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Curbing irregular migration

05 Oct 2020

 
  • Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman introduces new procedure
By Sarah Hannan  In an attempt to control the irregular migration and trafficking of Sri Lankan female domestic workers to the Sultanate of Oman, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Oman have introduced a new procedure in co-ordination with the authorities concerned. “The new procedure has seven steps to complete and the Directorate General of Passport and Residence of the Royal Oman Police will issue employment visas to the Sri Lankan female domestic workers only if the steps are followed,” SLBFE Chairman Kamal Ratwatte noted. According to the new procedure, Omani recruitment agencies or individual sponsors are mandated to obtain a “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) from the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat to recruit Sri Lankan female domestic workers for employment in the Sultanate of Oman. Ratwatte further noted that the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat would issue the NOC free of charge for this purpose. “We request the prospective Sri Lankan females who wish to leave for employment in the Sultanate of Oman as domestic workers to be kindly aware of this new procedure and to request their recruitment agencies and individual sponsors to follow the procedure,” Ratwatte elaborated. The SLBFE also wishes to advise the prospective Sri Lankan female domestic workers not to fall victim to the unscrupulous agencies/individuals who promise employment opportunities in the Sultanate of Oman under the category of visit/tourist visa through any third country. The Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (LFEAs) and their Omani counterparts that wish to recruit Sri Lanka female domestic workers for employment in the Sultanate of Oman should abide by the following procedure, which has been in effect from 1 October 2020:
  • Step 1: The Omani recruitment agency should submit the employment contract of the Sri Lankan female domestic worker to the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman for necessary attestations.
  • Step 2: The Omani recruitment agency should submit the employment contract attested by the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat for authentication.
  • Step 3: The Omani recruitment agency should take necessary actions to send the employment contract authenticated by the Sri Lanka Embassy to the relevant Sri Lankan LFEA to register the Sri Lankan female domestic worker with the SLBFE.
  • Step 4: The Sri Lankan LFEA should obtain final approval from the SLBFE for the recruitment of the female domestic worker.
  • Step 5: The Omani recruitment agency should submit a request letter to the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat, for the issuance of the NOC, after registration of the female domestic worker with the SLBFE.
  • Step 6: The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat will issue the NOC, after verification of the mandatory registration of each Sri Lankan female domestic worker with the SLBFE.
  • Step 7: The Omani recruitment agency should then submit the employment contracts together with the NOC issued by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat, to the Directorate General of Passports and Residence of the Royal Oman Police, for the issuance of the necessary employment visa for Sri Lankan female domestic workers to work in the Sultanate of Oman.
Further information can be obtained through the Operating Information Centre of the SLBFE via short code telephone number 1989 or 0112 880 500. 


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