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Foreign job-seekers charged exorbitantly

13 Jun 2022

  • Agencies charging far higher than maximum prices listed on SLBFE website
  • SLBFE senior official blames rupee depreciation and unscrupulous agencies
By Dinitha Rathnayake With the demand for foreign employment having risen exponentially due to Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, foreign employment agencies are charging job-seekers exorbitant amounts that are much higher than the maximum charges listed on the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) website, The Morning learnt. Speaking to The Morning, several persons who visited such agencies claimed that they were charged unreasonable amounts for work permits. “The SLBFE website shares information about available vacancies for the relevant registered agencies, and agents are not permitted to charge any additional amount other than the maximum chargeable fee. However, the job category we applied for was in Romania, and according to the SLBFE website, the maximum chargeable amount is Rs. 450,000, but the agency charged us Rs. 750,000 and an additional amount for the air tickets and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests,” one person told The Morning on condition of anonymity. However, when contacted by The Morning, SLBFE Additional General Manager (International Affairs) Mangala Randeniya said that agency costs have increased due to inflation, while the rates displayed on the SLBFE website also need to be changed to reflect the current US dollar exchange rate. “The price formula in the website was introduced in the year 2000, long before the current crisis. We do understand the standard charges could change due to the dollar crisis and we are working on that. However, we have also observed illegal agency charges. We advise the public not to pay additional charges for agencies without obtaining a receipt. Anybody could complain to SLBFE if they are made to pay an illegal amount.” He also said that Sri Lanka has seen a huge increase in labour migration numbers at the moment. “We see a 200% increase in labour migration compared to last year. This year, up to 10 June, 131,000 individuals migrated to different countries, while around 22,000 people per month are migrating at the moment. Our yearly target is 300,000. I advise the public to get the necessary training while they apply for jobs, Find what is best for you; the SLBFE provides NVQ Level 3 certificates for candidates who successfully complete training,” Randeniya added. According to Randeniya, only 122,000 people migrated last year. Meanwhile, the Department of Immigration and Emigration has decided to increase the number of passports issued daily under the one-day service, as many people are currently obtaining passports.  The Department of Immigration and Emigration on average issues around 2,000 passports daily under the one-day service. It has been decided to increase that number to 3,500.


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