(COLOMBO) – Saudi Arabia’s decision to slash the fees for recruiting foreign domestic workers will only benefit job agencies in that country and will have no positive impact on the Sri Lankan overseas job industry, a topmost official said on Wednesday.
“Those that will benefit from this decision will be the recruiting agencies in that desert kingdom and the sponsor (Employer) but it will have no bearing on the positive local industry”, R. Faraouk Marrikar-President of the Association for Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) said.
He however added that the medical clearance certificate for a Sri Lankan migrant worker will now cost something like RS. 40,000 up by nearly Rs. 8,000 owing to the newly introduced tax by the Government from the start of this year.
The Saudi decision ‘aligns with that country’s broader goals to develop all services, improve the labour market environment and enhance its appeal,’ according to the ministry.
The ministry also emphasized the importance of adherence to these new price ceilings and stated that compliance would be monitored through the Musaned platform which is a government authority dealing with the subject.
