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About 90% of SL youth under 25 want to go overseas to live comfortably

Published

2 years ago

2024/04/19

By Rathindra Kuruwita

More than 90 percent of youth under 25 believe that they have to go overseas if they are to live comfortably, lecturer at the University of Vocational Technology, H.A Gayan Madushanka, who is one of the authors of a recent study titled ‘Better living, better opportunities: Exploring how economic distress influence the intention to migrate’ says.

The study had been carried out between June and August 2023, he said. 33 percent of respondents have completed an advanced-level coursework, nine percent have completed diploma-level coursework, 59 percent have completed degrees, and one percent have completed doctoral degrees, according to Madushanka.

“About 92 percent feel like this. 66 percent of people we interviewed were in the process of leaving the country. These are people who have at least started learning Korean, seeking employment in South Korea. We also found that 58 percent of the respondents were facing stress because of the economic crisis. There is a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of people don’t think they can achieve their objectives if they stay here,” he said.

Madushanka said they had interviewed a large number of university students and that most students had to stay in Colombo or move to the city to find jobs that match their education level. Many were not certain that it would not be possible with the starting salaries of most of the jobs available, he said.

“On the other hand, young people who have left the country seem to be enjoying a better quality of life. Most undergraduates feel that they, too, need to leave. A lot of undergraduates, who do not come from well off families, are struggling financially,” he said.

Almost all respondents believed that living in Sri Lanka would not provide them with the necessary skills to compete on a global scale.

“Sixty six percent of respondents stated that they would leave the country as soon as a job opportunity presented itself to ensure a better future and to be rewarded for their efforts. Due to uncertainty, nearly one third of respondents said they had lost focus on studies and daily activities. They reported increased anxiety, a lack of uninterrupted sleep, and peer pressure,” he said.

Madushanka said that the beginning of the economic crisis could be traced to Easter Sunday attacks and continued through the COVID lockdowns and the economic crisis. Even young people from well off families started feeling that the country was not a stable place for them to live.

“Even if people have money, their purchasing power has drastically decreased and the services as well. Companies froze recruitment and there were salary cuts. Inflation also rose. Young people feel uncertain about the future,” he said.

Madushanka said they had also come up with a number of policy recommendations that minimise the exodus of youth from the country.

Among the recommendations they had come up with are: make it mandatory for and public sector organisations to recruit a minimum of 25% of their workforce annually from the youth demographic; implement state backed initiatives to support young entrepreneurs and encourage self-reliance by nurturing startup enterprises; develop comprehensive mental health guidelines for employees and university students by establishing anonymous helplines within universities for open communication, ensuring widespread access to these services; mandate universities and workplaces to employ a minimum of one mental health specialist, fostering an environment where students and employees can openly discuss and seek assistance for their mental health concerns; implement participatory research practices at the district level to assess diverse community needs comprehensively and create sustainable mechanisms for advancing youth-driven initiatives and foster cross-border collaborations within state universities to provide students exposure to international academic frameworks, equipping them with the skills required to meet global demands effectively.

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National SME Strategy Framework 2026 is critical because it brings policy consistency and stability to the sector – PM

Published

17 hours ago

2026/05/15

Priyan

The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the 2nd day of the dialog on “National SME Strategy Framework 2026” organized by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development held on Thursday [14th of May].

The official launch of the “National SME Strategy Framework 2026” to empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), was held on Wednesday (13) under the patronage of the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, and Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe.

The Framework has been developed by the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry, with input from the SME Advisory Committee and key system stakeholders in line with the national manifesto of “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”

This framework creates the opportunity for the entrepreneurs to easily register their businesses, access modern technology, and obtain specialized financial facilities along with the advisory services that directly support the growth of entrepreneurs, departing from the traditional method free of charge.

The second day marks the dialog on the “National SME Strategy Framework 2026” focusing on the discussion into implementation and strategy to action featuring series of panel discussions.

During the event National SME Strategy Framework 2026 was presented to the Prime Minister by the Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe.

The Prime Minister stated that the country is implementing its transformative agenda during a period of global instability and disruptive global context stressing the importance of adaptation, sustainability and building resilience, particularly within the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in such context.

Underscoring the importance of the SME policy framework, the Prime Minister further stated that the government’s role is to ensure consistency, stability and collaboration within the sector.

