The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) has made pre-migration training compulsory for first-time job seekers travelling to Japan and Romania, the Daily Mirror reported.
The requirement covers all job categories in both countries. First-time migrants will not be able to obtain Bureau registration without completing the relevant course — making the training a gate on departure rather than an optional service.
What is required
| Japan | Two-day programme, commenced 1 September |
| Romania | Three-day programme, commenced 3 September |
The mandatory requirement itself took effect on 15 September.
Registration can be made at any SLBFE branch, and a training fee is charged. The programmes are conducted at the Pannipitiya Training Centre and the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Emigrant Resource Centre.
Content
The courses brief prospective migrant workers on the destination country’s culture, laws, social customs, religion, currency and workplace practices.
Japan and Romania have both grown as destinations as Sri Lanka pushes outbound labour numbers — the Bureau is targeting 250,000 placements in 2026. Romania in particular draws workers into construction and manufacturing roles within the European Union, where unfamiliarity with local labour law has been a recurring source of disputes.
Job seekers can contact the Bureau’s Industrial and Corporate Training Division on 0112 366 457 or 1989 for further information. The report does not state the level of the training fee.
