More than one-fifth of Sri Lankan workers deployed overseas enter domestic service, data show-By Sanath Nanyakkare
20,368 belonged to the domestic aide category out of the 87,629 Sri Lankan workers who left for overseas employment in August, September and October 2022, External Sector Performance figures show.
Source:Island
A closer look and comparison between foreign employment figures in Sri Lanka’s External Sector Performance show that in the months of August, September and October 2022, a total of 87,629 Sri Lankans migrated for overseas jobs, out of which 20,368 were domestic aides. Hence Sri Lanka has exported a three-month average of 23.2% of its migrant work force or more than one fifth of its labour resource (mostly poor women) as domestic aides.
Total departures for foreign employment during January-October 2022 were recorded at 251,151 which exceeded the annual departures in pre-pandemic period, according to the latest External Sector Performance report released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL)
It stated that total departures for foreign employment were recorded at 28,473 during the month of October 2022 which comprised unskilled (11,399), skilled (7,887) and domestic aid (6,165) categories.
The October 2022 report stated that workers’ remittances steadied at US dollars 355 million in that month, recording a growth for the second consecutive month, on a year-on-year basis.
External Sector Performance-September 2022 reported that workers’ remittances had increased to US dollars 359 million during that month, in comparison to US dollars 325 million in August 2022, recording the highest monthly remittances up to that point in 2022.
In September 2022, total departures for foreign employment were recorded at 30,084 which comprised unskilled (10,491), skilled (9,391) and domestic aid (7,027) categories.
In August 2022, workers’ remittances stood at US dollars 325 million in comparison to US dollars 279 million in the previous month. Total departures for foreign employment in August 2022 were recorded at 29,072 which comprised unskilled (9,685), skilled (8,590) and domestic aid (7,176) categories in that month.
These figures show that 20,368 individuals entered domestic service out of 87,629 departures for foreign employment during August, September and October 2022.
In other words, more than one-fifth of Sri Lankan workers deployed overseas entered domestic service and contributed to the monthly remittances of about US $ 346 million during August, September and October 2022.
Currently, certain local television advertisements claim that female domestic aids and cooks are paid monthly Rs. 145,000 and Rs.185,000 respectively in countries such as Kuwait.
