A collective decision was taken, with the representatives from Katunayake airport, the Immigration and Emigration Department and Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) to stop people going overseas for jobs under the guise of visiting a particular country through visit visas, Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said.
Addressing the media, he said a mafia is operating to send people for foreign jobs.
It has been reported that certain institutions and agencies used to send gullible people for foreign jobs without registering them with the SLFEB and without any assurance of granting them foreign jobs, the Minister said.
"Those people who leave the country with visit visas in their hands. There is no issue if they secure jobs with a visit visa. Most of the people are deceived by the smugglers. We have reported that many people face legal issues after leaving the country on visit visas. This has tarnished the image of our country," the Minister said.
"We do not have legal provisions to prevent people from leaving for foreign jobs, anyone can leave for foreign employment holding a visit visa.
To prevent people falling prey to these racketeers, we have decided to envisage the maximum support from Sri Lanka Police. Accordingly, strict laws will be implemented soon to stop human smuggling and take legal action against them.
Moreover, he said that there are rackets operating in the country claiming to offer foreign jobs. Therefore, Minister Nanayakkara requested people to find foreign jobs through agencies that are recognized by the SLFEB. (Daily Mirror)