Plenty of job opportunities for Lankans abroad - Dilan

Suraj A. Bandara

Many opportunities exist for Sri Lankans in countries, such as,Mauritious, Hong Kong, Singapore, Syria, Mongolia and Libya. The standard of education in Sri Lanka is recognized as one of the best in the world. Therefore, there are plenty of opportunities available for skilled and non skilled Lankan workers in these countries, Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said.

“Libya under the new theme”Let’s build Libya” has sought the assistance of Sri Lanka in its reconstruction process after the turbulent times experienced by the country last year. Though Mongolia has also requested for Sri Lankan workers, we have not decided yet whether to allow any one to go there for employment, as the extreme cold weather there may not be conducive for our workers, “he said.

The Minister was speaking at a ceremony to hand over free air tickets for 41 selected graduate teachers to work in primary and secondary schools in Seychelles. “As per with the agreement and bilateral discussions held between the Seychelles President and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, arrangements have been made to recruit 157 Sri Lankan graduate teachers for public schools in the Seychelles. Another batch of teachers will be selected in a couple of months, “ the Minister said.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Employment and Welfare Ministry on the directives of the President has succeeded in exploring the foreign employment market and many countries have agreed to offer job opportunities for skilled and non skilled Lankan workers.”Therefore, Sri Lankans who aspire to work abroad will receive many opportunities in the future,” he said.

“Hong Kong, Cyprus and Singapore are providing more opportunities for Lankan housemaids. But, we will encourage more males to go for foreign employment than non skilled females,” he said.

Minister Perera also said as there is no Sri Lankan embassy in the Seychelles and Lankans employed there can act as goodwill ambassadors. So, it is the duty of every Sri Lankan in the Seychelles to protect the country’s good name when performing their duties.

“The selected teachers will be allowed to bring their family members to the Seychelles and will also be provided with free air tickets, free housing, free medical services, and free eduction for their children in Seychelles’ public schools”, the Minister said.

“Upon completion of contract, the teachers will be provided with return ticket as well,” he added.

“Apart from teachers, a group of lawyers will also be sent to the Seychelles very soon. The first interview by representatives of the Seychelles has been completed and prospective lawyers will find very lucrative job opportunities there,” he said.

“A university is being set up in the Seychelles which will provide opportunities for Lankan lecturers,” he said. Explaining the transparency in the recruitment process, the Minister said the entire process was coordinated with the Seychelles government while the selections were made by their representatives.

“The Sri Lanka Bureau for Foreign Employment (SLBFE) played the facilitators role in the selection process.” We maintained only the mediator’s role in the entire process of recruiting candidates”, he added.

The Minister stated that though the process of sending Lankan labourers was conducted by some private job agencies, we encourage people to send such employees through government agencies.

“The Sri Lanka Bureau for Foreign Employment is the only government foreign recruitment agency with the government bearing full responsibility for each candidate, “ he said.

“The SLBFE was set up when President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the Labour Minister, ‘he said.

Meanwhile, the Employment Promotion Ministry has decided to introduce an employment quota system for each job recruitment agency to limit the number of female housemaids being sent abroad.

“There are around 800 private job recruitment agencies operational in Sri Lanka, while the Sri Lanka Bureau for Foreign Employment is the only state owned recruitment arm, “ the Minister said.