The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) says that 105,821 people have left for foreign employment through self-employment and licensed foreign employment agencies so far this year. This is an increase of 286 percent in comparison to the same period last year.
According to data from the Bureau’s Information Technology Division, 27,360 people left for overseas employment in the first five months of 2021 and there is an increase of 78,461 this year for the same period.
In the first 5 months of 2022, the number of people who have gone abroad for employment through self-employment (excluding foreign employment agents) was 67,156.
This includes 30,040 male workers and 17,121 female workers. So far this year, 25,224 women and 13,441 men have gone abroad for employment through licensed foreign employment agencies, bringing the total to 38,665. Accordingly, the total number is 105821.
The highest number of people who went abroad after finding employment through personnel contacts is to Qatar (19133). In addition 12,701 went for employment to Kuwait, 11,000 to the United Arab Emirates and 1754 to South Korea.
Meanwhile, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, remittances from foreign employees in the first three months of this year amounted to US$ 783 million.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) urges the country’s migrant workers to send their remittances through commercial banks in Sri Lanka in order to reliably transfer hard earned money to their relatives.
COURTESY DAILYNEWS
