Host of SLBFE welfare measures:

More job opportunities for Lankans in UAE

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) will focus on receiving over 50,000 new skilled and unskilled employment opportunities for Sri Lankans in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before the end of this year.

Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera disclosed this following his recent four-day visit to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other employment generating countries in the United Arab Emirates.

During the visit, Minister Perera conducted a `Job Promotion Forum' in collaboration with Chairman, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, Mohamed Thani Murshid Al Romaithi.

Twenty five foreign employment agents from Sri Lanka and a number of foreign employment agents in Dubai also attended the forum.

According to the SLBFE, over 200,000 Sri Lankans are currently employed in the UAE.

Minister Perera told the Sunday Observer that the UAE is the second most prominent job supplier for Sri Lankans after Saudi Arabia, followed by Kuwait.

He said attractive salaries is not the only reason for Sri Lankans to seek employment in these countries. The Bureau has also initiated a number of welfare measures including medical facilities, bank loans and insurance schemes for workers, while scholarships are granted to the children of migrant workers.

"The Bureau has also introduced compensation schemes for workers in the event of their death or physical disability during their employment abroad," he said.

The Minister said free vocational training courses are also conducted by the Bureau for workers prior to their departure.

The Bureau currently conducts skills development programs in collaboration with the Vocational Training Authority and these programs will be expanded for the benefit of unskilled Sri Lankans securing overseas employment in future.

"The objective of expanding the training programs, which are conducted free by the Bureau is to send a large labour force to the foreign job market within the next few months," he said.

These programs are conducted at the Bureau-owned Sahana Piyasa and two other centres close to the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayaka.

"The training programs benefit new workers to have a better understanding of the social, cultural, legal, religious and economic background of the countries they visit," Minister Perera said.