Legal action against overstaying SL workers in Israel

Legal actions would be institute against 104 Sri Lankan migrant workers overstaying their visas in Israel, Foreign Employment Deputy Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said yesterday.

Deputy Minister Nanayakkara said sixty cases had already been filed in Courts with this regard and added that preparations were ongoing to file another thirty cases against these Sri Lankan illegal migrant workers.

“As an initial step to take legal action, letters of demand have been sent to nine such illegal migrant workers.

“However, five migrant workers have returned to Sri Lanka after the commencement of taking legal actions against them by the Sri Lankan Government,” he said.

“These youths were sent abroad through the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency (SLFEA) for employment in the agricultural sector. They were sent on six months contract,” he added.

He said, however, some of those workers were overstaying their visas in Israel, following the conclusion of their employment contracts.

He also said diplomatic announcement had been made in this regard and added that the Government would take action to deport them from Israel to Sri Lanka.

“Workers, who are returning to Sri Lanka following the six-month period, can again go to Israel for employment,” he said. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)