Employment and Welfare

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) was established under the Act of Parliament No. 21 of 1985 and is the sole authority regulating foreign employment in Sri Lanka. The Act stipulates objectives with regard to Sri Lankans employed outside Sri Lanka under a temporary work agreement. Under the Act, the SLBFE undertakes measures to regulate and streamline the process of labour migration, i.e., the protection and welfare of Sri Lankans working outside Sri Lanka and their families. Accordingly, every Sri Lankans leaving for employment outside Sri Lanka shall prior to such leaving register with the SLBFE.

In terms of compliance, Section 51 of the SLBFE Act requires that every Sri Lankan citizen intending to depart for employment overseas shall register with the SLBFE prior to departure. This registration is a mandatory legal requirement, and non-compliance may result in the denial of access to welfare assistance, insurance coverage, and legal support.

The Employment and Welfare Section is tasked with addressing matters concerning the protection and welfare of SLBFE-registered Sri Lankan migrant workers in Malaysia. The Section operates under the mandate of the SLBFE and, in coordination with the High Commission of Sri Lanka, delivers a range of services in line with the objectives of the Bureau.

Service Functions of Employment and Welfare

• Facilitating new registrations and renewals of SLBFE registration for Sri Lankan employees in Malaysia.
• Handling complaints received from SLBFE registered Sri Lankan employees in Malaysia and Sri Lanka, and Next of Kin (NoK) in Sri Lanka.
• Visiting hospitals to provide assistance and monitor the welfare of Sri Lankan workers under medical care.
• Engaging with prisons, courts, immigration authorities, and police to provide necessary support to Sri Lankan workers who are detained, imprisoned, or undergoing legal proceedings.
• Coordinating immediate repatriation of workers to Sri Lanka due to medical, humanitarian, or other urgent reasons.
• Organizing mobile consular and welfare outreach programs in areas outside Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with the Consular Section of the High Commission.
• To provide information regarding the welfare services and benefits received from SLBFE registration and to provide necessary assistance for that purpose. (example: - Manusavi pension scheme, Scholarship for children of migrant workers, Social Insurance scheme, Loan scheme etc.)
• Conducting company visits employing Sri Lankan workers in order to establish good relations with employers, to promote Sri Lanka, and to ascertain the living and working conditions of Sri Lankan employees.

Manusavi Pension Scheme

Loans Scheme

Scholarships Program

Registration of Individual Employment Contracts (Domestic Workers) by an individual

A sponsor residing in Malaysia, who wish to recruit a domestic worker on individual basis should fulfill certain requirements for this purpose.

Recruitment Process

1. Contact the Employment & Welfare Section
   1. Before starting, the sponsor should contact the Employment & Welfare Section of the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia for guidance on the recruitment process.
2. Worker's Requirements in Sri Lanka The prospective domestic worker must:
   1. Obtain a family background report from the relevant Sri Lankan authorities.
   2. Complete the pre-departure training program conducted by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
   3. Pass a medical examination at an approved GAMCA medical center and obtain a medical certificate.
3. Apply for the Calling Visa
   1. The sponsor applies for the calling visa through Malaysia's Home Ministry.
   2. Required documents include:
      1. Color copy of the worker's passport.
      2. Medical certificate.
   3. Once approved, the calling visa and levy payment receipt, introducer letter with employment contract must be submitted to the Sri Lankan High Commission for authentication.
4. Before the Worker Travels
   1. All documentation and formalities must be completed before the worker arrives in Malaysia.

Fees

• Employment contract authentication (Malaysia): MYR 285
• SLBFE registration (Sri Lanka): Approximately LKR 22,027 (all-inclusive, subject to change).

Mandatory Registration

The domestic worker must register with the SLBFE by submitting all required documents. This registration is compulsory for workers recruited under the individual/private recruitment scheme.

Documents Available for Download

• Check List for Recruit Domestic Workers.
• Contract of Employment for Domestic Helpers (Private Recruitment).

