The Labour and Foreign Employment Ministry announced today that the ministry had decided to increase the duty-free allowances for goods purchased at the airport duty-free complex by migrant workers depending on the amount of money they had remitted, Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said.

While addressing the media at the Ministry, he said the program will come to force from May 01.

The concessions will be implemented in five categories, he said.

“The migrant workers who have remitted between US$ 2,400 and US$ 4,799 can get an additional duty-free allowance of US$ 600. Workers who have remitted between US$ 4,800 and 7,199 will be entitled to additional duty relief of US$ 960. Workers who remit between US$ 7,200 and US$ 11,999 will receive an additional duty-free allowance of US$ 1,440. Migrant workers who have remitted between US$ 12,000 and US$ 23,999 are eligible for an additional US$ 2,400 duty-free allowance, and workers who have remitted US$ 24,000 or above are eligible for an additional US$ 4,800 duty-free allowance when purchasing goods at the airport,” the minister said.

He further mentioned that any migrant worker who has sent the above-mentioned amount of money through legitimate channels to the country within a period of one year is eligible for this allowances from May 1.

We started working as a government to encourage expatriate workers to send money to the country legally through the banking system.

“We prepared a program to give due respect and proper treatment to the expatriate workers and were hoping to open a dedicated entrance for them called ‘The Hope Gate’ at the airport.

(dailymirror.lk)