Recent Trends and

Policies on Labour
Migration in Sri
Lanka
k
PRESENTED BY

W.J.L.U. WIJAYAWEERA.
SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND LABOUR RELATIONS .
SRI LANKA.

The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author and do not
necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank Institute
(ADBI), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), its Board of Directors, or the governments
they represent
represent. ADBI does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this
paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequences of their use. Terminology
used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

Contents

Present situation of Labour Migration in Sri Lanka.

Legislative and policy framework of

Labour Migration in Sri Lanka.

Administrative structure in managing Labour

Migration.

National Labour Migration Policy and other

p
related policies.

Recent Trends in Labour Migration.

Recent policies in Labour Migration.

Pre- departure Training/orientation training system

for MW.

Challenges ahead and way forward.

Present Situation of Labour

migration in Sri Lanka

Total stock of Sri Lankan migrant workers are

around 1.9 million.

A
Annual
l outflow
tfl
in
i 2011 was 262
262,960.
960

As a percentage of total labour force in Sri Lanka

the overseas employment is about 22%.

It reduced the unemployment rate in the country

by 5.4 percent in 2012.

Total remittances from migrant workers in 2013

was US $ 6.1 billion and has become a stable
source of foreign currency in flow to the country.

Continued

It was 8.2 percent of the GDP of the country in

2012 .

FFour times
ti
higher
hi h than
th
the
th foreign
f
i
direct
di
t
investments.

Remittances creates multiplier effects to the

national economy.

There are 700 licensed recruitment agencies

provide recruitment services in the country.
p
y

Continued

The middle east ,particularly KSA, UAE, Kuwait,

Jordan and Qatar are the major destinations for
Sri Lankan migrant workers which accounted 84
percent of labour outflow from Sri lanka.

Low-skilled workers and female domestic workers

constitute the largest segment of Sri Lankan
migrant workers. (65 percent)

Legislative
and Policy
g
y
Framework of
Labour Migration in Sri Lanka

Main legal instrument which governs the labour

migration
g
is the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign
g
Employment Act No. 21 of 1985 and as amended
in 1994 and 2004.

Currently discussions are on to replace the existing

Act by a new Act with more authority to the
SLBFE.

Apart from that the legislative framework National

Policy on Labour Migration of Sri Lanka developed
and implemented in 2009 provides the policy
framework for labour migration .

Administrative Structure in
Managing Labour Migration in
Sri Lanka

Until 2007 the Ministry of Labour was the main policy making
body for labour migration.

A dedicated ministry was established in 2007 as Ministry of

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare to govern the
labour migration.
migration

Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment ( SLBFE ) which was

established under the Parliament Act no 21 of 1985 is the
regulatory
l t
authority
th it ffor fforeign
i
employment
l
t iindustry
d t under
d the
th
purview of the Ministry of Foreign employment promotion and
welfare.

Continued

Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency PVT Ltd

(SLFEA) is the State recruitment Agency coming
under the Ministry.

The
e Association
ssoc a o of
o Licensed
ce sed Foreign
o e g Employment
p oy e
Agencies (ALFEA ) which was established under
the provisions of the SLBFE Act which has the
membership of 60 % of the licensed recruitment
agencies ensures the ethical recruitment
practices in the foreign employment industry by
disciplinary control of their members.

Sri Lankan Diplomatic Missions in 16 Destinations

provide services to migrant workers through
Labour welfare officials.

National Labour Migration

Policy of Sri Lanka

This policy broadly addresses three themes.

Governance of migration

Protection and empowerment of migrant workers

and their families

Linking migration and development.

development

The national labour migration policy is committed

to promoting opportunities for men and women
for decent and productive employment in
conditions of freedom, equity, security and
human dignity.

Other Policies Related to

O
Labour Migration in Sri Lanka

National Policy for Decent work in Sri Lanka 2006.

National Policy on HIV/AIDS for World of Work.

N ti
National
l Migration
Mi
ti
Health
H lth Policy
P li 2012.
2012

National Human Resource Development Policy

2012.

Recent Trends in Labour

Migration in Sri Lanka

Decline in female domestic worker migration (

from 72% in 1994 to 38 % in 2012 ) due to
government policy to encourage skilled migration
i t d off llow skilled
instead
kill d and
d female
f
l domestic
d
ti
workers.

Only 56 percent of the departures of the migrant

workers were channeled through the private
Licensed recruitment agencies and the remaining
44 percent through direct contacts/sources. (An
i
increasing
i
ttrend
d off migration
i
ti
through
th
h private
i t
channels than before.)

More attention on the protection of rights of the

migrant workers by introducing number of
policies and programmes.

Continued

Strengthening of institutional capacities in

managing labour migration effectively.

