Sri Lanka, Israel sign MoU to expand employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra, currently on an official visit to Israel, held a Joint Technical Evaluation and Progress Review Coordination Committee meeting with officials of the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA) yesterday (22) to discuss employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers.

The meeting marked the first technical evaluation and progress review following the signing of bilateral agreements for the recruitment of Sri Lankan workers in Israel. Officials reviewed progress and addressed issues across six employment sectors currently in operation: home-based caregiving services, agriculture, construction, hotels and housekeeping, manufacturing, and restaurant-related employment.

During the discussions, both parties explored ways to increase the number of job opportunities for Sri Lankans in Israel in the coming years.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed to facilitate recruitment of Sri Lankan workers in the service sector. The MoU was signed on behalf of Sri Lanka by Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, Mr. Koshala Wickramasinghe, and on behalf of Israel by Deputy Director General of PIBA and Head of the Foreign Workers Administration, Mr. Moshe Nakash.

The meeting and signing ceremony were attended by senior officials from both countries, including Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Nimal Bandara, and Additional General Manager of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, Mr. A.K.U. Rohana.