📈 Sri Lanka to Introduce First Inbound Labour Migration Policy

Sri Lanka's Cabinet has approved the formulation of the country’s first dedicated inbound labour migration policy to address growing domestic workforce shortages and the outward migration of local workers. • Key Objectives: The policy aims to transition from a framework traditionally focused on sending workers overseas to a centralized national framework that governs the admission, employment, supervision, and protection of foreign workers. • Economic Impact: It intends to protect job opportunities for local Sri Lankan workers while enabling key economic sectors facing labor shortages to legally and systematically access foreign skilled, semi-skilled, and specialist expertise. • Regulatory Shifts: The policy will eliminate current institutional fragmentation by introducing a centralized information system for better monitoring, providing transparency and structured processes for employers, investors, and regulators. • Implementation: The initiative, proposed by Labour Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, includes appointing a Steering Committee chaired by the Labour Ministry Secretary to draft the official framework.