The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has announced that steps are underway to initiate job opportunities under the E-8 visa category for seasonal employment in South Korea.
Chairman of the bureau, Kosala Wickramasinghe, stated that the proposal for this initiative has already been submitted for Cabinet approval.
Upon receiving the necessary approval, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed with relevant South Korean authorities, following which eligible workers will be deployed.
He further noted that arrangements are currently in progress to sign MoUs with four South Korean provincial administrations, and expressed confidence that these agreements will be finalized by the 10th of this month.
“We expect to send the first group of workers to South Korea under the E-8 visa category by the end of July. We are preparing to sign MoUs with four states in South Korea for this purpose. Under this program, we aim to send the maximum number of workers permitted annually for seasonal employment,” Wickramasinghe said.
He emphasized that recruitment under this initiative will be carried out solely by the government and that the private sector will not be permitted to engage in the recruitment process.
Wickramasinghe also addressed misinformation circulating on social media, both in Sri Lanka and South Korea, regarding the program. He clarified that the initiative has not been abandoned.
“Certain individuals are spreading false information, claiming that the government has discontinued this employment program. We responsibly state that it has not been stopped. It has only been temporarily suspended to establish an appropriate legal framework. We will formalize it by obtaining Cabinet approval and signing the MoU,” he explained.
He stressed that recruitment will be conducted in a transparent manner, strictly based on qualifications. He urged the public not to pay money to any intermediaries or unauthorized agents.
Additionally, efforts will be made to make the recruitment and all information public in the future, he added.
