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Terms of Reference
for
Separate Studies on the International and Local Employment Markets
National Human Resource Development Council of Sri Lanka
(NHRDC)
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1. Background, Context, and Rationale
The National Human Resource Council (NHRDC) was established by a parliament act in 1997.
The intention was to initiate, promote, and protect human resource and related policy matters.
NHRDC has the goal of employing Sri Lankan manpower efficiently in the international and
local and local markets. A great variance exist between demand and supply to the international
and local human resource markets. Sri Lanka has not been able to supply the number of workers
in mid-professional, skilled and semi-skilled job categories to international and local human
resources demands. According to the data in 2009, there was demand for 784,212 positions but
Sri Lanka could supply persons for only 247,119 positions; a mere 31% of the requested
workers.
By learning the job opportunities and employment trends across the world, NHRDC aims
to facilitate the employment of Sri Lanka’s youth abroad. As knowledge is a strength within the
Sri Lankan workforce, NHRDC has a vision to maintain Sri Lanka a knowledge based country
by facilitating skill-based employment abroad. NHRDC plans to develop policies for skill
development and education to satisfy the current and future employment demands by sector
across the globe. With a closing gap between economies of emerging nations and developed
nations, it has become important for individuals to be compatible to fit in either economy and its’
workforce. Not only is the gap closing between traditional Western economies and Sri Lanka’s
own, the gap between Asian economies themselves have also reduced resulting in increased
reciprocal demand for intra-Asian employees.
Greater engagement in the foreign labor markets the development of diverse local
markets conforms to the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) recommendations of reducing
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(1) the engagement in the volatile, low paid and low productive agricultural sector, (2) informal
employment and vulnerable employment such as own-account workers and family work, (3)
those living in working poverty, (4) the number of women living in poverty, and (5) unemployed
youth. Working poverty are those working full time but only earn less than $2 per day (poverty
line). Those in working poverty and vulnerably employed are both bias toward being women.
Globally, youth unemployment, the population segment most prone to unemployment, has risen
to 12.5%. Youth employment results in lower youth unrest, timely career development, better
quality work, better earnings, lower probability of future unemployment, better mental, physical,
and behavioral health outcomes, healthy social development, lower precautious development,
and experiencing normal developmental trajectories.
NHRDC seeks to learn in greater depth the current and future employment opportunities
abroad and the ways that the Sri Lankan workforce can best prepare to attain them. One related
issue that has taken our attention is the mismatch between jobs currently available abroad and the
inability of Sri Lankans to obtain them. Extending from that, NHRDC seeks to learn (a) present
and future (next twenty years) employment demands by sectors, by job categories within sectors,
sustainability and potential growth of these sectors and jobs by country, short and long term
employment, income, and employment benefits in both established and emerging economies of
the world (i.e. Europe, US and Canada, Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, East Asia, South
East Asia, Australia and the Pacific, Russia and the most promising African and South American
countries), (b) the historical and contemporary reasons for attaining the type of jobs presently
held by Sri Lankans employed in foreign countries and the incapability to attain higher quality
jobs, (c) readiness of the Sri Lankan workforce to fill present and future demands, and (d) the
necessary preparations of the Sri Lankan workforce to obtain these jobs at present and in the
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future, (e) factors that must stay consistent and factors that must change at the national, district,
and local levels in education, training, infrastructure, and other means to accomplish NHRDC’s
goals.
Audience and Use of Findings
Our audience is various ministries with large stakes in the employability skill and training
development such as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, Ministry of Higher
Education, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor Relations and Productivity Promotion,
Ministry of Industries and Commercial Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of
Technology and Research. Moreover, all other governmental organizations and decision makers
with educational, employment, and training capabilities act as our audience. Furthermore, nongovernmental organizations with an interest in exporting labor, training labor for this purpose,
and being involved with associated support services will keenly apply our suggested policies.
The findings from this international and local labor market study will be used to make
policies that will help in educating, training, and developing support services for labor intended
for foreign markets in the short and long term.
2. Main Research Objectives

To learn the present percentage of Sri Lanka’s labor in foreign markets,
percentage of foreign markets consisting of Sri Lankan labor, by sector and main
jobs, and by country.

