According to Mr. Koshala Wickramasinghe, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), the recruitment and dispatch process for South Korean E8 category jobs is currently under careful study, with efforts being made to legalize it. The E8 visa pertains to seasonal employment in Korea’s agriculture and fisheries sectors for about five months. However, the existing agreement regarding these jobs, signed in the past, has been deemed illegal by the Korean Embassy, leading to its rejection. As a result, a circular issued on September 3rd, under a former SLBFE chairman, was canceled on September 23rd.
Mr. Wickramasinghe clarified that the agreement in question was never enforced, and therefore, the claims that these job opportunities have been lost are untrue. He further stressed that ongoing reports of employment agencies collecting money and passports for these jobs are illegal, urging the public not to fall prey to such scams.
