Sri Lanka says 90 female domestic workers stranded in Oman

At least 90 female domestic workers from Sri Lanka are stranded in Oman, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat said today.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat, Oman receives an increasing number of complaints daily from Sri Lankan female domestic workers who arrived in Oman.

Most of them have arrived using visit or tourist visas intending to convert them to work visas. Many of them were trafficked by unscrupulous and unregistered agents and have faced tremendous difficulties including various harassment.

Currently, around 90 Sri Lankan female domestic workers are stranded in Oman seeking repatriation assistance. They could not afford the expenses relating to their repatriation such as visa, overstay penalty, air ticket, agent fees, and the cost of recruitment demanded by their respective sponsors, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Muscat said.

These female victims are sheltered at the safehouse for which the expenses are borne by the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). The Embassy provides welfare facilities to these female workers which includes medical assistance.

The Embassy has been continuously coordinating with the Omani authorities to facilitate the early repatriation of these migrant workers. During this year, the Embassy was able to facilitate the repatriation of over 240 female workers. In addition, the Embassy has also sought the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist such victims.

The Embassy encourages Sri Lankans who seek jobs in Oman to obtain their employment only through proper channels. (Colombo Gazette)