The labour section, of the Sri Lanka High Commission was established to ensure the well being of the migrant workers to Singapore and also to promote more employment prospects for Sri Lankans to work in Singapore. The activities of the Labour section are monitored by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.

The functions of the labour section are primarily;

• To ensure the welfare of foreign workers in Singapore.
• Promote employment opportunities for Sri Lankans.
• Regulate operations of licensed employment agencies in Singapore.
• Settlement of disputes arising out of non payment of wages.
• Looking into issues related to physical and sexual harassment.
• Holding inquiries into complaints on breach of employment contracts.
• Liasing with host government authorities such as Police, Ministry of Manpower, Immigration and Prisons.
• Visits to Prisons, Hospitals and other Institutes related to labour welfare matters.
• Attending to inquiries held at Ministry of Manpower and Courts.
• Providing counseling services.
• Attending to workers who are ill and also assisting them in the event of repatriation.
• Visiting work sites such as Old People's Homes, etc. where Sri Lankan workers are employed.
• Participating and organizing religious and other festival activities for workers.
• Verifying contracts that enable employers to recruit workers directly and contracts
  signed by registered agents and employers.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR DIRECT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS

Employers who wish to employ a domestic worker on a direct employment contract have to make and application to the Ministry of Manpower and obtain an In-Principle Approval.(IPA) They also have to comply with other Ministry requirements such as Insurance, Banker's Guarantee etc.

They have to produce a copy of the IPA, a copy of their Identity Card or Passport, a passport sized photograph of the prospective employee to the Labour section of the High Commission in order to sign the contract.

A fee of Singapore $80.00 is charged to the employer.

A copy of the contract document is given to the employer and this document, along with a copy of the IPA has to be sent to Sri Lanka (A fax copy is accepted) One set, to the Airline on which the worker will be travelling and one set to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.

The prospective worker has to undergo a compulsory training course for 21 days conducted by the SLBFE free of charge, after which a certificate is awarded on successful completion of this training course. The worker has to also undergo a Medical check by a Doctor/Clinic approved by the Bureau.
However, the training programme is not essential for those workers who have had previous experience working in Singapore and have proof of such employment.

Workers seeking employment overseas have to make an insurance payment known as "Suraksha". This insurance payment is compulsory and the workers obtain benefits such as compensation in case of permanent disability of the employee, medical benefits given to family members, compensation made in case of accidental death etc. The employee will need to have the verified contract document in order to make this payment prior to her departure from Sri Lanka.

On arrival of the worker to Singapore, the employer has to send the worker to the High Commission to sign and complete the contract document within a period of seven days.

The contract documents are available at the High Commission.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE FOR AGENCY REGISTRATION/JOB ORDERS AND SIGNING INDIVIDUAL CONTRACTS TO RECRUIT WORKERS

A licensed employment agency in Singapore who wishes to recruit workers from Sri Lanka have to initially register themselves with the High Commission. The documents required for registration are:

• Copy of Registrar of Companies certificate.
• Copy of License to Operate and Employment Agency
• Copy of Identity Card or Passport of chief signatory- Partner/Director of Company

A registration fee of Singapore $ 45.00 is charged, to be renewed annually.

Thereafter the employment agency is required to sign a Job Order with a Sri Lanka Licensed Employment agency, which would enable them to recruit workers to Singapore.

Along with the Job Order, a Special Power of Attorney signed by the Singapore agent, and an Agreement signed by both the Singaporean and Sri Lankan agents have to be submitted. On submission of same, the documents a,b, and c of the Sri Lankan have to be annexed. These documents have to be submitted in triplicate, one original and two sets of copies. The Job Order and the Special Power of Attorney have to be signed and sealed with the Singapore agency stamp, the Agreement has to be signed and sealed with the stamps of both Singaporean and Sri Lankan agents.

A fee of Singapore $45.00 is charged for each job order.

Employment agencies are permitted to deal with any five Sri Lankan agents. One Job Order entitles them to recruit 100 workers. The minimum wage for an inexperienced domestic worker from Sri Lanka is currently $220.00.Deduction of agency fee,(inclusive of cost of air ticket)from the wages of the worker, has to be an amount approved by the SLBFE.

After the formalities of the agreements are completed, the agents are required to register each individual employment contract at this High Commission for verification. They will have to submit the contract plus one copy, signed by the employer and the Singapore agent, copy of the IPA and IC of the employer.

A fee of Singapore $45.00 is payable by the employer for the verification of this contract.

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

When a complaint is made to the High Commission, by either the employee or employer, the officers of the labour section talks to both parties concerned and make an attempt to solve the problem. In some instances they are requested to come to the High Commission in person.

If the employee has been recruited through an employment agency, on some occasions the agency is also asked to intervene in the matter, especially if the worker is to be transferred to a new employer.

In instances where a solution cannot be found the matter is referred to the Ministry of Manpower. In extreme situations the High Commission has to seek legal advice and in cases of physical abuse report the matter to the Police.

REPATRIATION PROCEDURES

The repatriation process is usually undertaken by the employers of the worker, or on their request by the agency concerned.

CONTRACT FORMS :

1. Registration form for Employment Agencies
2. Undertaking on the Recruitment of Housemaids/Housekeepers from Sri Lanka
3. Job Order for Agents
4. Special Power of Attorney for Agents (2 pages)
5. Agreement for both Agents (3 pages)
6. Employment Contract for Sri Lankan Housekeepers in Singapore (4 pages)
7. Employment Contract for General Workers

These forms could be obtained from the Labour Section of the High Commission.

For further details on please refer to the web site Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) http://www.slbfe.lk .