Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-03-21

Drafting of the new Sri Lanka Immigrants and Emigrants Bill

- Although the Immigrant and Emigrant Act, No.20 of 1948 had been subject to amendments in 1955, 1961, 1993, 1998, 2006 and 2015, it requires compliance with the present trends of the international environment. Accordingly, with the objective of establishing a strong Immigrants and Emigrants legal network, identifying the gaps in the existing Immigrant and Emigrant laws, the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Navinne, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare the new Sri Lanka Immigrants and Emigrants Act, to address the challenges with regard to illegal migration, trafficking of persons, terrorism, cross border transnational crimes and health, was approved by the Cabinet.