Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment – Manusha Nanayakkara has said that the Government will not alter its policies regarding the mandatory 28-day training for individuals departing for foreign employment as domestic workers.

He emphasized that this training is designed to enhance job security and increase salaries.

The Minister expressed these views while attending the inauguration of a new training center – Sejong Hangul Academy, which offers job training programs focused on the Korean agriculture sector as well as for those pursuing domestic worker positions abroad.

The Minister emphasized that domestic workers who departed without prior training often face various challenges and earn lower salaries compared to their counterparts from other countries. 

However, some foreign employment agencies are not pleased with the mandatory training requirement, as their primary focus is on maximizing profits, he pointed out.

He stated, “There was a time when foreign employment agencies sent Sri Lankans abroad without any training solely for profit. However, we have now made the decision not to send anyone without proper training. While some agencies may not be satisfied with this, we will not alter this decision under any circumstances.”

“Since assuming the position of Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment in May last year, we have secured more than $7 billion in foreign remittances. To put this into perspective, we would only receive around $3 billion from the IMF. Therefore, these remittances are of utmost importance to the country. No other sector comes close to matching this contribution. Thanks to our migrant workers, we have uninterrupted access to essential resources such as fuel, electricity, and medicine. We should express our gratitude for their unwavering efforts,” he noted.

(Pics – Facebook page of Manusha Nanayakkara)