Mr. Abdul Raheem, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai met Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Chief of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai and had a detailed discussion on matters of mutual interest to the Sri Lankan expatriate community and particularly the domestic female migrant workers in Dubai. The First Secretary and the Counsellor (Employment & Welfare) of the Consulate General also participated in the meeting.
Consul General Abdul Raheem, while appreciating the assistance and the cooperation extended by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, thanked the Chief Mr. Al Marri, for his guidance in assisting Sri Lankan female domestic workers who are in distress and their repatriation to Sri Lanka.
The Consul General brought to the notice of Mr. Al Marri the recent increasing trend of female domestic Sri Lankan workers who arrive in Dubai on visit visas and are employed as house maids. When such domestic workers are in difficulties and abscond from the employer, they have no legal practice as they are on visit visas.
Mr. Ahmed Al Marri assured the assistance of his office in addressing issues related to runaway female domestic workers in Dubai. However, it was emphasized that Sri Lankan female workers who travel to UAE on visit visas, and seek employment as domestic aids have to be stopped from boarding flights by in Sri Lankan authorities as UAE Authorities will not take the responsibilities of foreigners who are above 18 years as they could land in Dubai on visit visas.
Sri Lankan Missions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been encountering a number of issues in the recent past as Sri Lankan domestic workers, including underage female workers who arrive in the UAE on visit visas, have faced numerous difficulties, when they run away from their sponsors or the foreign agents.
Mr. Ahmed Al Marri informed that his office will extend all possible assistance while addressing complaints received from sponsors and employees and pledged his cooperation to the Sri Lanka Mission in Dubai in facilitating the repatriation of stranded female domestic workers to Sri Lanka.
There are approximately 250,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers in the UAE, out of which 40% are employees as female domestic workers. When they abscond from their sponsor and foreign agent, they need to get the clearance from the UAE Immigration and the Police, before they can be repatriated to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Missions in UAE have also encountered difficulties in dealing with such cases as some of them are quite complicated. 80% of Sri Lankan migrant workforce in the UAE is employed in Dubai and Northern Emirates, which fall into the particulars of the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Dubai.
The Consulate General advises Sri Lankans visiting to work in the UAE, should obtain proper employment visas and should not travel on visit visas.
Consulate General of Sri Lanka
Dubai & Northern Emirates
1st September 2014
