According to the latest report by the Department of Census and Statistics, more than 40% of Sri Lanka’s internal migrants have moved to Colombo and Gampaha districts due to marriage.
The 2024 census reveals that out of a total migrant population of 3,167,263, approximately 1,285,909 people—or 40.6%—relocated primarily for marital reasons. Other key reasons for migration include employment or job search (17.1%), family needs (16.2%), and returning to permanent residence (11.3%). Smaller proportions migrated for education (6.5%), resettlement after displacement (3.3%), disasters (1.6%), development projects (1.3%), and religious purposes (2.1%).
Marriage-related migration was most prevalent in Mullaitivu District and across eight provinces, where over a quarter of migrants cited marriage as the main reason for relocation. Employment-driven migration was highest in Colombo (37.5%) and Gampaha (26.1%), while Trincomalee recorded the largest share of family-related migration (22.6%).
Jaffna showed the highest proportion of individuals returning to their permanent residences (25.4%), while Batticaloa (25.3%), Colombo (11.8%), and Kandy (10.6%) led in education-related migration. In the Northern Province, resettlement following displacement was the dominant factor in Kilinochchi (49.0%), Mannar (45.5%), and Jaffna (40.8%).
Meanwhile, natural disasters prompted notable migration in Vavuniya (16.5%) and Mullaitivu (11.7%), while Ampara (13.3%) and Polonnaruwa (11.8%) reported migration linked to development projects.
Overall, the data underscores marriage as the leading driver of internal migration, followed by employment, family needs, education, and post-conflict resettlement across Sri Lanka’s districts.