To learn the markets currently seeking foreign labor or skilled labor for unfilled
positions.

To learn methods of acquiring foreign jobs such as education, training, business
strategies, political strategies, social strategies, and economic strategies.
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To learn the current and future employment projects by sector and by country

To learn the current status and future growth and sustainability of each sector

Top learn by name specific careers and jobs that provide opportunities presently
and will in the future

To learn the foreign employment readiness of Sri Lankans for todays’ foreign jobs

To learn the foreign employment readiness of Sri Lankans for future foreign jobs

To learn about the necessary changes required to prepare the Sri Lankan
workforce for today’s and future foreign jobs

To learn of foreign employment found locally such as with outsourcing contracts.

To learn necessary methods of retraining local employees for career, job, and
country transitions to foreign jobs

Methods of developing the necessary skills for foreign employment (employment
experience, skills training, education, structural, social, cultural, and political
changes or consistencies necessary)
3. Suggested Research Methodology.

This study should be conducted with the corporation of both local and foreign sources

Data gathered will present the past and present trends in employment and labor

Theoretical support should be sought from experts especially in the fields of labor and
economics. Further consultancy should be made with academics in education, sociology,
and business. Moreover, leading business persons should be consulted for ideas regarding
these issues for a more ground level of analysis and suggestions.

Other key stake holders in this issue should be consulted in both survey questionnaire
format as well as preceding focus group discussions. They may be unemployed youth,
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employed youth, parents of youth, educators, business personal, foreign employment
bureaus and businesses locally and internationally, companies engaged in outsource
contracts, political personal, labor department officials, foreign employment bureau
officials, among others.

Participants of survey studies should be kept confidential. However, details of field
experts, their professional and public affiliations and key stake holders included in the
studies should be provided to NHRDC.

These expert consultants should be involved in the preliminary, mid, and end phases of
the study. They will give structure to the study, assist in interpretation of secondary data
and study designs to gather primary data, and aid in creating the conclusions and
discussion of the findings from the study data, and assist in forming the final document
detailing the international and local labor market trends at present and in the future.

