Kuwait emerges as leading source of foreign remittances to Sri Lanka

Kuwait became the top source of foreign remittances sent to Sri Lanka by overseas workers, according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment. Speaking to local media, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe that nearly 80,000 Sri Lankans travel to Kuwait for work annually, which constitutes approximately 30% of annual foreign employment departures.

Sri Lankans in Kuwait remitted 893 million US dollars to Sri Lanka in 2025, representing the largest single contribution to worker remittances. Qatar holds the second position for remittance inflows, followed by the United Arab Emirates, whilst Saudi Arabia and the United States feature among the main contributors.

Sri Lankan communities in Italy, the United Kingdom, the Maldives, Australia, and Israel also provide significant contributions to foreign exchange earnings. Sri Lanka receives billions of dollars annually through worker remittances, which continue to serve as a vital source of foreign exchange.