Cabinet approves raising minimum age for foreign employment

On a proposal made by the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Mr. Dilan Perera, Cabinet of ministers has decided to increase the minimum age limit for migration as domestic workers, to 21 years from the age of 18 years.

As per the data nearly 50 percent of Sri Lankans migrating for foreign employment are females of which large category goes as domestic workers

Majority of labour receiving countries do not have a minimum age limit for females to be taken in for employment to their countries, especially for the domestic sector. But a tendency for abuses and vulnerability to different forms of exploitation appears to be commonly associated with young female domestic workers abroad.

Last year up to June 134,670 Sri Lankans have migrated for foreign employment, of which 59,377 were females. The subject of migration of young women for domestic sector jobs has raised many concerns in the society due to their vulnerability

The National Labour Migration Policy for Sri Lanka declared in October 2009 had also emphasized the importance of stipulating the minimum age for female domestic migrant workers as 21 years, the Government Information Dept. confirmed today.