Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa met with job applicants protesting at Polduwa Junction, alleging irregularities in the allocation of Israel employment opportunities and calling for government intervention to reduce costs for workers.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa engaged with applicants seeking employment in Israel at a peaceful gathering at Polduwa Junction, expressing concern about what he characterized as unfair practices in the recruitment process. Premadasa emphasized the importance of overseas employment for Sri Lankan youth, noting that migrant workers generate crucial foreign exchange and contribute significantly to the national economy.
According to Premadasa, a 2023 bilateral agreement between Sri Lanka and Israel originally stipulated the provision of 14,000 jobs with a specified distribution: 70% through government channels and 30% through private agencies. However, he alleged that by 2025 and 2026, this arrangement had been reversed, with private agencies now handling 70% of placements while the government manages only 30%. Premadasa described this shift as representing a "serious fraudulent situation."
The cost disparity between recruitment pathways has emerged as a central grievance. Workers processed through government channels pay approximately Rs. 400,000, whereas those routed through private foreign employment agencies face charges around Rs. 4.5 million. Premadasa further alleged that private agencies earn USD 5,000 per worker, suggesting they are profiting substantially from the employment arrangement.
Premadasa stated that approximately 3,500 qualified applicants currently await opportunities to work in Israel. He pledged to address the matter in Parliament and called on the government to restore the original quota distribution and negotiate with Israel to expand official employment pathways, thereby enabling workers to access positions at substantially lower costs.
