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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Tuesday, 22 July 2025

10th Parliament· 23 debates· 305 speeches· 73 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1753443916033328 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

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Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  12. 12 Oral question Oral Question: Migrant Workers - Remittances (Q.6/2024) 10 speeches
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism to provide data on Sri Lankans employed overseas as of 31 December 2024 and currently. He requested, for each year from 2015 to date, details on remittances from foreign employment in US dollars and Sri Lankan rupees, source countries, deportations due to contract defaults, action taken for affected workers, and income and expenditure under the migrant worker insurance scheme.

      EmploymentForeign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment JJB

      AI summary On behalf of the Minister, the Deputy Minister provided data on foreign employment registrations, the estimated 1,345,801 Sri Lankans employed overseas as of 25 February 2025, and remittances from 2015 to May 2025 amounting to USD 67,147 million, or LKR 13,946 billion. He stated that detailed remittance breakdowns are held by the Central Bank, that repatriations following complaints over breached employment contracts were recorded but no deportations, and that migrant workers are charged only a registration fee while receiving free insurance cover. He further reported that the SLBFE received Rs. 296,292,806 in insurer commissions from 2015 to 2024, while Rs. 803,132,052 was paid as compensation or benefits under the insurance scheme.

      Foreign AffairsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Ravi Karunanayake questioned why migrant workers’ remittances, cited as USD 784 million from about 2.1 million workers in the previous month, receive only 4–5 percent interest from banks while the Government pays much higher rates on international sovereign borrowings. He asked the Deputy Minister to consider higher returns for remittance earners and to provide duty-free facilities for migrant workers when they return to Sri Lanka.

      EmploymentPublic Finance Full speech →
    • The Hon. Arun Hemachandra JJB

      AI summary Arun Hemachandra stated that lengthy annexures had been tabled due to time constraints. He acknowledged past irregularities related to remittance channels and insurance, and said a committee comprising the Ministry’s foreign employment division and the SLBFE is reviewing welfare-related matters, including insurance terms and interest rate benefits, for appropriate decisions.

      Foreign AffairsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Asked whether the Government would also address the practical problems faced by migrant workers.

      Employment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Arun Hemachandra JJB

      AI summary Arun Hemachandra stated that earlier migrant worker insurance arrangements involved multiple insurers and commissions to the Bureau, but later selected entities handled the business without commissions accruing to the Bureau, leading to claim-related problems and alleged irregularities. He said funds that should have gone to the Bureau or Government were lost and that the responsible welfare institution had not acted adequately. He indicated that the Government is addressing these issues through its work plan and policy commitments to protect migrant workers.

      Corruption & Governance ReformEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake urged the Government to pursue trade agreements and market-access opportunities, particularly with the US and UK, to retain employment and attract investors to Sri Lanka. He called for tax incentives, removal of para-tariffs, and duty-free measures to complement UK market access, while also safeguarding GSP negotiations and ensuring workers benefit from increased investment.

      Public FinanceForeign AffairsEmployment Full speech →
    • The Hon. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF

      AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake requested the Deputy Minister to take action within the next few days to secure certain advantages for Sri Lanka. He made the request following guidance from the Speaker.

      Foreign Affairs Full speech →
    • The Hon. Arun Hemachandra JJB

      AI summary Arun Hemachandra stated that the Government is working to strengthen welfare and protection for Sri Lankan migrant workers through coordination between foreign affairs, foreign employment, and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. He said committee reports are being examined and reforms will be introduced to better protect citizens employed overseas.

      Foreign AffairsEmployment Full speech →