Launch of the Professional Verification Scheme in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

On 16 July 2023, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) announced the launch of the Professional Verification Scheme (PVS) in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, for 5 of the 23 targeted professional specializations.

These specializations include:

• Plumbing;
• Electricity;
• Automotive Electricity;
• Automotive Mechanics; and 
• Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

The scheme requires applicants for the above-mentioned professions to have their skills evaluated in their home country before they can apply for a work visa. 

Applicants will have to register on the SVP portal, schedule a theoretical and practical test, and confirm the details with the test supervisors before taking the examination. 

Successful applicants will receive a certificate which is treated as an additional requirement during the recruitment process and allows them to apply for a work visa at the Saudi consulate. 

For more information, please visit: Saudi Press Agency Website

Deloitte’s view

The implementation of the Professional Verification Scheme aims to verify employees' skills and bring in more qualified talent to the Saudi labor market. However, this will also result in longer end-to-end immigration processing timelines for candidates from the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.