Job seekers to Italy warned

Rasika SOMARATHNA

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) yesterday warned those who are looking for jobs in Italy to avoid being duped.

SLBFE chairman Kingsly Ranawaka said that scammers may take advantage of the newly signed agreement between Sri Lanka and Italy, where the latter had agreed to provide jobs for skilled Lankan workers on their soil. He urged aspiring migrant workers not to fall prey to such fraudsters and always contact the authorities for details before committing themselves.

Sri Lanka last week signed an agreement with the government of Italy in which the latter agreed to provide a quota of 3,500 jobs for Lankans annually.

The agreement was signed by Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera and his Italian counterpart Maurizio Sacconi in Rome.

According to SLBFE, all Sri Lankans applying for jobs in Italy have to strictly follow the official channels. Their applications have to be submitted directly to a coordinating office which is to be set up shortly at the Lankan embassy in Italy.