Thursday, 18 July 2013 00:00
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Over 3,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers with expired visas have returned under a special amnesty granted by the Saudi Arabian government, which is the first instalment of an estimated 14,000 people.
These 14,000 others have registered at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Riyadh expecting to return home but according to reports, are being delayed due to difficulties in obtaining temporary visas. Also, since the earlier deadline of 3 July has been extended by the Saudi government to 4 November, it is likely that more people will sign up for the chance to avoid fines, deportation or, in extreme cases, prison.
Since most of those who are returning home are housemaids, it is unlikely that the Sri Lankan economy can absorb such a large number of new employees. Given that finding well-paying jobs for all the returnees would be challenging, most of them will consider returning to Saudi under a new or adjusted visa – a provision that is provided for in the amnesty.
This works well for the Saudi government for they can clear out Sri Lankans remaining illegally in their country and rehire them at their leisure. However, it does little to iron out the reasons why so many Sri Lankans are availing themselves to the amnesty. Why have so many thousands of people decided to overstay their visas? Were their employment contracts at fault? Moreover, how can this issue be prevented from reoccurring? What of the foreign employment agencies that sent them? Should they be held culpable?
The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB), opaque at the best of times, has so far given no indication as to what their plans are. This is all the more worrying since numbers of migrant workers to Saudi Arabia are increasing significantly year on year. Within the first five months of this year alone, 19,445 women had departed to Saudi Arabia as housemaids. What has been done to ensure that they don’t join the 14,000 waiting at the embassy?
This is a siren call for the Government to get its act together and work to protect migrant workers in the future. It is clear that greater awareness and training is also necessary so that migrants can get better pay and work conditions. They need support services here and in the country of employment so that when an injustice is done, they have an authority to turn to rather than waiting for amnesty from foreign governments.
Proposed housing and entrepreneurship loan schemes, while providing an incentive for migrant workers, are also part of a highly politicised process that leaves room for women to fall through the cracks. A special system has to be put in place so that savings and accessibility to loans and other financial schemes are given through an impartial framework. This will not only protect women but also give them a chance to invest and grow their savings while being able to return to their lives at home faster. It also means that they can stop taking risks with their lives.
Without a clear legal framework being ironed out, migrant workers run the risk of being victimised multiple times, not only by their foreign workers and regulations, but by the policymakers and diplomats of their own country who pay scant attention to their requirements. This amnesty should be the last time that Sri Lankans have to rely on a foreign government to return them to their homes.
