The Foreign Employment Bureau reports that the number of Sri Lankans who sought overseas employment in 2024 has surpassed 300,000, reaching 300,162 as of today.

This marks the second time in a decade that the figure has crossed the 300,000 threshold, with the previous record being 310,948 workers in 2022.

In 2024, 177,804 men (60%) and 122,358 women (40%) went abroad for work. Of these, 184,140 individuals secured employment independently, while 116,022 used foreign employment agencies.

Kuwait attracted the highest number of Sri Lankan workers, totaling 73,995, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 49,499 workers.

Additionally, there is a notable increase in employment opportunities in countries like South Korea, Israel, Romania, and Japan. Statistics show that 7,002 Sri Lankans went to South Korea, 9,211 to Israel, 10,274 to Romania, and 8,251 to Japan in 2024.

The Bureau anticipates that the total number of Sri Lankans employed overseas will exceed 311,000 by the end of the year.

Moreover, the foreign exchange ea ed by the country through these overseas workers has risen significantly, bringing in $5,961.6 million by November 2024, further boosting Sri Lanka’s economy.