Safe Labour Migration Programme (2010-2024)

Shaping labour migration in Sri Lanka 

Switzerland has long been a pioneer in the field of migration and development, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to ethical practices and the welfare of migrant workers. Located in the South Asian region, Sri Lanka is a small island-state that shows a significant migrant outflow where the government of Sri Lanka launched their first national migration policy in 2008. However, the policy did not widely addressed all aspects of safe and regular migration and labour migration governance presented some perceived gaps.  

Evaluating the needs of migrant workers and their families, Switzerland commenced the Safe Labour Migration Programme (SLMP) for Sri Lankans 2010 and continued to assist Sri Lanka’s policy level, decentralized sub national levels, and grassroot level migrant workers by involving a multistakeholder approach.

Today, SLMP has transformed labor migration in Sri Lanka, ensuring that it is safe, fair, and beneficial for all parties involved.

A Journey of Transformation - Brochure - English (PDF, 9 Pages, 5.6 MB, English)

A Journey of Transformation - Brochure - Sinhala  (PDF, 9 Pages, 6.5 MB)

A Journey of Transformation - Brochure - Tamil (PDF, 9 Pages, 5.3 MB)

Podcast 1 - What is SLMP?

Safe and regular migration is key concern to Sri Lanka as a small island-state located in the South Asian region with a significant migrant outflow. In this SDC podcast, Ms. Muriel Gschwend from the Thematic Section Migration and Forced Displacement responsible for South Asia and Mrs. Rangitha Balasuriya managing this programme through the Embassy of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and the Maldives explains how Switzerland designed, developed and launched the Safe Labour Migration Programme (SLMP) for Sri Lankans in 2010 and continued to engage multi-stakeholder partnerships to ensure sustainability through various development interventions.   

Podcast 2 - Switzerland working on policy reforms

Switzerland always recognize the efforts taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to strengthen their national labour migration related policy reforms. In this podcast, Mr. Nikaril Kanth, Senior Assistant Secretary to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment together with Mr. Senerath Yapa, Assistant Director General Manager Foreign Affairs working for the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment narrates their long journey with Switzerland to launch the revised national labour migration policy in Sri Lanka.  

Podcast 3 - Switzerland strengthening local civil societies

The International Cooperation strategy of Switzerland always attempt to engage a multi-stakeholder approach to achieve their development programme targets. In this podcast, Mr. Ajith Kaluarachchi served as a Programme Manager to this project at Helvetas Swiss Intercoorperation Sri Lanka narrates how Switzerland engaged local Civil Society Organizations to directly implement the grassroots level interventions in the field by connecting government and the decentralized level migrant assistant institutions.   

Podcast 4 - Switzerland capacitating duty bearers and migrant workers

Switzerland always ensure that beneficiaries are well informed and engaged in International Cooperation activities implemented at the grassroots level. All interventions were developed by mainstreaming gender aspects and leaving no one behind. In this podcast, Ms Maheeka Leelarathne from the Ministry of Labour and Foreign Employment will narrate how this development assistance from Switzerland helped her to develop her skills and capacities to serve better in the public sector whereas Ms Nagadevendra Kumar Priyadarshini from the Northern Province of Sri Lanka explains how well the grassroot level interventions and migrant services helped her and all other fellow migrant workers to overcome challenges.  

Podcast 5 - Switzerland upskilling migrant workers through peer support

Sustainability is a key consideration to Switzerland and it is ensured that the results of development programming are well transferred to those beneficiaries and wider stakeholders in Sri Lanka. Mr. Sivashankar Sivasothy of FIRM organization explains how their civil society interventions helped the migrant workers to form, engage and upskill peer support groups and sustain such efforts even after the funding assistance from Switzerland. He also narrates their efforts in strengthening decentralized level migrant information centres (MIC) within government structures. Mr. Mahesh Peiris from Caritas Sri Lanka further explains how they assisted vulnerable returnee migrant workers with paralegal services to overcome challenges and look positively on a successful reintegration. 

Mobilization of migrant workers to offer peer support in Sri Lanka

@FDFA Sri Lanka

Decent work, safety and well-being for migrant workers and their families

SDC commenced a Labour Migration Programme(LMP) in 2010 for a period of two years under the aegis of the Global Programmme Migration and Development (GPMD). The main purpose of the LMP is to strengthen the rights of migrant workers and to make labour migration safer and more beneficial for human development. Capitalizing on the experience and lessons learnt, a second phase of the programme was launched in 2013, extending up to 2016. 

The overall goal of the programme is for 'decent working conditions and improved well-being for migrants and their families and to enhance the development benefits of migration'

The labour migration programme works towards improving the protection and well-being of Sri Lankan women and men labour migrants and their families. Interventions both at the policy and grass root levels contribute to the safety and prosperity of men and women labour migrants and their families by safeguarding their rights, security and dignity.

Objectives

• The rights of migrants and their families are safeguarded through the implementation of the National Labour Migration Policy.
• Women and men migrants and their families reduce the social and economic costs of labour migration and sustain the benefits of foreign employment.
• SL stakeholders influence labour migration related policy and practice at national, regional and global level

Migration Partnership