Sri Lanka Targets 250,000 Overseas Jobs in 2026 Amid Strong Remittance Flow

The Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau has set an ambitious goal to provide 250,000 overseas job opportunities for Sri Lankans in 2026. This initiative aims to boost employment and increase foreign remittances, a vital source of income for the country.

So far this year, a significant number of Sri Lankans have already ventured abroad for work. From January to June 2026, 143,087 individuals have migrated for employment. Of this total, 92,590 are male workers, while 50,497 are female workers, indicating a substantial female labor force participation in overseas employment.

The bureau is actively working to place workers in popular destinations. It plans to send 14,000 workers to Israel, with 7,873 already having departed. Additionally, 8,000 workers are expected to be deployed to South Korea, and 4,794 have already left for jobs there. The data also shows that 73,623 skilled workers have found employment abroad this year, alongside 69,494 in the unskilled category.

These overseas workers are making a substantial contribution to the Sri Lankan economy. In the first six months of 2026, Sri Lankan expatriates remitted approximately US$4.6 billion back to the country. This influx of foreign currency is crucial for Sri Lanka's economic stability and development.