163 cases filed against foreign employment agancies

COLOMBO (News 1st) - 163 cases have been filed in the past seven months against foreign employment agencies and individuals who sent Sri Lankan workers fraudulently overseas, says the Foreign Employment Ministry. Deputy Minister of Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said among those cases were legal licensed employment agencies and agencies without any valid license. During the year 2018, the highest number of cases have been filed against an agency who have promised government jobs in Seychelles (East Africa). 163 cases have been filed in Mahara Magistrate Court. Furthermore, an institution which has charged fees exceeding the government approved fee, to provide employment in Israel, has 19 cases filed against it. The institution has charged over Rs. 5 million from 19 people. Deputy Minister Manusha Nanayakkara added that there are cases filed against a woman who has carried out an illegal foreign employment agency in the Hambantota Court. The woman has promised fisheries jobs in Somaliland, an island in Somalia, for 17 people and has obtained over Rs. 12 Billion. In the years 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively 93, 179, and 248 cases have been filed against fraudulently sending Sri Lankan workers overseas, says the Foreign employment Ministry.