1.12 trillion) from the remittances of migrant workers, making it the biggest source of foreign revenue. Earlier this month, a circular was issued by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) to all licensed foreign employment agencies over the revision of the minimum salary of Sri Lankan migrant workers. Accordingly, the minimum salary of an unskilled worker should be at US$ 350 a month and a skilled worker at US$ 450. He said the original budget decision was taken by the Treasury without consulting the Foreign Employment Ministry or the Bureau. The Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA), a collective body of foreign employment agencies, expressed serious concerns over the new circular saying it would be the end of the foreign job sector if the government implemented the circular.

Source: Sunday Times February 18, 2017 19:17 UTC