(COLOMBO) – Nearly 2,771 more Sri Lankans have left for Israel for lucrative jobs in the construction, agriculture and healthcare sectors during the past four months of this year, a senior official with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said on Saturday.
SLBFE Regional Manager for Kurunegala R. Senaratne said that only 1, 912 Sri Lankans had taken up recruitment in Israel during the whole of last year adding that another 172 persons are set to depart to that country later this year.
The Sri Lankan and Israel Governments have signed a MOU to provide job opportunities to skilled Sri Lankan workers, R.Senaratne said.
At present there is an estimated 35,000 Sri Lankans employed in the Jewish state mainly embedded in the agriculture, construction and care giver sectors.
He said the Government also intends to send nearly 350,000 skilled Sri Lankan workers for lucrative jobs in the Middle East and European countries according to their vocational experience and professional qualifications .
Many more Sri Lankans are now interested in seeking job placements overseas and the Government has planned to expand the vocational training facilities for youth at Government Technical Colleges and University Colleges at a cost of Rs. 2 billion next year, Senaratne said.
