Complaint to CID on E-8 visa scandal for Korean jobs

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) is to take lodge a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) over the alleged E-8 visa scandal of sending persons for employment to South Korea, a senior official said.

Mr  P.G.G.S. Yapa Actg. Additional General Manager (International Affairs) said that the complaint was due to be lodged today.

The move came  after several youth protested outside the SLBFE head office in Battaramulla that large sums of money had been collected from persons to send them to Korea for employment under the E8- Visa category.  The protests have been held over the weekend.

The E8 visa pertains to seasonal employment in Korea's agriculture and fisheries sectors for about five months with maximum of eight months.

SLBFE Chairman, Mr. Koshala Wickramasinghe explaining the position regarding the E-8 visa system and illegal agreements concerning foreign employment in South Korea said that no private foreign employment agency in Sri Lanka is authorized to send workers to South Korea or to collect money under the E-8 visa system.

 He emphasized that this visa arrangement, which was discussed between the two countries since 2019, had not progressed due to various concerns, including the short duration of the visa (4 Y 5M months) and the low salaries that come with it.

These issues contribute to potential illegal overstaying by workers, which poses significant risks for both workers and bilateral relations, he said.

In a statement posted on the SLBFE website he also sheds light on an illegal agreement made in April 2024 by a former Sri Lankan minister, who signed an unauthorized deal with the governor of Wando province in South Korea.

He said this was done without the necessary cabinet or government approvals. As a result, the South Korean government has advised against the use of this visa system to avoid illegal immigration and the potential loss of legitimate employment opportunities.

The Chairman further wared  job seekers in Sri Lanka against paying any fees for the E-8 visa and urges the public to report any illegal activity related to this visa. He underscores that legitimate opportunities through the E-9 visa, which allows longer-term employment for nearly 5 years, should not be jeopardized by these unlawful schemes.