The Italian government, at the request of the Sri Lankan government, will offer 40,000 employment opportunities to Sri Lankans in the next few months. The Sri Lankan government will sign memorandum of understanding with the Italian authorities in this regard shortly, the Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry said.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry Secretary Sunil Sirisena told The Island Financial Review that it was magnanimous gesture of the Italian government to offer employment opportunities in the midst of global financial crisis and the Sri Lanka government was grateful to the Italian government for the positive response expressed.

He said that the Italian authorities had expressed their willingness to recruit nurses and different categories of employees engaged in the hospitality industry. Sri Lankan government had ensured that the categories of employees such as healthcare personnel, travel trade personnel, personnel in catering services and personnel in the hospitality industry required by the Italian government had undergone the relevant training.