Registration & Annual Renewal of the Company/Recruitment Agency

1.     A company/Manpower recruitment agency in Malaysia, that expects to recruit employees from Sri Lanka should register under the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) through the High Commission of Sri Lanka, Malaysia.

2.     Duly filled application forms-Registration of Recruitment Agents/Companies-and the application form-Information of Recruitment Agency/Company in Malaysia together with documents appended below should be submitted to the Employment & Welfare section of the Mission for registration.

3.     Once all formalities are completed, a certificate with registration number will be issued to the company/agency.

4.     Details of the company/agency will be entered in the SLBFE registration system for future reference.

Annual Renewal of Registration of the Company/Recruitment Agency

1.     Recruitment company/agency should renew its validity of the registration for recruiting of Sri Lankan manpower at the end of one year from the first/last registration.

2.     The Mission will assess the compliance of the company/agency in line with terms and conditions as indicated in the original application at the renewal process.

3.     Cooperation extended to the Mission/Sri Lankan agency in attending to the grievances of migrant workers will be one of the key yardsticks at the assessment for renewal of the registration.

4.     MYR 200/- will be levied on registration/renewal of the company/recruitment agency

5.     Once all formalities are completed, the license will be renewed for further period of one year under the original license number.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS

• Information of Recruitment Agency/ Company Malaysia
• Registration of Recruitment Agents/ Direct Employers for Recruitment of Workers from Sri Lanka
• Renewal of Agency/Company Registration

Registration of Individual employment Contracts (Non-Domestic workers) by a company

Registration of individual employment contracts are registered only for non-domestic workers from the receiving end (Malaysia) with the obtain authentication of the High Commission. It is mandatory requirement.

Two sets of individual employment contracts issued in the name of the worker by the recruiting party should be submitted to the High Commission for authentication.

IC copy of the Power of Attorney holder of the company, the introducer and passport copy and visa of the prospective employee and documents related to the company trade license, etc. should be submitted to the High Commission of Sri Lanka at the authentication.

Original Job Offer letter with a copy issued to the prospective worker by the company is also required.

Authentication of individual employment contracts to recruit a non-domestic employee could be processed through an introducer- possibly a Sri Lankan who currently works in Malaysia.

The company in Malaysia should obtain relevant documents from the prospective employee in Sri Lanka and submit them to the High Commission of Sri Lanka at the authentication.

After the authentication, relevant documents should be faxed/ emailed to the prospective employee in Sri Lanka to be registered at the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) by prospective company/agency.

Two sets of contract papers are endorsed by the High Commission and the original set will be issued to the applicant.

MYR 285.00 will be levied on attestation of the documents after completion of authentication, recorded to the SLBFE system.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS

• Check List for Individual Employment Contract
• Contract of Employment for Factory/Company Workers from Sri Lanka (Private Recruitment)

Registration of Job Orders (Company/Recruitment Agency)