Pay attention
P
tt ti
to
t the
th diversification
di
ifi ti
off destinations
d ti ti
instead of high concentration in the Gulf
countries.

More attention on enhancing skills of the migrant

workers to minimize their vulnerability.

Strict monitoring
g on activities of the Licensed
recruitment agents and introduced a Code of
Ethical Conduct for recruitment agencies to
minimize the mal- practices.

Recent Policies in Labour

Migration of Sri Lanka.

Ten year development Plan of the Sri Lankan

Government(2010-2016 )highlights Safe and
Skilled Migration
Migration as the basic strategy to guide
labour migration.

Policy responses can be categorized under three

main areas in the National Migration Policy.
Policy

Governance of the migration process.

Protection and empowerment of migrant workers

and their families.

Linking development and migration process.

Recent Policies on
Governance of the Labour
Migration Process

Prepared a new legislative framework to repeal the

existing legal instrument to give more authority to
labour migration
g
management
g
institutions.

Strengthened the role of Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign

Employment in order to play a more effective role in
protection of rights ,safety, dignity and equity of
migrant workers.

Decentralized the activities of the SLBFE to 07 regional

centers in addition to the existing 24 district centers.
centers

Established the National Advisory council of labour

migration, chaired by the Minister in charge of Labour
migration with
ith the participation of all ke
key stakeholders
to develop a coherent institutional framework.

Continued

Regularized the recruitment aspect and

enhanced the professionalism by introducing the
Code of Ethical Conduct for licensed recruitment
agents and grading and awarding scheme
based on their high performances.

Introduced web based recruitment system

f ilit ti
facilitating
on-line
li
transactions
t
ti
tto make
k
recruitment process more efficient.

Improved the existing pre-departure training for

l
low-skilled
kill d workers
k
b
by iintroducing
t d i
N
National
ti
l
Vocational Qualification system (NVQ Levels)and
assessment and certification. NVQ 3 level
p
y for domestic female
certificate made compulsory
workers since 2012.

Continued

Implemented specific laws and activities to

prevent human trafficking and smuggling by
establishing the Presidential Task Force on
Prevention of human trafficking and smuggling.

Strengthened the Labour Divisions of the SL

Diplomatic Missions in destination countries by
increasing the existing cadre of LWO and
capacity building of the LWO for effective on-site
services.

Recent Policies on Protection

and Empowerment of MW &
Their Families

Increased govt. intervention on pre-departure stage by

introducing pre-departure training, awareness raising at
grassroots
t level,
l
l iimplementation
l
t ti
off age lilimit
it for
f ffemale
l
domestic workers and financial assistance schemes
through government banks to cover cost of migration.

Paid special attention on vulnerability of female domestic

workers and their children by requesting a family
background report on each prospective worker from the
grassroots
t llevell governmentt officers
ffi
tto minimize
i i i th
the
negative effects to their families.

Implemented National Migration Health Policy to monitor

the health aspect of departing and incoming migrant
workers and their family members with the help of the
national health care system.

Continued

Introduced comprehensive grievance handling

mechanism for the benefit of migrant workers and
their families by establishing a 24hr/365 days
operating special information centre at the SLBFE
head office, implementing a web based
complaint
p
handling
g system
y
at the SLBFE and the
Diplomatic missions, decentralizing the grievance
handling process to SLBFE regional and district
level offices and trained SLBFE staff on grievance
handling and counseling.

Continued

Introduced the Manual of Procedure for main

activities of the Labour Divisions of the Diplomatic
Missions in Destination Countries to enhance the
effectiveness of on-site services to MW.

Implemented contributory social security scheme

in addition to the existing schemes on free
insurance coverage, low interested loans for MW,
scholarship programmes for children of the MW.

Continued

Implemented special programmes focused on reintegration of MW through promoting local

employment, recognizing of skills acquired, capacity
b ildi
building,
entrepreneurship
t
hi training
t i i
etc.
t

Established Rata Viruwo Organisations (heroes of

the country) at the local levels with the participation
of returnees and their family members to develop
their capacities, livelihood programmes in a
cooperative manner ,information sharing on existing
government support schemes etc.

Recruit nearly 1000 new graduates to the Ministry of

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare as
Development officers to facilitate local level
programmes for MW and their families.
families

Continued

Implemented programmes for the benefit of the

children of MW by assisting educational and
health aspects, counseling services at the school
level and community level and enhancing
aesthetic skills and life skills of them.

