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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Thursday, 19 June 2025

10th Parliament· 15 debates· 132 speeches· 55 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1751430648025512 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Sri Lankans Departed for Seasonal Employment in South Korea (Q.3/2024) 10 speeches
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

      AI summary Asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism to provide year-by-year figures since 2015 for Sri Lankans who left for seasonal employment in South Korea under the E.S. visa scheme. He also sought clarification on whether an external party is now involved in the process and whether that involvement has caused inconvenience to Sri Lankan jobseekers.

      EmploymentForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism JJB

      AI summary Minister Vijitha Herath stated that South Korea has no “E.S.” visa scheme and that seasonal employment is handled under the E-8 visa categories for agriculture and fisheries, including arrangements through provincial government MOUs and relatives of F-6 visa holders. He said three persons self-registered with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and departed in 2025 under the approved process, while seven unregistered jobseekers were stopped at Katunayake Airport in September 2024 for violating the SLBFE Act. The Minister added that Rs. 7,172,400 paid to Sejong World (Pvt.) Ltd. had been refunded by court order, the agency’s licence was suspended, private-sector recruitment for South Korean seasonal jobs is not permitted, and CID and Bribery Commission investigations are ongoing into visas obtained through an improperly executed MOU.

      Foreign AffairsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

      AI summary Rohana Bandara raised concerns about Sri Lankan youth seeking employment in Korea, stating that some who passed required examinations had not received placements while others had, and requested ministerial attention to the issue. He also asked what measures the Government was taking to ensure the safety of approximately 20,000 Sri Lankan workers in Israel amid the Israel–Iran conflict, including whether it would intervene to evacuate them if necessary.

      Security & DefenceEmploymentForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Vijitha Herath JJB

      AI summary Vijitha Herath said the Government and Sri Lankan missions are monitoring the Israel–Iran hostilities and assisting Sri Lankans, including about 35 in Iran and 20,000 in Israel. He reported that four Sri Lankans in Israel were injured, with embassy support provided for medical care, food, shelter, funds, and travel, including facilitating overland exit in urgent cases. He said most Sri Lankan workers in Israel wish to remain under local security protocols, but evacuation through neighbouring countries is being planned if the situation worsens. He also advised Sri Lankans on leave not to return to Israel for now and said visa-extension arrangements are being pursued to protect both lives and employment.

      Foreign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Rohana Bandara

      AI summary Hon. Rohana Bandara thanked the Minister and yielded his second supplementary question to Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns about transfers within the Foreign Employment Bureau, noting that many employees from Badulla were affected because previous Ministers from the area had overseen the Bureau. He requested the Minister to ensure transfers are carried out fairly and with consideration for hardship, such as arranging nearer postings where possible and giving staff time to secure accommodation.

      Corruption & Governance ReformEmployment Full speech →
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF

      AI summary Raised a brief request regarding the Bureau under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asking that staff transfers be handled fairly and practicably rather than on purely political grounds. He indicated that such an approach would allow officers to manage their duties effectively.

      Foreign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Vijitha Herath JJB

      AI summary Vijitha Herath stated that investigations are continuing into matters relating to the relocation of the Bureau to Badulla during Dilan Perera’s tenure under the previous Government. He argued that retaining the same staff in one station for long periods can lead to irregularities, and said transfers are being carried out fairly and without political vendetta.

      Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech →