Sending of migrant workers to Saudi Arabia resumes

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said it has resumed sending migrant workers to Saudi Arabia, for employment.

Saudi Arabia suspended the recruitment of foreign workers for nearly 10 months, due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus worldwide.

Even after Saudi Arabia began recruiting foreign workers, deployment to Saudi Arabia was stalled, due to the problems with the foreign employment agencies.

An official of the SLBFE said the employment agencies had taken steps to send the group following the decision taken with the intervention of Foreign Employment State Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, to resolve the issue.

The official said that 60 Sri Lankan male workers left for Saudi Arabia on November 28, resuming the placement of migrant workers.

He said that they were the first group of 180 workers to go abroad and are employed in the hotel and hospitality sectors in Saudi Arabia.