Digital platform for migrant workers safety, welfare, and job security
The Government plans to overcome cumbersome official procedures for migrant workers with the introduction of a single digital platform for their safety, welfare, and job security preventing malpractices, corruption and abuses in the industry.
The aim is to make the foreign employment from the time of the recruitment process up to completion of their services in West Asia and other countries offering streamlined and hassle free service for migrant workers, Minister of Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara told the Business Times.
The Minister said that the cabinet approval will be sought soon to digitise the foreign employment sector heeding to a recent written request made by by several other civil societies and organisations.
The members of the Rural Women’s Front, Jesmin Women Organisation and Galle Business Women’s Alliance have brought to the notice of the minister on shortcomings and difficulties faced by female migrant workers.
Their main request is to devise a new system of foreign employment by fully digitising the sector in order to maintain close contacts with government authorities to seek their assistance as and when they need any assistance from the state.
Several foreign employment rackets have been reported in the recent past, with the involvement of fake or unlicenced employment agencies, including a human trafficking ring in Oman.
The Foreign Employment Ministry has been urged to introduce a single digitalised platform entailing all information related to foreign employment recruitment, including those travelling overseas for employment, job opportunities, employer, destination, financial transactions and licenced employment agencies.
The Safe Foundation has already stepped in to develop this IT application, but the relevant ministries and state institutions are unable to implement it due to the lack of proper infrastructure.
However, the ministry has directed to conduct a pilot test of this application at 12 districts at the district and regional levels and later roll it out to the relevant state institutions
The proposed system is to be a centralised system that will be monitored by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and connecting with other stakeholders in the industry, Minister Nanayakkara emphasised.
He stressed the need of regularising the informal foreign employment sector including job agents focusing on the development of the sector creating a data base transforming the sector to be competitive and increasing skilled labour force in the next 10 years.
Therefore, this data base will enable SLBFE to monitor migrant workers locally and extend any assistance needed to them in the event of a difficulty in employment and payment issues overseas, he said.
The Foreign Employment Ministry will conduct countrywide awareness campaigns for both officials and the public and provide training for officials involved in the process channels, such as banks, for monitoring purposes.
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