Thailand to recruit 10,000 Lankans under new labour pact

 Sri Lanka and Thailand have concluded negotiations on a landmark labour cooperation framework that will pave the way for the recruitment of 10,000 Sri Lankan workers under a pilot project approved by the Thai Cabinet.

The development follows a series of virtual negotiations between officials of both countries to finalise two key bilateral instruments — a Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Cooperation and an Agreement on the Employment of Sri Lankan Workers in Thailand.

The discussions were facilitated by Sri Lanka’s Embassy and Permanent Mission in Bangkok, with the participation of Ambassador and Permanent Representative Wijayanthi Edirisinghe and officials from the Ministry of Labour and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), alongside their Thai counterparts.

According to officials, the Thai Cabinet has already granted approval to recruit 10,000 Sri Lankan workers to address labour shortages in several sectors of the Thai economy. The pilot initiative is expected to generate structured and gainful employment opportunities for Sri Lankans in fields including construction, agriculture and livestock, food and beverage, industry, educational institutions, aquatic animal processing and mining.

Following comprehensive discussions, both sides finalised the draft texts of the two agreements.

The documents will now be submitted to the respective Governments for formal approval prior to signing. The signing ceremony is expected to take place at ministerial level in the first quarter of 2026.

Officials described the conclusion of negotiations as a significant milestone in bilateral relations, noting that the framework is designed to ensure safe, orderly and regular labour mobility while safeguarding the rights and welfare of Sri Lankan workers under a transparent and regulated mechanism.

The initiative comes amid ongoing efforts by Sri Lanka to expand overseas employment opportunities and enhance foreign remittance inflows, while ensuring stronger protection for migrant workers through government-to-government arrangements.

source:https://island.lk/