An internal investigation has been initiated to address complaints from foreign employment agencies about critical data being inaccessible from the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) website. Several agencies have reported problems, ranging from an inability to view necessary data to being unable to retrieve information vital for their operations. These issues have sparked concerns over the outdated and inefficient computer systems in place at the Bureau.
The ongoing investigation is looking into whether these data access issues stem from a potential data breach or a deliberate data wipe. The SLBFE has acknowledged deficiencies in its data protection mechanisms, and these issues highlight the vulnerabilities posed by relying on decades-old systems. These outdated systems are unable to meet international standards for data security, transparency, and accountability, raising concerns about the Bureau’s ability to protect sensitive data.
In addition to these technical shortcomings, governance issues have also been raised. An official pointed out that the job site used by the Bureau was outsourced to a freelancer a decade ago, but the freelancer, who did not work full-time for the Bureau, is now unreachable as he is working abroad. As a result, the job bank, which holds around 10,000 applications from job seekers, has collapsed. This situation has been ongoing since April, with attempts to investigate the cause of the collapse still underway.
The website, hosted by Sri Lanka Telecom, is reportedly vulnerable to hacking, as the freelancer who originally managed it can no longer be contacted. The situation has worsened due to the lack of proper oversight and coordination.
Additionally, only a small fraction of the migrant workers who went abroad last year—around 400 out of 300,000—were sent by this particular agency, further illustrating the systemic inefficiencies. The investigation into these issues is expected to reveal more about the Bureau’s data management problems and the potential risks it poses to both the Bureau and Sri Lanka’s foreign employment sector.
