Nearly 75,000 workers emigrated in Q1

Approximately 75,000 Sri Lankan workers have emigrated to foreign countries within the first three months of 2024, according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).

The bureau said as many as 74,499 Sri Lankans left the country in the first quarter of the year, compared to 76,025 in 2023. Of these, 34,599 were women, which is 46% of the total number.

Many Sri Lankans have reportedly emigrated to Kuwait, which adds up to a total of 17,793.

The SLBFE says that compared to previous years, Sri Lankans now tend to seek job opportunities in countries like South Korea, Israel, and Japan.

According to the figures, 2,374 Sri Lankans left for South Korea in total, while 2,114 departed for Israel, 1,899 for Romania, and 1,947 for Japan within the first quarter of the year.

Meanwhile, the SLBFE added that in the first two months of 2024 alone, Sri Lankan migrant workers’ remittances were recorded at USD 963.8 million.

The number of Sri Lankans who went abroad for work in the first 3 months of 2023 is 76,025.