No more registration of migrant workers at Airport

9 December 2013 06:17 am - 36 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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All migrant workers leaving the country from January 2014 should register themselves at Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau only instead of the longstanding practice of registering at the Airport prior to departure, the SLFEB said today

The registration with the Bureau would be compulsory to all migrant workers from January 2014 onwards, Deputy General Manager of the Bureau Mangala Randeniya said.

Mr. Randeniya said that the agreements and other relevant details regarding the intended destination of the workers would be thoroughly checked at the Bureau. Such checking was not possible earlier due to the fact that many of the migrant workers used the airport facility which didn’t give enough time to check these details.

He said that any migrant worker whose documents were not in order prior to departure would not be permitted to leave the country.

“This step is taken in order to benefit all workers who leave the country,” he told Daily Mirror Online.(Darshana Sanjeewa)

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Comments - 36

asif Monday, 09 December 2013 01:50 PM

This payment is nothing but a daylight robbery

Mahinda Monday, 09 December 2013 11:20 AM

Please abolish SLFEB at least Govt can save some money. As a migrant worker we are not benefiting at all from this rubbish establishment

jude Monday, 09 December 2013 11:30 AM

Something that most of you will not know... 60% of the frees paid goes to the agency and this is fact. SLFEB does nothing to the innocent workers specially the domestic workers who suffer so much in the Middle East. I have been in Saudi for many years and I what the embassy is up to as well. Unfortunately we have the worst embassy.
SLFEB should show the public how much they collected and how much they have paid to the poor people.

Madhawa Senarathna Monday, 09 December 2013 11:32 AM

SLFEB is nothing to the migrant workers. Getting signature & nothing else.

manoj Monday, 09 December 2013 11:54 AM

Nothing ....Not even we gain respect at the airport . some people treat very badly... when government will understand how much froeign income flowing to the country from Migrant worker ..... Think twice how other countries come forward to protect theire migrant work force

XXX Monday, 09 December 2013 11:58 AM

They charge from poor people and in front of there office they make the poor people to drink poison.... this is the work of our FEB

Nimal Perera Monday, 09 December 2013 12:02 PM

This is the official way of extortion.

senavirathana Monday, 09 December 2013 12:08 PM

What Chinthnaya SAYS is, to
WE the government of Rajapassa, reduced the prices of all food items with gazettes notices and
No tax for Dog's foods, and no tax for Luxury cars.
So migrant workers can drive luxury cars with dogs and friends. [ girlfriends or boy friends].

IndependenT Monday, 09 December 2013 01:33 PM

Agree with Jude. In addition I remember there were expatriate associations said for benefit of the Sri Lankans. The real story is these are associations meant to act a socializing centers of the people in charge. The very poor laborer housemaid dont benefit at all

kajaya Monday, 09 December 2013 11:10 AM

What happened to that pension for migrant workers and the enhanced duty free allowance supposed to be under consideration when the current President was initially installed in power???

Gamini Lindagedera Monday, 09 December 2013 04:06 PM

This scheme is perhaps one of the biggest robberies in the country. SLBFE never explains the make-up of these fees, where they go and what we get in return. The biggest junk of this fee is a so called 'Agency Fee', payable every two (2) years even when we haven't ever used an agency. This money doesn't get to the Government coffer, rather vanishes through a back door to non existent 'Agencies' owned by the 'powers'. As I understand, some of the money is even distributed to staff of the SLBFE officially in some form.

The insurance portion of the fee is another joke when most of Middle East workers' welfare is are covered by insurances of their employers. The SLBFE doesn't provide any descent insurance benefit workers, not to their families.

Despite knowing all the corruption around SLBFE, none in the Government nor the opposition raise this issue to stop this mayhem.

tdr Monday, 09 December 2013 04:35 PM

1000% true.

Seg Monday, 09 December 2013 04:47 PM

Simply More time to Bribe .. what else!!!

tony Tuesday, 10 December 2013 04:46 AM

WHY CHARGE FROM MIGRANT WORKERS. IF THIS IS FOR INSURANCE THEN WHY ARE THEY NOT ISSUING EVEN A TEMPORARY COVER OF THE POLICY WHEN THEY RECEIVE A PAYMENT. PLEASE STATE THE BENEFITS IN THE ADVERTISEMENT WITHOUT GIVING A VAGUE SENTENCE. ALSO, FOR WHAT AGE GROUP DOES THIS APPLY.

KABAB Tuesday, 10 December 2013 04:50 AM

This so called DGM should explain more professionally. Will this apply to new candidates who leave the country OR for renewals too? For renewals what the hell is there to check thoroughly? Fools

sira Tuesday, 10 December 2013 05:09 AM

Forget Home maids, at least they are going as house keepers and definetely they need insurance as Employer doesn't provide. Eventhey these innocent workers won't get any claiming if anything happend. And what about if we have already Insurance, why we should pay

investigator Tuesday, 10 December 2013 08:28 AM

from these registrations is there any benefits for them ?.or it is another trick to take some of their hard earn money.

Dylan Friday, 13 December 2013 02:05 PM

Hi Sim,

You are spot on. Absolutely no benefits to migrant workers and many are in prison's without any help from the govt. or the embassy. If the registration is mandatory, then the SLFBE must advise what the benefits are and give an option so that each worker can decide if he wants to register or not. Hope all the migrant workers will agree.

