New SLBFE office to assist Sri Lankans wishing to return

By Shezna Shums

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment is to open a Sri Lankan office in Bahrain to meet the needs of Sri Lankans working and living in the country amidst the current unstable conditions in the country.

This new office is to be set up within the next three weeks and officers from Sri Lanka will be sent to assist Sri Lankans who want to return to their homes.Currently the closest Sri Lankan Embassy is in Kuwait which has been handling the affairs of Sri Lankans in Bahrain.

According to the SLBFE there are over 15,000 Sri Lankans working in Bahrain.

Statistics show that in the year 2008 a total of 4, 650 people left Sri Lanka for Bahrain; in 2009 the figure was 5,925 and last year there were 7, 057 persons who had sought employment in Bahrain.

The move to open a new office in Bahrain was on a direction from the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera, following concerns and queries from Sri Lankans here about the safety of their family members in Bahrain due to the current political unrest in that country.

However, the SLBFE has assured that all Sri Lankans working in Bahrain were safe and that this new office will be capable of assisting the migrant workers.

Bahrain is considered a popular destination for Sri Lankans seeking employment abroad. Over 7,000 Sri Lankans left for work in Bahrain last year.

According SLBFE there is no visa ban or any travel restrictions for Sri Lankans visiting Bahrain.