The Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara today urged the management of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies to submit proposals and plans to completely stop sending Sri Lankan women overseas to work as housemaids.

The Minister emphasized the importance of halting the practice of sending women for overseas employment as domestic workers and instead proposed that women should be encouraged to seek foreign jobs in high paying skilled categories of work.

In a discussion held today with the members of the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies the Minister said the proposals in this regards should include the views and suggestions of all stakeholders.

The Minister emphasized that the target should be to completely halt Sri Lankan women migrating overseas for domestic work within the next ten years and enhance prospects for them to seek employment in skilled categories instead.