Andy Monday, 09 December 2013 08:25 AM

In return what they are doing to migrant workers? Even the srilankan embassies are sleeping all over the world and having fund with the money.

MATHU Monday, 09 December 2013 07:03 AM

Registering to Boost that, they are bringing so much of foreign Currency to the country without doing nothing and enjoy numerous benefit for them on the expense of poor employees mostly women(mothers and Young Girls)

Truth Hurts Monday, 09 December 2013 07:12 AM

100% Agree with Sim. I myself a Migrant worker. They say Migrant workers are the Highest Revenue generators for Sri Lanka yet we get no benefits whatsoever. Even to go out, work and send revenue to Sri Lanka we have to pay the SLBFE Rs. 10k from our pocket. Shouldn't that be the other way around?

Mallay Poll Monday, 09 December 2013 07:16 AM

this is an other joke and wasting of passenger time. No works so this is a show of works. Suba chintanyak

mike Monday, 09 December 2013 07:23 AM

SLFEB does nothing to the migrant workers. bunch of morons

Healan Kumari Monday, 09 December 2013 07:41 AM

This will bring way to more currpution, as these workers will have to travel to the Office.. So there will be brokers come in to the sean and earn money at the expense of the workers.

Gael Monday, 09 December 2013 07:57 AM

We're treated like enemies at the Airport by those so called SLBFE officers. I had a bitter experience when i left the country last time for my new employment. So pathetic. Don't think the change of procedures will do anything good to such treatments.

Kumara Monday, 09 December 2013 08:04 AM

What benefits will get for foreign workers who do lot of sacrifices and bring foreign income. They have to feed & satisfy all SLBFE staff and minister. this is ridiculous.

King MARA Monday, 09 December 2013 08:23 AM

Where are the JVP and JHU? This is yet another day light robbery by King MARA and his goons.

Sim Monday, 09 December 2013 06:37 AM

What are the benefits provided by SLBFE to migrant workers. We pay and leave the country and that's the end of it.

Ajithkumar Monday, 09 December 2013 08:54 AM

I too agree, being my self a migrant worker. We are the highest Foreign currency earners for the country. And we are not even considered in choosing our representatives. Recently Maldives had elections, and Maldivians in other countries are allowed to vote through their respective embassies. Further, earlier we had duty free concession for vehicles. Now that's too barred. As much as Government servants gets benefits of all these, we who provide much more service to our country in contrary gets nothing. Recently one of my friend, has to undergo, tremendous challenges to get reimbursement of his medical bills. He had to fight for it and he said, next time he is not going to go through all this hassles, and pay himself off..I got my clearance from Battaramulla, and I know the hassle i had to go through.

Banda Monday, 09 December 2013 09:08 AM

event of a death of a migrant worker, Once the body has been received, you can report the matter to the Foreign Relations Division and obtain a grant of Rs. 10,000/= being funeral expenses. its in their website. hahahahaha.

Those who work in the SLFEB are the most Hated people after politicians.

DEEPTHI . C.K Monday, 09 December 2013 09:35 AM

NO BENIFIT AT ALL. THIS IS MONEY GAMBLING.& WITH THIS POOR PEOPLE MONEY MINISTER & OTHER OFFICIALS WILL HAVE TOURS , SHOPPING WILL BE DONE WITH THEIR FAMILIES & LIES WILL BE TOLD TO MEDIA & IN PARLIMENT.THIS IS THE FACT NO OTHER BENIFITS.

janaka Monday, 09 December 2013 09:50 AM

This is not the case. Dilan and his Pachayas wants to give jobs for who ever work for them during elections on our A/C.

SRI Monday, 09 December 2013 10:10 AM

I agree will all the comments given above. We pay to SLFEB and still we get nothing. From time to time Politicians apply butter on migrant workers to gain the popularity. They call us as "RATAWIRUWO". If we want to buy a Vehicle on lease we are not allowed as we are migrants. If we apply for a Bank Loan we will have to pay with in 5 years. Those who work in SL can pay with in 15-25 years. SLFEB depend on us and when it comes to Politics we are the heros of this mother land next to the Armed Forces.

Anil Monday, 09 December 2013 10:16 AM

SLFEB is looting us. They need our money to enjoy themselves

lucky Monday, 09 December 2013 10:32 AM

Well the actual amount will come to RS. 11,652 with tax. They say its an insurance where you can claim in case of a death in a foreign country. And also you can claim if your immediate family member hospitalized.
Even after a death claim the immediate family will get only Rs. 10,000. There were lot of cases where SLBFE has not grant the amount after the citizen paid the amount.
I personally tried to claim after my father got a heart attack but the simply refused.
I agree to the above comments on the citizens who work really hard to earn money in foreign countries, but the government or the responsible ministries are not act in anyways to improve there livelihood back home or a retired plan. As we know according to the figures more than 70% of foreign earnings are done by citizens who work abroad.

mike Monday, 09 December 2013 10:38 AM

Utter rubbish - the money paid by the MIGRANT WORKERS - no befits to them BUT its goes to the pockets of Politicians and their dirty associates - HUMAN RIGHT Should look into this - as the Government forcefully taking money in the name of Insurance...where is the law ? why these innocents have to pay despite their hard earn and harsh working environments ??

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No more registration of migrant workers at Airport

Comments - 36

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