COPE Exposes Severe Misconduct in Bureau

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) has sent thousands of domestic workers abroad without proper training, leading to a revenue loss of over LKR 631 million.

From May 2023 to June 2024, 683 underage workers (below 18 years) were sent abroad for domestic work, violating international child labor laws.

A total of 28,165 first-time migrant domestic workers were sent overseas without the mandatory 28-day residential training, despite regulations requiring it.

Instead of proper training, only brief face-to-face interviews with translators were conducted, with no substantial skill development.

Even these interviews were found to be inadequate, often limited to video screenings rather than in-depth assessments.

The SLBFE allegedly approved recruitment agencies to send domestic workers abroad using tourist visas, violating international labor standards.

COPE concluded that the bureau prioritizes profit-making over protecting the rights of migrant workers.

A COPE subcommittee has been proposed to investigate the financial transactions, policy implementation, training programs, and overall well-being of Sri Lankan migrant workers.

The government plans to reform the SLBFE and introduce a new policy framework for migrant domestic workers.