Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Arun Hemachandra, says that in 2026, Sri Lanka entered into several beneficial agreements with foreign countries, strengthened consular services, and implemented a number of welfare measures for migrant workers.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra made these remarks yesterday (Jan 05) while participating in a media briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He noted that the decades‑old Foreign Service Appointments Act contains many shortcomings, and announced that this year it will be amended and presented as a new Foreign Employment Act.
Speaking further, he said several measures will be taken for the welfare of migrant workers, including providing housing loans worth Rs. 10 million.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra also mentioned that discussions are underway to introduce a pension scheme for migrant workers, and emphasized that he will personally intervene to resolve their issues.
He went on to note that if migrant workers face any problems, they will be able to lodge complaints via social media, with a special investigation unit to be established for this purpose.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra added that a WhatsApp number will be introduced in the future to facilitate the submission of complaints. (Newswire)