The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Kaushalya Ariyarathne

¶ 01 Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are debating the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. I will focus on migrant workers. Recent COPE revelations, widely reported, are alarming. In 2024 alone, 683 underage children were sent abroad as domestic aides. We recall the inability of the State to save Rizana Nafeek in 2013. It has also been revealed that the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), nearly 900 recruitment agencies, training centres, and even the Department of Immigration and Emigration were part of a network enabling malpractice. Certificates were fraudulently issued for around Rs. 75,000 each, sending 28,165 untrained persons overseas.

¶ 02 We hear daily of harassment of Sri Lankan women and men in the Middle East and the lack of timely support from our Missions. Our Government, as pledged in our policy statement, is addressing neglect and corruption impacting migrant workers. Migrant workers contribute about 7–8 percent of GDP; we must support them and ensure their earnings benefit their families.

¶ 03 In December 2024, remittances hit USD 613.8 million—the highest since 2020. In 2025 to date, remittances total USD 1,121 million, reflecting restored trust in this Government. We are strengthening our Missions and implementing the National Policy on Migration for Employment. Sri Lanka is party to the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families; accordingly, in 2025 we will operationalize a National Policy and Action Plan protecting not only workers but also their families. We will amend the SLBFE Act, and establish both an International Centre for Migration Policy Development function and a Migration Resource Centre. We have allocated Rs. 25 million this year to address human trafficking, including exploitation by political operatives who extract money from unsuspecting youth.

¶ 04 We aim to increase skilled migration. An inter-ministerial committee of five ministries is being set up to implement a unified guidance and referral system. We also need to support returnees. Many return from Korea and other destinations, often having built a house, but needing help to start businesses or invest. We are developing a social protection mechanism for returnees, who do not have EPF/ETF or gratuity. We have begun discussions on a social protection scheme and have numerous SLBFE programmes. However, at Divisional Secretariats, designated officers need better awareness. We plan to systematically reach communities and guide returnees on grants, training, and enterprise.

¶ 05 For 2025, the SLBFE has targeted 344,000 overseas placements registered through the Bureau, with 75 percent skilled and 25 percent low-skilled. Our goal is to reduce the low-skilled share further. We have allocated Rs. 433.978 million from the Bureau’s funds to upgrade skills. Skilled migration is the fairest path to foreign exchange; unskilled workers are more vulnerable and often return prematurely due to poor conditions.

¶ 06 For returnees and their families: - Rs. 24 million for scholarships for children, - Rs. 360 million for low-interest multipurpose loans, - Rs. 175 million to subsidize interest for housing loans via banks, - Rs. 744 million this year to support export-oriented enterprises started by returnees—aligned with our production economy policy, - Additional allocations for self-employment, school equipment, and housing support for those returning with disabilities.

¶ 07 We regard migrant workers not as a vulnerable underclass but as key contributors to the national economy whose rights and dignity must be upheld. Our Government is committed to implementing the necessary policies and programmes.

¶ 08 Thank you.