By: Isuru Parakrama
Colombo (LNW): 32 stranded Sri Lankan migrant workers have been repatriated from Oman on August 17 in a joint operation by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat, the Omani Foreign Ministry and the Department of Immigration of the Royal Oman Police.
Sri Lankans have been warned by the Embassy not to fall victim to human traffickers and arrive in Oman without confirmed jobs, after more illegal migrants were repatriated.
These migrant workers had entered Oman on visit/tourist visas with the anticipation of finding jobs and subsequently overstayed their visas without securing proper employment, the Embassy revealed in a statement.
“The issue of migrant workers arriving on visit/tourist visas and then overstaying due to lack of viable employment has been a challenge faced by many potential workers. From November 2022 to date the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oman has facilitated repatriation of more than 400 stranded migrants with support extended by the Omani authorities,” the statement read.
The stranded Sri Lankan migrant workers were provided with essential humanitarian support, including medical assistance, accommodation, and access to basic necessities by the Embassy.
The Oman Sri Lanka Social Club and other well-wishers have also extended their support to the Embassy during the operation.
The Sri Lankan Embassy in Muscat, Oman urged all Sri Lankans to seek jobs only though licenced agencies and register with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment prior to arriving in the Gulf state.
