Hon. Vijitha Herath

¶ 01 Japan

¶ 02 Deploying Technical Interns and Specified Skilled Workers to Japan in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed with IM Japan.

¶ 03 1. Providing residential training, including Japanese language instruction to selected workers (four months for Interns and three months for Specified Skilled Workers).

¶ 04 2. Publishing monthly newspaper notices to inform job seekers about the dates of skill tests related to the Specified Skilled Worker Programme conducted by the Japanese Government.

¶ 05 In addition, approval has been granted to send Sri Lankan workers to Japan through licensed foreign employment agencies.

¶ 06 Furthermore:

¶ 07 1. Initiating and conducting Japanese language training courses at district offices and training centres of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (N4 and N5 levels).

¶ 08 2. Distributing brochures on Japanese language courses to the public.

¶ 09 3. Reimbursing 75 per cent of the course fee to those who have successfully completed Japanese language courses when they go abroad for employment.

¶ 10 4. Visiting examination centres where Japanese tests are conducted and providing relevant information.

¶ 11 Korea

¶ 12 In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Governments of Korea and Sri Lanka in 2004, the following procedures are followed for sending Sri Lankan workers to Korea under the E-9 visa category in the fields of manufacturing, fisheries, services, agriculture, construction and shipbuilding:

¶ 13 - Calling for applications for the Korean language test, allowing any qualified person from across Sri Lanka to apply for jobs in a transparent manner.

¶ 14 - Conducting the language tests under the full supervision of the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea).

¶ 15 - For job candidates who pass the language test, a proficiency test is conducted first followed by a skill test. During the proficiency test, their certificates are verified and during the skill test, the physical and mental abilities of the candidates are assessed.

¶ 16 - Interviewing candidates who have passed the above tests, obtaining their police clearance reports and verifying physical fitness through medical examinations.

¶ 17 - After completing the above steps, the information of job candidates is entered into the Public Agency System administered by HRD Korea.

¶ 18 - Providing the following training to candidates selected by Korean employers through the said website after the issuance of employment contracts and before departure: I. Conducting a 10-day residential training for the manufacturing, services, construction, agriculture and shipbuilding sectors, covering basic aspects such as the country’s culture, work environment and labour laws. II. For the fisheries sector, providing five days of residential training covering the aspects mentioned in I above followed by five days of practical training related to fishing activities.

¶ 19 (b) Does not arise.