According to the SLBFE’s Amended Act, all Sri Lankans who take up jobs abroad in future and other workers currently in foreign countries will receive more welfare facilities including job security.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the Sunday Observer yesterday that the Act will also empower SLBFE authorised officials to crack down on errant foreign employment agencies who deceive foreign job seekers.

“The Act will also authorise Bureau officials to arrest bogus foreign job agents who collect large sums of money from persons by promising lucrative foreign jobs with higher salaries,” he said. The Minister said in future, newspaper advertising companies and advertising agents would have to seek prior approval from the SLBFE before publishing overseas employment advertisements.

SLBFE Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said the Amended Act has also empowered Bureau investigation officials to crack down on fraudulent job agencies which have mushroomed in the country and take the owners to Court.

Meanwhile, the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) will hold a media briefing on October 6 with regard to the new Amendment to the SLBFE Act No. 21 of 1985.