Foreign remittance tops US $ 6 mn mark
Shirajiv SIRIMANE
Sri Lankan foreign remittances will reach a record US $ 6 million
mark by the end of this year. This figure was US $ 5.2 billion last year
and $ 4.7 billion in 2010. One of the main reasons for the figure rise
was the policy shift of sending more qualified and semi qualified Sri
Lankans for overseas employment. In addition moving away from the
traditional Gulf market too has helped Sri Lanka to consolidate its
position in the foreign remittance market.
L. A. Ranjith Perera |
It is estimated that over 1.6 million were employed overseas and a
further 125, 000 Sri Lankans work overseas unregistered with the Foreign
Employment Bureau.
L. A. Ranjith Perera board member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment
Bureau (SLFEB) and Chairman Lagodan Pvt. Ltd, one of the oldest and
pioneering foreign recruiting agencies in Sri Lanka, said that this year
this figure was expected to increase by a further 30 to 40 %.
He said that the Minister of Foreign Employment and Welfare, Dilan
Perera had taken several meaningful steps which was also helping this
industry a great deal. “The Rata Viruvo’ concept mooted by him has also
given self-respect to foreign migrant workers.” He said that they are
now in the process of exploring new markets in Australian and Europe
where ‘Care Givers’ are in demands.
“This is something more than being a house maid. The employee looks
after elders and also under take to check their ‘blood pressure’ and
even ‘blood sugar level.”
He said that ‘Care Givers’ get a salary of around Rs. 400,000 and a
special course to train ‘Care Givers’ has been initiated by the Open
University on the instructions by Namal Rajapaksa MP and Chairman, SLFEB,
Amal Senadhilanka.
He said that in addition they are also looking to grab a share of
opportunities open for ‘English speaking taxi drivers’ in Australia, a
market dominated by neighbouring countries.
He said that Lagodan in the previous year had sent nearly 1,000 semi
skilled people for employment and this year their target would increase
by 50 %. “We are also looking for opportunities for Sri Lankans in the
mining industry in Australia where they take home a salary in the excess
of over RS. 300, 000,” he said.
He said that they do not charge any money from recruits and operate
on the agency commission of Rs. 7,000 provided per employee by the Sri
Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau and the fee between US $ 200 to 500
provided by overseas companies by whom the recruitment is done.
He said that currently there are over 1,100 registered recruitment
agencies and sadly over 500 unregistered agencies which charge huge
amounts from Sri Lankans promising lucrative ‘jobs’ |