WorkInSriLanka continues to draw the attention of expat community

Tuesday, 5 August 2014 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

WorkInSriLanka, a volunteer-led brain gain initiative that aims to position Sri Lanka as an attractive work destination, for highly skilled individuals and high calibre businesses, held its quarterly meet up in Colombo recently. The event was attended by nearly 100 expatriate Sri Lankans who have recently returned to Sri Lanka from countries including Australia, USA, UK, France, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand, actively seeking information on settling down in Sri Lanka from WorkInSriLanka volunteers.

Speaking at the event, Nayana Samaranayake said, “We are delighted to see growing interest among the expat community to move back to Sri Lanka in search of both career and investment opportunities. With representatives from a diverse set of industries, the WorkInSriLanka community actively reaches out to them through these interactive sessions as well as our website, mentor programs and annual conference. We intend to ease their transition into the country by offering all necessary information and support.” A project of SL2College, WorkInSriLanka was launched in May 2013 with the aim of reversing the brain drain in the country. Offering comprehensive information on careers, living, education, housing and immigration for the Sri Lankan expat community through its website, WorkInSriLanka actively engages with them through such quarterly informal forums. Its inaugural annual conference held last December brought together recent returnees, expats living in Sri Lanka, investors, and experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges in making Sri Lanka the worlds’ preferred work destination. The conference saw the participation of officials from the Government and private sectors strategising to build a stronger brain gain platform for the country. The event proved to be a great networking opportunity for companies and prospective candidates.

WorkInSriLanka Launched in May 2013, the WorkInSriLanka project seeks to advocate Sri Lanka as an attractive destination for highly skilled individuals and high calibre businesses. WorkInSriLanka is actively engaged in building partnerships with key industries in the country and has successfully signed four partners on board, including The Employers Federation of Ceylon, The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, SLASSCOM, and the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics Sri Lanka. A comprehensive portal (workinsrilanka.lk) is available to provide information on relocation and connect users with a variety of key industry bodies within the country. The portal facilitates the sharing of industry specific information that would help expats and migrants make informed decisions on working in Sri Lanka.