New Rule for hiring Sri Lankan domestic workers in UAE

The UAE and Sri Lanka have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to foster cooperation in the labour and manpower fields. The MoU was attached by a protocol agreement that aims at facilitating the process for approving and recruiting domestic workers.

The MoU was signed by Nasser bin Thani Al Hamli, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, and Sir Lanka's Minister of Foreign Employment, Thalatha Athukorala, in the presence of a number of officials from both parties.

Al Hamli lauded the close relations binding the two countries in labour-related fields. He also emphasised that the MoU paves the way for a new stage of cooperation between both countries to ensure a balanced and effective management of the contractual work cycle in line with the laws and regulations applicable in the UAE. He also pointed out that the MoU is meant to regulate the activities of recruitment agencies working in both countries to ensures that Sir Lankan workers are recruited in line with principles of transparency and respect for the law.

The Sir Lankan minister said that the MoU underscores both countries keenness on developing cooperation to ensure transparency between the contractual parties at all stages.

As for the protocol attached to the MoU, both countries agreed to facilitate the process of recruiting and employing domestic workers from Sir Lanka in accordance with the laws and regulations, which are enforced in both countries.

Under the agreement, only recruitment agencies registered at the ministry are able to offer recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers that have been submitted by employers.