The event was attended by the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Australian Deputy High commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ms. Ruth Baird and Secretary to the Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Mrs. J.M. Thilaka Jayasundara and develop and develop partners and representatives from business community.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

Opposition accuses govt. of weaponising tax laws

Published

18 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

Sajith

… calls for modernising Inland Revenue Dept.

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday criticised the government’s proposed amendments to the Inland Revenue Act, claiming that a new provision in the draft legislation could unfairly lead to criminal action against ordinary citizens and small business owners over administrative tax-related matters.

In a statement, Premadasa said the public was “not angry about paying taxes” but was frustrated by what he described as unfair treatment under the proposed law.

He alleged that Section 185A of the proposed bill could make delays in filing tax returns or registration-related issues criminal offences, warning that struggling small-scale entrepreneurs could be treated in the same manner as individuals deliberately evading millions of rupees in taxes.

“That is wrong,” the Opposition Leader said.

Premadasa further accused the government of resorting to criminal action against people instead of reforming and modernising the Inland Revenue Department and simplifying tax compliance procedures.

He also questioned the government’s commitment to tackling corruption and financial crimes, asking why stronger measures had not been taken against money laundering, financial fraud and those accused of misappropriating public funds.

“Go after the corrupt. Punish real fraudsters. But do not weaponise the law against the common man,” he said.

Premadasa added that the Opposition would continue to resist legislation that undermined “fairness, proportionality, and the constitutional rights of the people.”

News

Floods, landslides affect 3,475 people

Published

19 hours ago

2026/05/15

Thilina Walpola

Adverse weather conditions prevailing across the country have severely affected 3,475 persons belonging to 1,113 families in seven districts, according to the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).The DMC said 1,310 individuals from 489 families had been relocated to eight temporary safety shelters due to the deteriorating weather situation.

The DMC also confirmed one death from the Koralepatthu South area in the Batticaloa District.

As of 10 am yesterday (14), a total of 88 houses and one business establishment had sustained partial damage as a result of the adverse weather conditions.

Authorities have urged the public in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow safety instructions issued by disaster management and local officials as heavy rains continue to affect several parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) yesterday extended landslide warnings for several districts across the country due to the prevailing adverse weather conditions.

According to the NBRO, Level 2 landslide warnings have been issued for Neluwa in the Galle District; Agalawatte, Baduraliya, Matugama, Horana and Walallawita in the Kalutara District; and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura District.

Level 1 landslide warnings remain in effect for several areas in the Badulla, Galle, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts.

The warned areas include Bandarawela, Passara and Hali Ela in Badulla; Thawalama, Elpitiya and

Niyagama in Galle; Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in Kalutara; and multiple Divisional Secretariat areas in the Kandy District, including Poojapitiya, Deltota, Udunuwara and Pathahewaheta.

Warnings have also been issued for Bulathkohupitiya, Mawanella, Kegalle, Aranayake, Yatiyanthota, Warakapola and Rambukkana in the Kegalle District; Ridigama in Kurunegala; Rattota, Naula and Ambanganga Korale in Matale; and Wellawaya, Badalkumbura and Bibile in Monaragala.

In the Nuwara Eliya District, the warning covers Norwood, Ambagamuwa Korale and Kotmale, while Eheliyagoda, Kalawana, Kuruwita, Godakawela, Kiriella and Ayagama in the Ratnapura District have also been placed under alert.

The NBRO said the warnings were extended in view of further rainfall forecast by the Department of Meteorology and urged residents in vulnerable areas to remain vigilant and follow instructions issued by authorities for their safety.

Meanwhile, the water levels in several major river basins that had risen due to recent heavy rainfall are now receding following a decline in rainfall over the past 24 hours, the Department of Irrigation said.

Director of Irrigation (Hydrology and Disaster Management) L.S. Sooriyabandara said water levels in the Nilwala River, Gin Ganga, Kalu Ganga and Attanagalu Oya basins were showing a downward trend as rainfall eased.

He noted that water levels were declining in most areas, with the exception of the Millakanda area in the Kalu Ganga basin.

However, Sooriyabandara warned that the current improvement could be temporary, as the Department of Meteorology has forecast further rain in the coming days.

According to the Department, 18 of the country’s 73 major reservoirs are currently spilling over, while another 18 medium-sized reservoirs are also discharging water.

He stressed that the release of water does not indicate a major flood situation at present, but urged the public to remain vigilant and follow future advisories issued by authorities.

By Norman Paliahwadane and Chaminda Silva