New Foreign Employment Act soon – Minister

Colombo, July 8 (Daily Mirror) - A new Foreign Employment Act aimed at addressing existing legal gaps and strengthening the rights and security of Sri Lankans working overseas will be presented to Parliament soon, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath said today.

Speaking in Parliament, the Minister said arrangements were also being made to introduce a system to provide voting rights for Sri Lankans living abroad, while preliminary work had commenced on establishing a contributory pension scheme for migrant workers.

He said the “Lanka Konnect” website and mobile application had been introduced to allow Sri Lankans living anywhere in the world to submit their grievances and seek assistance.

Minister Herath said malpractice and bribery involving foreign employment agencies had been brought to an end, adding that the law would be strictly enforced through a special investigation unit comprising officers including those from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

He also said the compensation provided to families of Sri Lankans who die while employed overseas had been increased from Rs. 600,000 to Rs. 1.2 million.

Commenting on foreign remittances, the Minister said Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever remittance inflow of US$8 billion during the first year of the current government, while US$4.75 billion had been received during the first six months of 2026 alone.

He added that a new training centre for youth in the Northern Province would be established soon to enhance employment opportunities.

Speaking on new overseas employment opportunities, Minister Herath said agreements had been signed with Japan to create job opportunities for truck drivers, construction workers and graduates.

He said issues related to obtaining Italian general driving licences had been resolved, while private sector agencies recruiting workers for jobs in Israel would only be allowed to charge a maximum fee equivalent to twice the monthly salary offered.

The Minister urged the public not to fall victim to human smugglers demanding payments of Rs. 4–4.5 million for overseas employment opportunities.

He stressed that the government had a responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of migrant workers, who contribute significantly to the country’s economy through the money they send back home.