Sri Lanka: The Anxieties and Opportunities of Out-Migration

Abstract

The National Employment Policy of Sri Lanka has set out its vision as “Being a provider of a globally employable, competitive human capital’ to enhance the productivity and the competitiveness of the Sri Lankan workforce. The policy is greatly concerned with migrant labour and provides for skills training of migrant workers to enhance their employability. However, one lapse in this is that skills training is mainly provided to male workers, although the number of male workers is one third that of female. The policy also focuses on recruitment issues, safety and protection of workers and reintegration of migrants upon return.