⚖️ SLBFE Act No. 21 of 1985
✓ Verified August 2026
Sri Lanka Recruitment Fee Guide
What SLBFE actually charges, why there's no single "maximum agency fee" the way India and Nepal have one, and what to do if you're asked to pay a large amount.
Not from Sri Lanka? 🇮🇳 India Fee Checker · 🇳🇵 Nepal Fee Checker
ℹ️ Read this before the numbers below: unlike India (₹30,000 + GST) or Nepal (NPR 10,000), Sri Lanka does not publish one single, clear "maximum fee a recruitment agency can charge a worker." What's clearly regulated is the SLBFE registration fee — a separate government charge, not the agency's own service fee. For many categories, especially domestic work, the intended model is that the overseas employer pays the agency, not you. This page tells you exactly what's confirmed and what isn't, rather than showing you an invented number.
✅ What's a confirmed, government-set fee
SLBFE registration fee — first time, non-domestic category
Rs 22,027
Rs 18,200 + 18% VAT + 2.5% SSCL — paid to SLBFE directly, not to the recruitment agency itself. Every Sri Lankan going abroad for work must register with SLBFE before departure.
SLBFE registration renewal
Rs 3,800
For returning to the same employer after your registration's two-year validity expires.
These figures can change — verify the current amount directly on SLBFE's registration page before paying.
❓ What's genuinely unclear — the agency's own service fee
We could not find a single, published statutory cap on what a private recruitment agency can charge you as a service fee, separate from the SLBFE registration fee above. This is genuinely different from India and Nepal, where a clear number exists.
What the "Employer-Pays" model means for domestic work: for many domestic worker placements, the intended arrangement is that the overseas employer (or the recruitment agency on their side) pays your Sri Lankan agency's fee — not you. If you're a domestic worker being asked to personally pay a large fee upfront, that's worth specifically questioning with SLBFE before proceeding, since it may not match how the placement is supposed to work.
🚩 Fee-related scam patterns to watch for
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Asked for a large lump sum before you have a confirmed job offerA legitimate agency finalises the job and contract first — never pay a large deposit just to "register interest."
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No receipt, or a receipt that doesn't specify what the payment is forAsk specifically whether a charge is the SLBFE registration fee, or the agency's own separate service charge — and get it in writing either way.
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Domestic worker asked to personally pay a large agency feeGiven the Employer-Pays model common for this category, a large personal charge is worth verifying directly with SLBFE before paying.
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Told to pay into a personal bank accountPayment should go to the agency's own registered business account, not an individual's personal account.
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Pressured to pay quickly or take a loanDebt-based recruitment is a known exploitation pattern — treat pressure to borrow money as a serious warning sign, regardless of the amount.
📝 A proper receipt should show
- The agency's full name and SLBFE licence number
- The exact date payment was made
- The exact amount received, in words and figures
- Whether it's the SLBFE registration fee or the agency's own service charge
- The agency's signature or official stamp
❓ Common questions
Why doesn't this page give me one number like the India/Nepal pages do?▼
Because we couldn't confirm one exists. We'd rather tell you honestly what's actually regulated (the SLBFE registration fee) than show you a made-up "maximum fee" figure. If SLBFE publishes a clearer agency-fee cap, this page will be updated.
Does this apply if I'm from India or Nepal?▼
No — see the India Fee Checker or Nepal Fee Checker instead, both of which have a confirmed statutory cap.
Is the SLBFE registration fee the same as what the agency can charge?▼
No — they're different things. The SLBFE registration fee is paid to the government bureau itself. A recruitment agency's own service charge is separate, and isn't clearly capped in the same way.
What should I do if I think I'm being overcharged?▼
Ask the agency directly to itemise every charge, keep all receipts, and contact SLBFE using the details below to verify whether what you're being asked to pay is standard.
⚠️ To verify a fee or file a complaint
Don't pay a large fee on trust alone — verify it first:
📞 SLBFE Hotline: 1989
📞 SLBFE Head Office: +94 11 288 0500
✉️ Email: info_center@slbfe.lk
🌐 Complaint portal: slbfe.lk/complaint-management
Already abroad? Contact your nearest Sri Lankan Embassy/Consulate — see the Emergency Guide for country-specific contacts.
📞 SLBFE Head Office: +94 11 288 0500
✉️ Email: info_center@slbfe.lk
🌐 Complaint portal: slbfe.lk/complaint-management
Already abroad? Contact your nearest Sri Lankan Embassy/Consulate — see the Emergency Guide for country-specific contacts.
⚠️ Important: The SLBFE registration fee figures above are sourced from SLBFE's own published registration page. We could not confirm a single statutory cap on a recruitment agency's own service fee, and are not presenting one — this reflects a genuine gap in what's publicly available, not an oversight. This is not legal advice; verify any specific fee directly with SLBFE before paying.