(UTV | COLOMBO) – Two batches of out-of-status Sri Lankans migrant workers staying in Kuwait have been brought back to the island on Tuesday (19).
They were repatriated in two special flights chartered by Kuwait Airways.
The first flight touched down at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Tuesday evening, carrying 287 Sri Lankans. The second one arrived at midnight with 179 Sri Lankans aboard.
The returnees have been sent to mandatory quarantine procedure following decontamination process and medical check-up.
The repatriation of Sri Lankans who have sought to benefit from the Amnesty declared by the Kuwaiti Government for Sri Lankans who are out-of-status commenced yesterday.
According to reports, more than 100,000 Sri Lankans are working in Kuwait at present and nearly 19,000 of them are out-of-status.
Sri Lanka Embassy in Kuwait has issued emergency travel documents to those Sri Lankan nationals who qualified for the Amnesty.
The general Amnesty enables those out of status to leave with no consequences, and also to return to Kuwait for work in a legal manner.