Departures for overseas jobs in July up by 15%, USD 566.8mn foreign remittances received

Colombo, August 13 (Daily Mirror) - Compared to July 2023, the number of Sri Lankans seeking foreign employment in July 2024 has increased by 15%, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said.

According to data reports from the SLBFE, 25,025 workers went abroad for employment in July last year and that number has increased to 28,758 in 2024. 

A total of 187,796 Sri Lankans left the country for foreign employment during the last seven months up to August 13. 

Among them are 110,939 persons who went abroad on their own and 76,857 people who went abroad through employment agencies.

During this period, 42,481 people have gone to Kuwait and 31,265 to Saudi Arabia for employment.

Compared to 2023, there has been a rapid growth in the number of Sri Lankans applying for Israeli jobs in 2024. In 2023, only 1,912 Sri Lankans went to work in Israel, which increased to 5,128 in 2024.

Meanwhile, the receipt of foreign remittances in July 2024 is USD 566.8 million, and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said that the country has received USD 3.71 billion as remittances from migrant workers in the first 7 months of 2024 alone.