M-E bonanza for Lankan job seekers

Rasika Somarathna

Foreign Employment seekers in the Middle East received a tremendous boost yesterday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka and Qatar whereby more lucrative employment opportunities will be on offer in addition to guarantees regarding welfare and security issues for those already employed.

The MoU was signed between Foreign Employment Promotion Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and Qatar’s Labour and Social Affairs Minister, Dr. Bin Hassan Al Dhabit Al Dousari.

This will now pave the way for the Qatar Government to provide more lucrative employment to Sri Lankans with emphasis on promoting skilled workers for better emoluments and perks.

Accordingly, Sri Lankans would be given exposure in airlines, banks, hotels, hospitals and the construction industry.

Migrant worker benefits would be increased in the form of a guaranteed salary, free air tickets and enhanced security and welfare. Employment seekers will also not have to pay money to agencies when securing employment.

Qatar, an emerging economic giant in the Middle East, is only second to Saudi Arabia when it comes to employing skilled Sri Lankan workers with 140,000 migrant workers already serving in the country, 100,000 of them males.

In 2006, Qatar provided jobs for 31,635 Lankans with the majority being males. In 2007, the figure topped 40,000 and with the MoU coming into effect, prospective job seekers can now expect secure jobs with better perks and facilities.

Sri Lankan migrant workers over the years have contributed towards the country’s economy. Expat remittances are the second largest foreign exchange earner for the country.