The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment
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.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister, I reply:
¶ 02 (a) According to Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) registrations: - Country-wise registrations for 2024 are tabled as Annex 01. - From 2025.01.01 to 2025.07.02, country-wise registrations are tabled as Annex 02. - As at 2025.02.25, approximately 1,345,801 Sri Lankans are employed overseas; Annex 03 is tabled with details.
¶ 03 (b) (i) As per Central Bank of Sri Lanka data, from 2015 to May 2025, total remittances through foreign employment amount to USD 67,147 million, equivalent to LKR 13,946 billion. (ii) Data in this regard are maintained by the Central Bank; detailed breakdowns should be obtained from them. (iii) Details of workers repatriated following complaints due to breached employment contracts are tabled as Annex 04 (data as at 08/07/2025). (iv) Although contracts were breached, no deportations have been recorded; repatriations were facilitated upon complaints. (v) No money is collected from migrant workers as an insurance premium; only a registration fee is charged. A free insurance cover is provided with registration. The SLBFE receives a commission from the insurer; from 2015 to 31.12.2024, Rs. 296,292,806.00 has been received. (vi) Under this insurance scheme, from 2015 to 31.12.2024, Rs. 803,132,052.00 has been paid out as compensation/benefits to migrant workers.
¶ 04 (c) Does not arise.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Tuesday, 22 July 2025 ·No. 1753443916033328 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 22 July 2025. No. 1753443916033328. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/13598