Lankan expats working abroad annually earn:

Nearly USD 3b in foreign exchange - External Affairs Minister

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris said that the government has launched an effective programme for the benefit of the Sri Lankan expatriates employed abroad who earn approximately USD 3 billion as foreign exchange each year and that Ministry of Foreign Employment, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, Foreign Employment Agency and Ministry of External Affairs should work hand in hand for its success.

The Minister further noted that it is timely that Sri Lankan Embassies abroad are given the responsibility in finding out directly about foreign employers who deny payment of salaries and granting other privileges as per the agreement signed in Sri Lanka before leaving for work abroad.

Minister Peiris made these comments addressing the gathering after the ceremonial opening of the headquarters of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency in a building owned by the Foreign Employment Agency at Nawala junction, Nugegoda. Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera and senior officials of the Agency also participated in this event.

Minister Peiris further said: The ways in which we earn foreign exchange, tend to change from time to time 15 years ago, we earned foreign exchange by exporting agricultural produce such as tea, rubber, coconut. Now Sri Lankans employed abroad earn thrice as much as the income generated by tea. Last year the country received around 3 billion US dollars for the foreign employees.

It only became second to the apparel industry. It shows the importance of this sector. When the country was faced with difficult circumstances, our foreign employees played a fundamental role in acquiring the financial resources we required in such circumstances, there are mutual obligations to be fulfilled. The government should also play in important role for their welfare. The President has given the responsibility of carrying out that duty to Minister Dilan Perera for that he has launched and implemented proper programme.

Lankan expatriates are not paid according to the service agreement they sign here. As a result of this, many of them come to our Embassies and ask for refuge. Therefore the Ministry of Foreign Employment, Foreign Employment Agency, the Foreign Employment Bureau and the Ministry of External Affairs should work in collaboration. It is timely that the responsibility of finding out directly whether the employers are acting according to the agreement they have entered into, should be given to out Embassies.

‘And also the expatriate employees do not enjoy the benefits expected of the insurance. Therefore the insurance scheme is currently being reformed to suit the present circumstance so that the employees are benefited according to what they have paid.’

‘Although earlier women of this country left for employment without proper training, now there are training centres to give in various parts of country to give them a proper training Mr. Peiris said. Further he added that a fully fledged programme to educate on how to live in a foreign country to deal with ones own work and own safety has been implemented. The External Affair Minister said.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said that Sri lanka Foreign Employment Agency is an entity whose objective is not making money and in the matter of serving people for foreign employment it complete with the private sector.

He further added the Foreign Employment Agency of Sri Lanka has to bear expenses on account of the expatriates sent abroad by the Private Employment Agencies returning due to various problems. He further stated that a proper methodology is in place to achieve the objective of the Agency started by President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the benefit of expatriates. The welcome address and the vote of thanks were delivered by Asanga Abeygunasekara, the chairman of the Institute. A group of people including some expatriates who went abroad for employment through the institute were also present.