Rise in foreign employment

Suraj A. Bandara

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) said departures for foreign employment have increased by 22 percent compared to the same period in 2009 while Sri Lankan migrant workers' remittances have recorded a significant growth having earned US $890 million in the first quarter of this year.

Accordingly, a total of 67,136 workers had left for foreign employment from January to March this year. Last year only 54,990 foreign employment seekers had departed during the corresponding period.

The current year has shown a growing demand for jobs in the Middle-East. There was a 72 percent increase in migrant workers leaving for the Kingdom of Qatar and a 32 percent increase for Kuwait. Departures for Jordan and the United Arab Emirates have increased by 28 percent and 11 percent respectively.

It is reported that there is a huge competition among Sri Lankans seeking foreign employment in South Korea. During this year, around 2,600 migrant workers have left for Korean employment.

The SLFEB expects more opportunities from Korea for Lankans before the end of this year.