Drop in foreign job seeke sharply warns of foreign remitence decline – ALFEA

The number of Sri Lankans seeking foreign employment has declined sharply, the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) said yesterday, blaming fraud and mismanagement by politicians of the previous government.

ALFEA member Muhammad Azam said prospects for foreign employment have been “blurred” due to past fraudulent practices, discouraging many job seekers. The issue was discussed at a recent meeting of the Association of Registered Foreign Employment Agents in Colombo.

He said the downturn has led to a noticeable reduction in workers being sent to destinations such as the Middle East. However, the association plans to work closely with the government next year to streamline and formalise foreign employment procedures.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said more than 300,000 Sri Lankans have gone abroad for work so far this year. This includes 184,085 men and 116,106 women.

The Bureau said 194,982 workers migrated on their own, while 105,209 went abroad through licensed agencies. Sri Lanka has earned US$7.19 billion in worker remittances during the first 11 months of this year, the SLBFE added.

 

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