1. Job Order is a legal document that is signed between the recruitment agency/company in Malaysia and the agency/company in Sri Lanka, which is contracted by the foreign agent/company (Malaysia) for the purpose of recruiting Sri Lankan manpower and dispatch them to Malaysia.
2. The Malaysia company/manpower recruitment agency, which expects to recruit employees from Sri Lanka, could obtain information regarding the approved foreign employment agencies in Sri Lanka from the Approval Division of the SLBFE.
3. Having agreed on the terms and conditions of the job order, i.e. salary, leave, food, accommodation, air package etc., the company/the manpower recruitment agency in Malaysia should sign the prescribed agreement with the contracted agency/company in Sri Lanka.
4. Particular job recruitment should have approved by the local competent authority and documentary evidences such as trade license should be submitted to the Mission by the respective company/agency.
5. After verified the documents submitted, particular Malaysian agency/company is issued an user name and a password to enter the details of the job order in to the web-based system of the SLBFE.
6. Malaysian company/agency should facilitate the High Commission officials to make a site visit- accommodation, facilities etc. when and where such requirement deemed necessary.
7. Duly signed under mentioned prescribed documents- two sets of each document should be submitted to the Embassy for registration. All documents should be on the official letterhead with the official seal of the foreign recruitment agency/company.
   1. Job Order,
   2. Service Agreement of agency/company entered with the agency/company in Sri Lanka
   3. Special Power of Attorney to sign the documents on behalf of the Malaysian company/agency by the Power of Attorney holder appointed by the company/agency
   4. Power of Attorney issued in favor of the agency in Sri Lanka by the foreign agency/company (Malaysia).
   5. Declaration by the Foreign Company/Agency (Malaysia).
   6. Letter from the Malaysian company/agent giving details of subsidiaries or prospective employer/employers holding visas for recruiting Sri Lankans under the respective job order
   7. A copy of the Job Offer Letter.
8. The full set of documents will be endorsed by the Embassy and the original set will be issued to the applicant.
9. At the same time, the respective company/agency will be issued with ‘Certificate of Registration for Recruitment of Workers from Sri Lanka’ by the High Commission, which should be submitted at subsequent job order registrations by the company/agency.
10. MYR 855.00 will be levied as registration cost which covers attestation of Power of Attorney, Service Agreement, Demand letter, Job Offer Letter etc.
11. Subsequent to the attestation of the job order, particular Malaysian agency/company should forward the attested copies of the job order to the Sri Lanka agency to proceed the job order.

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS

• Check list For Job Order Registration for Non- Domestic Sector

• Check List for Job Order Registration for Domestic Sector

• JOB ORDER/Demand Letter

• BUSINESS AGREEMENT

• Declaration Form

• SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY(NEW)

• Affidavit

• Guarente Letter for Domestic Worker

• Employment Contract for Domestic Sector

• Employment Contract for Non-Domestic Sector

SLBFE Registration & Renewal

As per the Act of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), any Sri Lankan who leaves for employment overseas shall obtain SLBFE registration prior to leaving the country.

Two years’ validity period of SLBFE registration is allowed for Sri Lankan employees who come to the Malaysia for foreign employment. After completing the 2-year contract period, the employee shall renew registration for another two years. In the event of change of employer, the employee needs to obtain a new registration for the remainder of his or her contract period.

Details of registration fees are as follows:

The employee could new or renew the SLBFE registration from the High Commission of Sri Lanka without paying the taxes (NBT and VAT). The registration can be obtained from the High Commission of Sri Lanka after submitting the following documents along with the relevant payments.

• Employee’s Passport
• Valid Visa
• Duly completed application form (Can be collected from the High Commission / can be downloaded from the High Commission website.

The SLBFE uses the registration fees to support the mandatory welfare measures related to Sri Lankan employees who work outside of Sri Lanka and their family members. In this regard, the SLBFE provides the food and medical support, emergency repatriation expenses in case of illness and/or death, and repatriation of human remains to Sri Lanka if required.

Every Sri Lankan employee who has registered with the SLBFE is entitled to the insurance coverage and can obtain its benefits in the event of the following incidents:

• Repatriation due to harassment, illness, accident or injury while working the abroad during the contract period
• Repatriation due to pregnancy as a result of sexual harassment by a sponsor or his family members while working the abroad during the contract period.
• Death due to any cause whilst working abroad.
• Death in Sri Lanka within 3 months of return due to a critical illness or accident which occurred while working abroad during the contract period.
• Partial disablement which has occurred while working abroad during the contract period.
• Cost of hospitalisation and medical treatment (indoor) in case of accidents, injuries or illness of a family member.

In addition, SLBFE provides the following welfare facilities for registered employees and their family members.

• Facilitation of low interest loan schemes with concessionary interest rates for housing, pre-departure, self–employment
• Provision of scholarships for school children, university students and technical college students of the Sri Lankan employees.
• Welfare assistance for needy migrant workers.

Click here to download SLBFE Registration and Renewal Form