Sri Lanka will soon begin sending seasonal workers to South Korea under a new employment program, following Cabinet approval to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Yeongwol Local Government, of the Republic of South Korea.
The program, aimed at deploying Sri Lankan labourers under South Korea’s E-8 visa category, will allow selected individuals to work in agricultural and fisheries villages in the Yeongwol county for periods ranging from five to eight months, Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said.
Following a Cabinet decision on February 19, 2025, to launch a pilot program in collaboration with interested local governments in the Republic of Korea, diplomatic discussions led to the proposed agreement with Korean authorities. The Attorney General has granted legal clearance for the MoU, he said.
The proposal to sign the agreement was submitted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, and has now received Cabinet approval.
Under this program, Sri Lankans will be eligible to work in South Korea’s Yeongwol County under a pilot program allowing short-term employment in agriculture and fisheries for 5 to 8 months.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment will handle all recruitment. Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe said only the government will be authorized to process applications and warned job seekers against dealing with third parties. (Newswire)
