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Better pay, better policemen - IGP

By Shezna Shums

Licenced job agencies have said that stringent policies adopted by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment in recruiting Sri Lankans abroad for jobs must be changed.

They have in a statement, said that such policies that require an unspecified time frame might result in foreign employers opting to employ workers from other countries.

They say that these policies require the foreign employer to obtain a 'workers contract' from the Sri Lankan embassy, which should also be attested by the Sri Lankan embassy and sent immediately to the worker in order to have it at hand at the migrant worker's time of departure.

In order for the employer to get this contract he has to also produce various documents and other details which are demanded.

Another requirement is that the employer has to get a 'worker's insurance policy',  only after which the migrant worker is allowed to leave the country for the job.

However, it was pointed out by the licenced foreign employment agencies that the employer does provide insurance cover for the worker under the labour laws of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the necessary medical examinations are done.

The licenced job agents question as to why two sets of insurance policies are needed.  They also question as to why insurance is being paid before the worker reaches his or her country of employment. "If the worker decides not to travel to the foreign country, the question of what happens to this pre-paid insurance arises. So does the question of who will repay the employer," they said. They have said that these requirements are an impediment for  Sri Lankans  finding jobs overseas.

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