Saudi slaps ban on recruitment from Lanka
October 4, 2010 07:28 am
The Saudi National Recruitment Committee has called upon all private recruitment offices in the Kingdom to sign no further contracts for the employment of Sri Lankan nationals from abroad.
The “extremely urgent” call followed disputes between the Sri Lankan Labor
Union (ALFIA) and the Sri Lankan Labor Office, which could lead to delays in
the arrival of workers to the Kingdom. It is also a response to the Sri Lankan
media’s negative portrayal of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the
National Recruitment Committee and ALFIA which was due to come into effect on
Sep.10.
The MoU signed with ALFIA set recruitment charges at a maximum of SR5,500 for
housemaids.
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Labor reportedly backtracked on the pretext that the
MoU will deprive the Lankan economy of an additional income of over $50
million.
Recruitment offices in the Eastern
Province said Sunday that
most of them had already put the suspension into effect, and that with the
situation currently “unclear” it would remain in force.
“Most offices are now turning to Indonesia as a viable alternative,”
said one office representative. “Indonesia remains committed to the
MoU it signed and which came into effect early Ramadan.”
The MoU with Indonesia
sets recruitment costs at SR6,000, with visa fees on top, The Saudi Gazette reports.
