Foreign job opportunities for Sri Lanka graduates explored

COLOMBO: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has highlighted the importance of identifying overseas employment opportunities that are available for graduates of the country.

President Rajapaksa instructed relevant officials to expedite and streamline the process of sending skilled labor with internationally recognized qualifications and certificates for foreign employment.

A mechanism of this nature will be instrumental in securing higher benefits to both the employee and the country, the president pointed out.

The president made these remarks at a meeting to discuss future activities of the State Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotions and Market Diversification held at the Presidential Secretariat.

State banks must stand on workers behalf to facilitate remittance of their foreign exchange earnings. This endeavor can be promoted by introducing more attractive and creative schemes, said Basil Rajapaksa, the Head of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, State Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera and Secretaries to Cabinet and State Ministries, Heads of Line Institutions were also present at the discussion.

Emphasizing the need to implement training programms targeting job markets in countries such as Korea and Japan President advised the Foreign Employment Bureau and the Vocational Training Authority to formulate joint strategies.

Employment agencies that send workers abroad should act in a more responsible manner. The president also said that there were allegations that the intervention of these institutions was not sufficient in dealing with cases of harassment involving these workers.

President Rajapaksa also said that the prime objective of sending workers abroad is not to earn foreign exchange but to provide them with a better standard of living.