Nearly 147,000 Sri Lankans have left the country in the first half (H1) of 2023 for foreign employment, with over 24,000 leaving the country each month, as the average monthly remittances reached US Dollars ($) 470 million, from $315 million in 2022, Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) data revealed.

According to the CBSL’s Workers Remittances and Labour Migration Bulletin for H1 of 2023, 146,885 Sri Lankans have left the country for foreign employment between January and June, with a monthly average of 24,481, while 76.5% of them left for employment in Middle Eastern Region.

Foreign employment departure numbers were 21.5% of the total departures by Sri Lankans in H1, down from 30.7% during the corresponding period in 2022 at the height of the crisis. A total of 683,363 Sri Lankans have left the country during H1 of 2023.

Moreover, the total workers' remittances during the first half of 2023 amounted to $2,822.6 million, with the highest remittance inflows of $ 315.3 million being recorded from Kuwait, while Qatar took second place with $ 295.2 million.

However, in Q2, remittances from the United States (US) had a significant increase, as out of $1,409.4 million total remittances received in the second quarter, $133 million were received from the US. 

According to the CBSL, a total of $490 million was received through some of the global remittance channels in H1 of 2023.

Further, out of the total migrant workers that left in H1, the highest percentage of male migrant workers (20%) were in the age group of 30-34 years, whereas most of the female workers (20%) were in the 40-44 years age group.

While nearly 60% of departures for foreign employment are concentrated in the semi-skilled and low-skilled categories, clerical and professional category departures amounted to over 32%.

According to statistics presented by the Department of Immigration and Emigration, 521,203 passports have been issued in the first half of 2023.