5.5. Current Efforts Targeting Protection

from the agency or the sub-agent regarding working and living conditions. Women tend to use their prior experiences as a baseline to speculate what could be expected from the new workplace. In contrast, men tend to be prepared to ‘put up with anything’. Very few had a clear idea about working or living conditions, trusting the company (i.e. employer) to provide accommodation.

Among the young female and male students learning the Japanese language, the choice of Japan as a destination country was informed by what Japan symbolises: an advanced and modern society that reflects cultural and societal values similar to those of Sri Lanka. But beyond this superficial level of information, the students had not yet explored the avenues of information and like the other prospective migrant workers, lacked comprehensive knowledge on what to expect once they migrated to Japan.

From the outset, the young students do not appear to be vulnerable but during the course of the interviews, they revealed their ultimate objective of securing employment in Japan. Migrating as a student is the means by which they choose to leave Sri Lanka, given the difficulties of securing a work visa for Japan. Despite showing an interest in working as caregivers and/or in shops or with aspirations to ultimately set up their own business in the automobile industry, the students were unware of the living and working conditions and the cost of living in Japan. The young men echoed the sentiments expressed by the other prospective migrant workers: life was going to be difficult, and one must be ready to face any inevitability. As one student pointed out “we are going there with an objective and in order to reach it, we must endure and undergo whatever we have to”. The lack of knowledge on the labour laws pertaining to student visas and the types of work available point to the ways in which their expectations may not be met upon reaching Japan. The students were also unaware of the SLBFE facilitated apprenticeship programme in place for young men and women. Like the migrant workers therefore, the students also appear to be living in an information vacuum even when such information would be more freely accessible via social media platforms and through the internet for this relatively younger, computer literate cohort of youth. Although it could be argued that the students still form a privileged group and do not necessarily fall within the category of prospective migrant workers, their ultimate goal of securing work in Japan raises concern of their susceptibility to be deceived as well as exploited.

In short, it is imperative that such gaps in information are addressed in a meaningful manner. Importantly, although forced labour is experienced only once the worker reaches the workplace, the pathways originate in Sri Lanka and therefore, requires more targeted efforts, especially regarding creating awareness among those who wish to re/migrate for work.

5.5. Current Efforts Targeting

Protection

At the centre of facilitating the labour migration process in Sri Lanka is the GoSL – from directing policy to initiating regulations on the industry through the SLBFE. The evolution of the state structures in response to the demand for people to migrate overseas is well documented (Collyer, Wimalasena, Ansar and Ali Khan, 2009; Oishi, 2005; Pinnawala, 2009).

Presently, several key efforts are being implemented under the larger umbrella of protection. The safe migration programme funded by the SDC has been working alongside multiple stakeholders, including the ILO, CSOs and national and local level government officials to promote safe migration for prospective migrant workers.

At the national level, the National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) is currently being revised to reflect the changes taking place within the external labour migration process. Community based CSOs are working closely with both male and female returnees to help them reintegrate while simultaneously linking them with government agencies including the SLBFE where workers had experienced contract violations. Additionally, awareness raising is conducted among prospective migrant workers in order to ensure they have the necessary information sources to make informed decisions. Underscoring the importance of working with all stakeholders, the ILO in particular,