Legal action had been taken against 175 foreign employment agencies this year for violating rules and regulations, Foreign Employment Bureau chief Kingsly Ranawaka told government officials at the Welipiya Divisional Secretariat yesterday.

He said Sri Lanka was offered about 400,000 foreign jobs annually but only 250,000 could be employed. The other vacancies could not be filled due to lack of qualifications and experience of applicants. Action was being taken to increase the fines on foreign employment agencies from the present Rs. 20,000 to Rs 100,000 for violation of rules and regulations, he said.