Policies on Migration and

Development

Made enabling environment for maximizing

migrant savings and widening the choices for MW
to use institutional channels to remit money.
(facilitated EE cash transaction with the
participation of the State Banks)
Developed market promotion plans focusing on
diversification of destinations and skills in
collaboration with the Sri Lanka Diplomatic
Missions.
Planned to establish a National Institute of
Migration Studies to conduct research,
research specific
training and to develop linkages with regional
and international research bodies on labour
migration for sharing experiences and
information.
information

Continued

Initiated
ii
programmes to obtain
i contribution
i
i
off
the Sri Lanka Diaspora for national development.
Diaspora bonds, tax free concessions on
investments etc.
investments,
etc

Entered Bi-lateral agreements and MOUs with

destination countries for better protection to the
Srii Lankan migrant
i
workers and promotion
i
off
employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers.

Promoted co-operation with the International

organizations working for betterment of the MW
and their families such as ILO, IOM, UNWomen,
ADB etc.

Pre-Departure
Pre
Departure Training &
Orientation Training System
for MW in Sri Lanka.
Lanka

As per the SLBFE Act, one of the main objective of the

SLBFE is training and orientation for the MW.
MW

All the expenses incurred in training and orientation are

paid from the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF)

In 1996 pre-departure training was made compulsory

for female domestic workers and training certificate is
the mandatory requirement for departure approval
and now this is compulsory for all departing MW.

Introduced National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) for

several p
pre-departure
p
training
g specially
p
y to the Domestic
House keeping course in 2012.

Continued

Conduct pre-departure training in 23 district and

regional centers,
centers SLBFE centers and 15 private
training centers and 01 center operated by a
trade union approved by the SLBFE. All should
follow the same curricular through SLBFE trainers.
C i l
Curriculum
d
development
l
t an producing
d i
off ttrainers
i
guides have prepared by the SLBFE following the
international standards with the assistance of the
ILO and IOM. On the last 18th to coincide with the
i t
international
ti
l migrants
i
t d
day 39 training
t i i
guides
id were
launched for the use of the trainers. (country
specific and different language guides)
All the trainers are trained by the SLBFE in relevant
disciplines languages, hotel sector, house
keeping, child care ,elderly care etc and secured
National Vocational Qualification certificates as
trainers.
trainers

Continued

Recruitment agencies are participating in

conducting training for MW, at private sector
training centers and also contributing to design
and develop training curricular for MW in
collaboration with the SLBFE.

Private sector training center on training of

construction
t
ti
sector
t workers
k
for
f Singapore
Si
in
i
collaboration with the Singapore Contractors
Association.

Standardization
St
d di ti
and
d skill
kill certification
tifi ti
process
adopted by the by the government in
collaboration with the Tertiary and Vocational
Education Commission of Sri Lanka.

TTypes off Pre-departure

P d
t
Training and Orientation

Training course

Target group

Age limit

Duration

Domestic housekeeping training for Middle East

bound female workers

Domestic sector female

workers

21-45

15 days/135 hrs.

Domestic house keeping & care giving training

for Cyprus bound female/male workers.

Domestic sector
female/male workers who
can speak English.

21-45

30/270

Domestic housekeeping and care giving training

for Singapore bound female workers.

Domestic sector female

workers who can speak
English.

21-45

25/225

Care giving training for Israel bound health care

workers.

Care giving sector male and

female workers.

21 45
21-45

18/180

Care giving training for Israel bound experienced

health care workers.

Experienced workers who

leave for care giving sector
work.

21-45

15/135

Literacy training for prospective migrant workers.

workers

Prospective migrant workers

who cannot read and write
their mother tongue.

21 45
21-45

18/180

Special English literacy training for Cyprus bound

workers

Prospective migrant workers

who cannot read, write and
write English.

21-45

18/180

Special training programme for overseas job

seekers other than domestic house keeping.

New entrants both female

21-45
and male to overseas work in
the Middle East, Malaysia
and Maldives

15/45

Training programme for experienced domestic

sector female workers Middle East and Cyprus
bound workers.

Experienced female workers

who can speak Arabic
(Middle East )
And Greek For Cyprus
Job seekers under the South
Korea EPS system.
South Korea bound workers.

07/63

Korean language training for job seekers under

the EPS system
y
Pre-departure training for South Korea bound
workers under the EPS system.

21 45
21-45.

1818

Challenges Ahead and

Way Forward

Like most of the countries of origin in Asian region

Sri Lanka has to face a dilemma between
promotion of labour migration and protection of
Sri Lankan workers overseas.

Inadequacy of shared responsibility between

countries of Origin and Destination countries on
protection of MW.

Gaps in regional cooperation among the

C
Countries
t i off Origin
O i i iin protection
t ti
off MW and
d other
th
migration related issues.

Continued

More attention needed on migration and

development issues, e.g. remittances,
contribution of Diaspora communities etc.

Need of reliable and accurate data on MW in

destinations and return migrants.

Promotion of Bi-Lateral/MOU on labour migration

and follow up mechanisms on MOUs between
Countries of Origin and destinations.

Thank You