The year 2024 has been recorded as the year with the highest number of Sri Lankans migrating abroad for employment in the nation's history, local media reported, quoting statistics from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
Data shows that a total of 312,836 Sri Lankans left the country for overseas jobs during the year. Among them, 185,162 were male workers, while 127,674 were female workers, said the report on Wednesday.
Data shows that Kuwait emerged as the top destination, attracting 77,546 Sri Lankan workers.
The United Arab Emirates followed closely, with 51,550 individuals seeking employment there. Additionally, 7,098 Sri Lankans migrated to South Korea, 9,665 to Israel, and 8,665 to Japan over the past year, SLBFE data shows.
The surge in migration has also led to a significant rise in remittances. Central bank data shows that by the end of November 2024, remittances from Sri Lankans working abroad reached 6.46 billion U.S. dollars reflecting a corresponding increase in the number of citizens employed overseas.