The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) expects 340,000 Sri Lankans to seek foreign employment in 2025.
SLBFE Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe announced this during an awareness session for licensed foreign employment agents.
The country anticipates receiving USD 7 billion in foreign remittances from migrant workers, up from USD 6.51 billion in 2024.
SLBFE aims to increase professional job placements to 75 percent, with key employment destinations including Kuwait, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Japan, and South Korea.
As part of the 2025 foreign employment plans, Sri Lanka expects to send
– 84,000 workers to Kuwait,
– 55,000 to the United Arab Emirates,
– 52,000 to Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, the SLBFE has planned direct employment placements for
– 15,900 workers in Israel,
– 9,000 in Japan,
– 8,000 in South Korea.
