Sri Lanka eyes 350,000 foreign employment departures in 2026

 

• 2025 remittances surpass 2016 peak to hit historic high, bolstering reserves alongside tourism earnings
• Departures to high-paying markets including Israel, Japan and Romania surge, signalling shift away from traditional unskilled roles

Colombo, January 6 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has set a target of securing 350,000 foreign employment opportunities in 2026, aiming to build on a record-breaking financial performance in 2025, where workers’ remittances reached an estimated US$ 7.8 billion.

Speaking at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Vijitha Herath revealed that 2025 marked a historic high for remittance inflows, surpassing the previous peak of US$ 7.4 billion recorded in 2016.

“By November 2025, remittance income stood at US$ 7.19 billion. With an average monthly inflow of between US$ 650 and US$ 700 million, we estimate the total for the year to be approximately US$ 7.8 billion,” Minister Herath said.

He noted that when combined with the US$ 3.2 billion generated by tourism, the two sectors alone contributed nearly US$ 11 billion to the national economy, providing a critical buffer for the country's foreign reserves.

This announcement follows a robust performance in 2025, where total departures for foreign employment stood at 310,915, according to the latest data from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). While this represents a slight dip from the record 314,672 departures in 2024, authorities noted a qualitative improvement in the employment mix, with more workers securing jobs in higher-paying destinations.

Data presented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, Arun Hemachandra, highlighted a notable transition in preferred destinations. While Kuwait remained the top destination, numbers stagnated, dropping marginally from 77,890 in 2024 to 77,656 in 2025. In contrast, the UAE saw significant growth, rising to 59,505 departures in 2025 from 52,072 the previous year, signalling growing demand for Sri Lankan talent in the Emirates.

Conversely, departures to Saudi Arabia saw a sharp decline, falling from 47,947 in 2024 to 36,460 in 2025, while Qatar also recorded a decrease, dipping to 44,867 from 46,642.

However, the data reveal a positive pivot towards non-traditional, higher-income markets. Departures to Israel, primarily for the agricultural and construction sectors, surged to 13,243 in 2025 from 10,183 in 2024. Employment in Japan increased to 11,019 (up from 8,747), and Romania continued to attract Sri Lankan labour with 12,592 departures (up from 10,506), reflecting the success of government efforts to penetrate East Asian and European markets.