COLOMBO (News 1st) – 1,818 Sri Lankans who were in the UAE illegally have volunteered to return to the Island under an announced grace period.

An officer from the Bureau of Foreign Employment said that with the announcement of the grace period of three months, the group of Sri Lankans has taken the necessary steps to be repatriated.

He added that any Sri Lankan remaining in UAE without a valid VISA can obtain a temporary VISA from the Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consular General Office in Dubai.

125,000 Sri Lankan expatriates are currently employed in the United Arab Emirates, while 30,000 depart for the UAE annually for employment. The grace period has been granted from the 1st of this month to the 31st of October.

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