Primary and secondary data gathering and studies must be conducted in both local and
foreign markets using focus groups and survey methods, secondary data sources such as
census data, university program enrollment data, training college data, graduation data
and post-graduation follow-up data, data from private and public educational institutes,
data already gathered at ministries of labor, education, and employment.
4. The Study Team. Among other individuals and institutions, the study team must also
include the following:
a. Academic experts in the areas of economics, labor, sociology, and political science.
b. Experienced public sector officials working with issues of foreign employment at
relevant government divisions such as the Ministry of Labor and the Foreign
Employment Bureau.
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c. Foreign employment agency owners with interests in the topic.
d. Key stage holders in the community such as local and national politicians, religious
leaders, and school officials.
Throughout the study, there must be transparency and understanding with NHRDC.
Designing and justifying a study, conducting a study, and interpreting a study data must be
conducted with NHRDC collaboration. NHRDC’s wishes must be adhered; there must be
compliance if there are requests for change in the methodology or reasons for using a
particular methodology, NHRDC must be informed of which study personal will be used
(i.e., in interviews, surveys, focus groups, and others). At every step of the study, NHRDC
must be informed of progress and members of the council must be allowed to closely follow
the work of the contractor. NHRDC will retain the exclusive right to use the study data. All
expenses must be discussed with NHRDC, predetermined and approved by NHRDC and the
spent must be documented with proof and study expenses must be predetermined and
approved by NHRDC. The consultant must comply with this agreement.
5. Timeline of Reports and other products.
NHRDC will discuss with the contractor style and length, preparation of executive summary
(ensuring focus on findings), guidance on the contents, structure, and length of the report and
other products, the users of the report/products and means by which results will be shared
and discussed, language of the report and whether it will be translated to other languages,
terms specifying ownership of the product and confidentiality of materials.
OUTPUTS
1.
DATE DUE
FORMAT
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2.
Output: From the study we expect to identify short and long-term employment opportunities,
stabilities and growths in employment, job types by sector and country, present and future gaps
in demand and supply, social-political-economic-business reasons for past and present failures
and success in obtaining foreign employment, methods of modifying these and obtaining the
necessary education, training and skills, and other support in order for Sri Lankans to obtain
foreign skilled employment at present and future.
Outcome: Increase in overseas employment will also result in the decrease in unemployment
and underemployment. Together these will yield the benefits of financial, political, sociopsychological, and health for Sri Lankan citizens and especially those vulnerable in the
population such as women and youth. As we wish to focus on the most global recession proof
sectors, promising in growth and skill oriented when formulating suggested labor policies, Sri
Lanka will benefit from greater stability in employment. The nation as a whole will increase in
foreign exchange and the Sri Lankan economy will benefit from the returning youth bringing
home a strong work ethic, knowledge of international standards, and professional work
experience. Furthermore, increased contact with foreign nations at an economic and social level
will lead to a vibrant and modern nation at the center of globalization. International employment
also contributes to technology transfers as well as the exposure to diverse attitudes, life styles,
knowledge, habits, and behaviors prevalent globally.
There will be secondary benefits for youth and adults such as reduced number of workers
heading to low skill and low quality employment in the Middle East and an greater number
traveling to more socially forward and modern nations in Europe and America. The study will
help to initiate a national level dialogue on the key statistic showing a mismatch between the
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demand and supply of the international and local labor market and facilitate a process to
establish comprehensive labor market gap filling and preparation policy.
The results of the present study may show that diversification of skilled labor
corresponding to foreign demand must be developed. Moreover, we may find that it is important
to train workers to increase the productivity level of work in order to converge with developed
countries. A reputation and statistical evidence of low productivity among workers has a
detrimental effect on incentive to recruit. The present study may conclude that women will be
greater benefited in the future as employment in developed nations shifts from the industrial
sector and into the growing service sector occupations with its emphasis on communication.
Over the long term, the development of skilled migrant Sri Lankan workers to diverse
sectors worldwide will have the additional social and familial benefit of decreasing the number
of women migrant workers to the Middle East thereby reducing family dysfunction such as child
abuse, marital instability, decreased school achievements, risky and antisocial behaviors, and
mental and physical illness. Moreover, the Sri Lankan work force migrating for foreign
employment will become one of greater skill from sectors such as hotel, academic, financial,
health, and IT while reducing the export of unskilled labor to low wage, low quality, and socially
destructive foreign work.
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6. Implementation Plan.
Agreements on Logistics. All study expenses must be bared by the contractor including
travel and transport, lodging, meals, study administration.
Payments. The payments to the contractor will be made on an installment basis throughout
the duration of the study. As an agreed portion of the study is completed, its corresponding
payment will be made. This regular schedule of payments and study portion completion must
be fulfilled in order for the contractor to maintain the study contract. A delay or failing to
uphold this agreement will result in voiding of the contract and remaining payments.
Data Access. NHRDC will be able to access documents and data as it is being gathered by
the contractor with no restrictions. At the completion of the study, only NHRDC will have
exclusive rights to hold, use, and permit the use of study data.
7. Ethics and Risks. The highest ethical standards must be maintained while conducting the
present study. Ethical concerns that may arise should be brought to NHRDC’s attention.
Moreover, ethnical concerns that are presented must be addressed to a degree satisfied by
NHRDC. Care must be taken in study design to address all foreseeable ethical conflicts.
These may include participant recruitment, questionnaire administration, confidentiality of
data, sensitivity in women and minority selection, payment procedures, among others.
Request from Applicants:
1. A proposal to study the international labor market.
2. A proposal to study the local labor market.