Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2011-01-25

Proposal to raise the minimum age of females migrating for foreign employment as Domestic Workers from 18 Years to 21 Years

- Majority of labour receiving countries do not have a minimum age limit for females to be taken in for employment to their countries, specially for the domestic sector, and at present, females above 18 years are permitted by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, to take up overseas employment. Since there appears to be a tendency for abuses and vulnerability to different forms of exploitation, on a proposal made by the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare, Hon. Dilan Perera, Cabinet approval was granted to increase the minimum age of females and males migrating for employment as domestic workers, to 21 years.