ABSTRACT
Introduction The globalization of the labor market has by now become conventional wisdom. The increasing mobility of labor worldwide continues to fuel the debate on migration policy and migration reform even while national governments and various international organizations grapple with the risks posed by international labor mobility, particularly the social costs of migration. In this regard, a central concern especially for labor-sending countries is the extent to which they are able to protect their citizens during their employment abroad. Of central importance are migrants who fall outside the formal employment system and therefore are not captured by organized mechanisms for social protection. With the rapid growth of the informal sector and increased labor market flexibility, migrants experience heightened vulnerabilities. Uncertainties of stable employment, poor working conditions, harassment, health risks, and potential disabilities are just a few of them. Sri Lanka provides an illustrative case of an attempt within the last several years to respond to the specific needs for social protection of their overseas workers. Social insurance has been provided by government, with supplementation and augmentation to existing schemes. Results of these schemes demonstrate positive benefits for migrants and offer the possibility of serving as a model for other countries that face similar circumstances. However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed in order to further strengthen these measures. This case study highlights the Overseas Workers Welfare Fund (OWWF ) with special focus on social insurance schemes that are a permanent feature of the migration process in Sri Lanka. These schemes are intended to provide an array of benefits and services to migrants and their families who have been left behind. They also attempt to address various contingencies faced by migrants during the course of their employment abroad. A discussion of the history of migration in Sri Lanka including a statistical profile on various aspects of migration in Sri Lanka provide a contextual background for the necessity of introducing social security provisions in managing and regulating the migration process.
