International labour migration from Sri Lanka has grown during the last several decades and has become a part of the country's economic, social, political fabric in the development process. For Sri Lanka, migrants' remittances are one of the main sources of foreign exchange earning and national income.  In January 2010, USD 289.8 million was received from Sri Lankan migrant workers, recording a growth of 12.3 percent over 2009. By the end of 2009, there were 20 internal and 60.5 international migrants per 1,000 people. Sri Lanka is also one of the top ten migrant sending countries with a net migration rate of -3.0(2005-2010) and over a million Sri Lankans working as migrant workers. Sri Lanka has seen a tenfold increase in migrant numbers in the past two decades. In 2008, there were 252,021 Sri Lankans working abroad (128,821 male and 123,200 female). Political, social, and economic reasons lie behind migration of Sri Lankans with the most common reasons being search for more skilled positions,  asylum, poverty, better opportunities overseas, educational purposes, and tourism.

Over the past years, foreign employment has generated substantial inflows of remittances (USD 2,947 million in 2008), and relieved local unemployment pressures and provided employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled Sri Lankans. According to Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE), foreign employment placements have grown by 8.2 percent in the last year and stands at 230,963 persons. Estimated annual outflow of migrant workers is approximately 250,000 people. Whilst one fourth of the Sri Lankan workforce (24%) works abroad, one third of Sri Lankan families depend on remittances. Most migrant workers are supporting the basic needs of their dependents back home. Remittances are the major net foreign exchange source for Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government has recognized the importance of remittances and introduced incentives to facilitate foreign employment, including pre-migration facilities and services. A traditional form of foreign employment, especially for Sri Lankan women, labour migration continues to be low-skilled or semi-skilled. A traditional form of employment has been available for both Sri Lankan men and women. However, there still remains a need for increased training and improvement of skills of Sri Lankan migrant workers to meet required standards

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Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Act of 1985

Ministry of Foreign Employment