Less women opt for jobs abroad as domestics

by Ananda Agalakada

There was a 18 percent drop in the number of Sri Lankan women migrating for jobs as domestic workers in the first half of 2013 compared to the corresponding period last year, Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera said. He was addressing public function where he vested the newly developed road at Aththalagedera with the people.

He attributed this to the government's efforts at discouraging females from migrating for jobs as housemaids while encouraging them to find more gainful employment in other fields.

Minister Perera said that his Ministry has launched several training program for prospective migrant workers in specialised vocations. He said the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) level 3 has been made compulsory for Sri Lankans seeking skilled jobs abroad. This has resulted in women migrating for domestic jobs being categorised as housekeepers, a notch above their former job identification as house-maids.

A job specific, country specific and company specific strategy has been adopted to train workers according to specific requirements. Minister Perera said his ministry was also exploring the possibility of introducing professional training in the care sector as this type of workers had a big demand internationally with salaries going up to Rs.100,000 per month. Commenting on the recent decision to study the family background of women domestic worker aspirants to ensure that their departure may not cause any adverse impact on their children or other family members, the Minister said this too would help further reduce the number of females going abroad to work as housemaids.