News
Job seekers heading out Record number of passports issued in 2022 despite fee increase
By Chaminda Silva
The Immigration and Emigration Department government last year issued an all-time high 874,955 passports, up from a previous high of 658,725 in 2016, department sources said, an increase of 33%.
Issues last year increased sharply by 492, 435, up 129 per cent from a year earlier. In 2020 the total number of passports issued was 209,411.An average of over 50,000 passports had been issued monthly in 2022 with June recording the highest ever issue of 122,491 passports, the figures reveal.
After the Government increased the passport fee from Nov 17, there was a slight slowdown in applications received, sources said.The revised price for a passport under the normal service is Rs. 5,000 while Rs. 20,000 is charged for the one-day service. In November (after the fee revision) 69,064 and in December 69,905 passports were issued.
With the sudden rise in demand for new passports, the department issues about 2,500 to 3,000 passports daily under one-day service, exceeding its normal capacity. Over 270,000 individuals have left the country through official channels to take up employment overseas in 2022.
“Total departures for foreign employment during January-November 2022 were recorded at 276,527 which exceeded the annual departures in the pre-pandemic period. Total departures for foreign employment were recorded at 25,376 during November 2022. Total departures of foreign employment comprised unskilled (9,337), skilled (7,334) and domestic aid (6,058) categories,” the latest Central Bank data showed.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 in order to introduce amendments to the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 including the proposed tax revisions to enhance the tax structure paving way for state financial integrity based on revenue.
Accordingly, the revised draft bill has been prepared by the legal draftsman and clearance of the Attorney General has been received.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for
the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
The National Mineral Policy was prepared for the first time in the year 1999, and the aforementioned policy has been amended in 2023 to cover matters such as preparing an updated data system related to mineral resources, adding value to the export of minerals, encouraging mineral-related industrialists, extracting mineral resources and managing the environment sustainably, and resolving the issues related to the ownership of the land arising in extracting mineral resources.
The revised National Mineral Policy has been reupdated in line with the manifesto “A Sustainable Resource Utilization – Generation of the Highest Benefit” under the policy statement of the current government” A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Industries and
Entrepreneurship to implement the so-formulated “National Mineral Policy—2026.”
The Gampaha High Court has sentenced Twelve (12) individuals to death over the 2022 murder of former Polonnaruwa District Member of Parliament Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer.
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Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017
Cabinet nod for “National Mineral Policy” – 2026
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Ten new buses with facilities for people with special needs
Ghosts of 2016 writ large as England, West Indies meet again
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