Sri Lanka is set to introduce a new Foreign Employment Act aimed at strengthening the protection, welfare and rights of Sri Lankans working overseas while addressing long standing legal gaps in the country’s labour migration framework. The announcement was made by Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath during a parliamentary session on 8 July.
The proposed legislation will introduce stronger legal safeguards for migrant workers, alongside initiatives to expand their access to public services. Minister Herath revealed that arrangements are underway to enable overseas Sri Lankans to exercise their voting rights, while preliminary work has commenced on establishing a contributory pension scheme for migrant workers.
To improve engagement with the Sri Lankan diaspora, the Government has launched the Lanka Konnect website and mobile application, enabling Sri Lankans living abroad to submit complaints and request assistance more efficiently.
The Minister also announced that compensation paid to families of Sri Lankans who die while employed overseas has been doubled from Rs. 600,000 to Rs. 1.2 million. Meanwhile, a dedicated investigation unit, including officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, has been established to eliminate bribery and malpractice involving foreign employment agencies.
Highlighting the sector’s economic importance, Minister Herath said Sri Lanka recorded its highest ever annual foreign remittance inflow of US$8 billion during the first year of the current Government, while remittances reached US$4.75 billion during the first six months of 2026.
He further announced new employment opportunities through agreements with Japan covering truck drivers, construction workers and graduates, while issues relating to Italian general driving licences have been resolved. The Government also capped recruitment fees for private agencies sending workers to Israel at a maximum equivalent to two months’ salary and warned the public against illegal human smugglers charging millions of rupees for overseas jobs.
