More than 300,000 Sri Lankans have travelled abroad for work during 2025, official data from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment revealed. As of December 19, a total of 300,191 citizens had migrated overseas for employment, marking the third time in the past decade that annual departures have surpassed 300,000.
In 2024, a slightly higher number of 314,673 Sri Lankans had left the country for foreign jobs. Data for 2025 shows that 184,085 male workers and 116,106 female workers migrated for employment opportunities abroad.
Of the total departures, 194,982 workers went through self-arranged channels, while 105,209 used licensed foreign employment agencies. Kuwait remained the top destination with 75,200 Sri Lankans travelling there for work, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 57,037 departures.
The statistics also show a growing trend of Sri Lankans seeking employment in countries such as South Korea, Israel, Romania, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan. In 2025, 6,272 workers went to South Korea, 12,728 to Israel, 12,180 to Romania, and 10,717 to Japan.
Foreign employment continues to play a crucial role in the national economy, with worker remittances reaching USD 7.19 billion during the first 11 months of 2025. In November alone, remittances totalled USD 673.4 million.
