The Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera requested Sri Lankans who are in Saudi Arabia illegally to use the grace period granted by the Saudi government and return to the island.
He stated that there were between 5000 to 6000 Sri Lankans who were unable to return to the country from Saudi Arabia for various reasons and still remain there.
The Saudi government decided to give those in the country illegally a grace period until July 3 to leave while the Minister explained that those who remain there illegally beyond this time period will be sentenced to serve two years in prison in Saudi Arabia.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in the Kingdom will work 24-hours a day to supply the Sri Lankans with temporary passports, the Minister further explained while adding that around 400 Lankans had already received permits to leave the country.
