Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra told Parliament that approximately 7,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers face deportation from Israel after taking employment outside their original visa categories, with the government working toward a solution.
Around 7,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers employed in Israel are at risk of deportation after shifting to jobs outside the employment sectors for which they originally entered the country, according to statements made in Parliament. Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra indicated the government is actively seeking a resolution to the situation, which affects workers among a broader population of roughly 30,000 Sri Lankans currently employed there.
The issue emerged during parliamentary proceedings when MP Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised concerns about workers who had sought refugee status after changing employment sectors. Dasanayake questioned whether Sri Lanka could intervene diplomatically, noting that India and Bangladesh had undertaken similar interventions in past situations.
Hemachandra attributed part of the problem to recruitment irregularities under the previous administration. He alleged that former Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara had bypassed standard recruitment procedures by directing the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment to forward lists to Israel's Population and Immigration Authority. Hemachandra claimed some workers, particularly those recruited for agriculture, had not received adequate briefing about their employment categories before departure. He stated that Israeli authorities subsequently offered an amnesty period to address worker status issues, which the previous government reportedly failed to utilize effectively.
The deputy minister further alleged that the former government had planned to send approximately 6,000 replacement workers to Israel and accused officials of collecting money connected to these arrangements, leveling corruption allegations against unnamed individuals and the former minister. Hemachandra emphasized that current workers should not be faulted for their situation and said the present government remains committed to securing fair resolution for affected Sri Lankans.
