The number of complaints received by the Mission from Sri Lankans against fake foreign Employment and Education agencies of Sri Lanka is at alarming level. It has been noticed that the number of Sri Lankans travelling to the Russian Federation on student/visit visas, seeking jobs and opportunities of further migration to European countries has increased drastically over the years.
It has been revealed that several foreign Employment and Education agencies of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan expatriates living in Russia and some other organized groups are engaged in these activities. Mostly students are misled and sent on student/visit visas with false promises of obtaining jobs for higher salary and facilitating to cross the borders for European countries. Further, it has been noted that considerably large amounts of money are being obtained from the students by the agents for the journey to Russia. Thereafter, illegal attempts are made to traffic them via State borders to countries such as Belarus, Ukraine, and further into the European Countries.
Many Sri Lankan students are being trapped by fraud agents whose objectives are to exploit them and obtain money, disregarding the proper legal channels. The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation strictly advises to refrain from such illegal attempts to reach Russia or any other neighboring countries.
As per the immigration rules and regulations, foreigners travelling to the Russian Federation on student/visit visas are not permitted to work during the validity period of their visas and are subjected to legal prosecution if they do so.
The Mission has been notified by the Russian law enforcement authorities that a number of Sri Lankans have been convicted and fined for their illegal activities including being illegally employed as migrant workers, expiration of visas and violation of immigration rules, possessing forged student/employment visas, illegal crossing of the state borders etc.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Russian Federation has taken initiatives to keep the relevant authorities in the Governments of the Russian Federation as well as Sri Lanka informed on the details of the reported complaints on the human trafficking for appropriate action.
Therefore, it is strongly advised to be vigilant about the fake agencies and refrain from making payments to any illegal bodies and not to be victims of human smuggling and trafficking. Further, it is instructed to refrain from travelling to the Russian Federation on student/visit visas seeking job opportunities or for illegal border crossing to Europe.
