Remittance inflows reached US$3.91 billion during the first five months of 2026, up 26% from the same period last year. The growth comes amid rising overseas employment, particularly in the Middle East, and a weaker rupee, which has encouraged foreign currency transfers.
The country recorded a historic monthly remittance inflow of US$879.1 million in December 2025, while annual worker remittances hit a record US$8.08 billion last year.
Analysts attribute the sustained increase to higher migration for overseas jobs following Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis and the return of remittances to formal banking channels after the Central Bank abandoned the parallel exchange-rate regime. This shift reduced the use of informal transfer systems such as Undiyal and Hawala, boosting official foreign exchange inflows.
The government continues to promote overseas employment, particularly among skilled and professional workers, as part of efforts to strengthen foreign exchange earnings and support economic recovery.
