The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) announced that a total of 212,302 Sri Lankan workers have left for overseas employment during the eight-month period from January to August 2025.
Of this number, 130,252 were male workers, reflecting a significant increase compared to female workers (82,050) who have departed the country during the same period.
Kuwait recorded the highest intake of Sri Lankan workers, with 53,159 arrivals, followed by the United Arab Emirates (41,180) and Qatar (30,263), it said.
The SLBFE also observed a growing trend of Sri Lankan workers moving to East Asian destinations, with 8,015 travelling to Japan and 4,324 to South Korea for employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan migrant workers remitted a total of USD 5.11 billion to the country in the first eight months of 2025, marking a 19.3% increase compared to the USD 4.28 billion remitted during the corresponding period in 2024.
In August 2025 alone, remittances amounted to USD 680.8 million, the statement added.
The SLBFE expressed confidence that total foreign remittances from Sri Lankan workers employed overseas will reach USD 7 billion by the end of 2025.
