Legal action has been taken against 104 Sri Lankan migrant workers overstaying their visas in Israel, Deputy Minister of Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said Wednesday.
According to the Deputy Minister Manusha Nanayakkara, 60 legal cases against overstaying migrant workers have been opened in the court and legal action has been taken to file cases against 30 more.
With the commencement of judicial proceedings, five Sri Lankan workers who were illegally staying have arrived in Sri Lanka, the Deputy Minister said.
The cases will be taken up for hearing during the period from late May to August and so far the court has summoned 20 cases.
Deputy Minister Nanayakkara said the overstaying workers were sent to Israel through the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau for employment in the agricultural sector on a six months contract.
“Young people were sent for employment in agriculture by the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency. These workers were able to send more income to the country within six months. However, some workers are illegally staying in the country after the period of the visa,” he said.
He said that the workers who return to Sri Lanka after completing six months’ service can return to Israel once again.
The Deputy Minister said that there is a risk of losing the job quota to the country if workers overstay their visas after six months.
He said a diplomatic announcement had been made in this regard and the Government would take action to get them deported from Israel to Sri Lanka.
