Multiple probes have been called following revelations that over 30,000 people, mainly females had been sent overseas for employment without the mandatory job training causing a loss of over Rs.2,500 million to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.

Already six individuals, including an Additional General Manager of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) have been interdicted, but an SLBFE source said a wider network including more officials and foreign employment agents are suspected to be involved.

In addition to an SLBFE probe, complaints will be lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, he added.

In addition to the Additional General Manager other interdicted officers include four Arabic translators and an Administrative Officer, SLBFE sources revealed.

The fraud according to SLBFE sources had taken place during the period from 2022 to August 2024.

Investigations done by the SLBFE have unearthed that over 30,000 individuals mostly women domestic workers were exempted from the mandatory training between 2022 and August 2024 and were sent overseas for employment with the aid of forged documents.

Racketeers had prepared forged documents to show first time overseas employment seekers had prior overseas employment experience in order to avoid the SLBFE mandatory training and relevant fees.

Employment seekers had been charged fees ranging from Rs.70,000 to Rs.130,000 which racketeers allegedly had pocketed, sources said. The SLBFE authorities had issued a circular sometime back allowing those with prior experience and training to migrate for employment again after submitting documental proof regarding their expertise and experience. A committee appointed by the SLBFE approves such employment departures after perusing the relevant documents.

The first time domestic workers are subjected to a training and a fee of around Rs.28,000.

An SLBFE source said racketeers had even forged travel documents and prepared bogus job agreements to show foreign employment aspirants possessed prior experience.

The source also said information has emerged about many female migrant workers who went for overseas jobs in the above manner facing risks and difficulties and even abuse at times due to lack of experience and training.

(dailynews.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)