Lankans risk losing jobs in E-9 visa category due to former Minister’s scheming

A previous government minister’s unauthorised signing of the E-8 visa agreement has created a risk of losing employment opportunities in the E-9 visa category, which had been accessible to a large number of Sri Lankan youth for over 20 years, stated Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) Chairman Koshala Wickramasinghe.

He further emphasised that there is no possibility of legalising these unauthorised visas and stated that certain parties are engaging in such protests to disrupt the investigations he initiated into past frauds, such as the ticket scam he exposed.

Speaking to the media about a protest staged in front of the Bureau’s headquarters in Battaramulla by individuals who paid money to private parties for seasonal jobs under the South Korean E-8 visa category, the Chairman explained the situation.

“Some individuals claim to be fighting for the E-8 visa. However, obtaining it legally is impossible. I have clarified on multiple occasions that the E-8 visa process does not follow the proper procedures for sending individuals abroad for employment. The Bureau has not authorised any private foreign employment agency to send workers for seasonal jobs in South Korea. According to the SLBFE Act, any worker going abroad for employment must be registered with the Bureau.

“A proposal to obtain Cabinet approval for employing workers under the E-8 visa category was prepared on May 14. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Embassy in South Korea sent a letter to the Bureau on June 8, requesting the facilitation of seasonal worker recruitment in the Jeonbuk Province. In response, the former Chairman informed the Embassy that the Bureau was not aware of any agreement with Jeonbuk Province. Concurrently, the former Ministry Secretary instructed the Bureau’s Director General to issue a circular declaring the E-8 visa category legal. The Director General then issued a circular requiring a formal employment contract and certification of job orders by the Sri Lankan Embassy.

“During this process, rumours spread about an agreement signed with Wondo Province. It was later revealed that a former minister had privately signed this agreement without any government approval, even before obtaining Cabinet consent. External parties, leveraging their connections with the minister, trained youth and prepared them for employment. This is essentially a form of human trafficking. We have informed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and initiated an internal audit.

“We urge job seekers to avoid this highly illegal activity. There is no way to legitimise such agreements. If anyone believes the Bureau has suspended these employment opportunities, that is false. Obtaining a visa is the final step in the process, and no visa can be issued without the Bureau’s knowledge. Yet, large sums of money have been collected from individuals, and we have uncovered instances where their houses were even raided to recover funds. No one is allowed to collect money for foreign employment without the Bureau’s approval. Minister Vijitha Herath has also instructed us to take strict legal action against those involved. The new Government will ensure this issue is resolved without escalating it further.

“Some groups who previously supported corrupt politicians are inciting unrest to disrupt our efforts. During my tenure, I appointed a new board of directors to the Bureau and reduced airline ticket prices from Rs. 288,000 to around Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 165,000 within less than a month. Despite purchasing approximately 450 tickets in one month, over Rs. 45 million was misappropriated through tender procedures. This is a classic example of white-collar crime.

“Those involved in these frauds are now instigating protests to sabotage the process we have initiated. We are committed to resolving these issues and ensuring justice for Sri Lankan workers. The Government has taken significant steps to intervene and address this matter. We reiterate that these visas are not legal, and there is no way to legalise them. The Foreign Ministry does not recognise this agreement. As such, we cannot present a Cabinet paper to legitimise it. Only after starting a new legal process will we submit a fresh Cabinet paper.

“For over 20 years, we have sent workers to South Korea under the E-9 visa category through a legal and transparent process, securing around 6,000 job opportunities annually. Currently, about 30,000 Sri Lankan workers are employed in South Korea. The Korean government greatly values Sri Lanka’s structured approach to labour migration. However, this E-8 visa issue could jeopardize employment opportunities under the E-9 category. Seasonal employment lasts for about five to seven months and offers earnings of around Rs. 700,000 and Rs. 3,500,000 in total, but private groups charge exorbitant amounts like Rs. 1.2 to Rs. 2 million for this. These workers must also buy their own tickets, and many end up overstaying illegally based on advice from agents. This situation negatively impacts workers preparing to go abroad legally, as Korean authorities may reduce job quotas.

“We request those affected by the E-8 visa fraud to provide information about the individuals who collected money from them. Help us inform the public about this scam and stop it. We are prepared to punish those responsible under the law,” he concluded.

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