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Lanka launches labour migration blueprint with ILO, SDC help
ECONOMYNEXT –Sri Lanka’s labour and foreign employment ministry launched its labour migration blueprint for 2023-2027 on Wednesday.
The National Policy and National Action Plan for Migration for Employment was developed by the ministry with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and financial backing from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
“Our workers abroad are the ones who helped Sri Lanka rise again; they are the ones who helped build back our foreign reserves from zero,” labour and foreign employment minister Manusha Nanayakkara said at the launch.
“This policy is to protect and safeguard them. Today our dollar reserves are close to 4 billion US dollars, of that 3.5 billion came from our migrant workers this year.”
Nanayakkara said his ministry had seen 312,000 workers go abroad last year through legal channels, and a larger contingent than that would have gone by the end of this year.
“As we gather to launch this strategic roadmap, we acknowledge the significant role that migration for employment has played in our nation’s development,” ministry secretary R P A Wimalaweera said.
Sri Lanka had previously introduced labour migration policies in 2008 and 2015. This latest policy was approved by cabinet last month.
“This is not just a document, it is our commitment to address the complex and multi-faceted challenges and the opportunities that labour migration presents.”
“The world of migration is evolving: We needed a fresh approach, one that aligns with the current situation and the latest trends in national, regional and global migration.
Wimalaweera pointed out that labour migration is a catalyst for the country’s economic growth and fostering human capital development.Around 200,000 workers go abroad annually. An estimated 1.7 million Sri Lankans are employed abroad at present, according to the ILO.
“Before the end of the year we should also have things related to emergency evacuation plans for migrant workers,” Simrin Singh, ILO country director said.
The new policy will have in place “plans to protect stranded or affected migrant workers, the engagement of employers and recruitment agencies, and the promotion of a skills passport, which will build the skills of migrant workers so they enjoy higher skilled employment,” she said.
Labour migration plays a key role in furthering economic development in Sri Lanka, which has seen a growing outflow of labour migrants.According to the Central Bank, remittances reached 500 million US dollars in August this year.
“We have observed the struggles of returning migrant workers into the local labour force. Together with the Sri Lankan authorities, we agreed on the need for revision of the existing labour migration policy to make a more coherent, inclusive, national policy that leaves no one behind,” said ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka Dr Siri Walt.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Prime Minister to recruit 2,284 to the government service as per the recommendations of the ‘Committee appointed to review the recruitment process of the Government Service at its meeting held on 14.11.2025.
1. Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education 196
2. Ministry of Health and Mass Media 480
3. Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and
Local Governments 04
4. Ministry of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic
Development 19
5. Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development 778
6. Ministry of Justice and National Integration 222
7. Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development 107
8. Ministry of Defense 73
9. Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources 20
10. Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs 21
11. Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development 36
12. Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs
04
13. Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
Facilities 02
14. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation 74
15. Western Provincial Council 230
16. Uva Provincial Council 08
17. North Western Provincial Council 08
18. Finance Commission 02
Latest News
Cabinet green light to obtain a grant from the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund for post – disaster relief and rehabilitation activities
On a request made by the government of Sri Lanka, the Asian Development Bank has given its concurrence to provide a grant of United States dollars 3 million under Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund.
It is expected to supply materials required for providing essential life security services for the communities affected, from the said grant.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to enter into the relevant agreements with the Asian Development Bank to obtain the said grant.
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Adhering to the broad plan of the Government to reach the objective of accomplishing 70% of the country’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by the year 2030, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted on 10.02.2025 to invite requests for resolutions from interested developers of the private sector in order to implement the Mullikulum Wind Power – 100 Mega Watts (two (02) wind power stations of
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Accordingly, requests for proposals have been called to implement the relevant project by adhering to the international competitive bidding methodology, and seven (7) prospective project proposals were submitted.
Evaluating the said proposals, based on the recommendations submitted by the negotiation committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to award the contracts of establishing the two (02) 50 Mega Watts Wind
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