State Minister Jayaratne sounds hopeful of obtaining 300,000 overseas jobs for Lankans this year

By Ifham Nizam

The government will provide and assist in obtaining more than 300,000 overseas jobs this year, Minister of State for Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne said.

Jayaratne told journalists that plans were afoot to obtain foreign employment for 300,000 Lankan this year.

He said that last year about 120,000 migrant workers were registered for overseas employment, and during the pandemic. Many countries were able to successfully take forward the foreign employment sector during the crisis.

Jayaratne expressed these views while addressing the staff of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment at the commencement of the New Year.

He said that a plan should be implemented to register at least 850 workers a day.

To achieve that goal, all officers should be committed. He also said that the support of foreign employment agencies was also essential.

He said that foreign job seekers, employment agencies and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment had embarked on a successful journey and he would provide the leadership impetus in that regard.

Minister of Labor Nimal Siripala de Silva was also present on the occasion. In addition, Secretary to the Ministry of State Rohana Pushpakumara, Chairman of the Bureau Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe and General Manager D.D.P. Senanayake were also present.