Sri Lankans employed in Kuwait have become the country’s largest source of foreign remittances among overseas migrant workers, according to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).

Speaking during the Ada Derana ‘Big Focus’ program, SLBFE Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe detailed an analysis of foreign employment and remittance data from recent years.

He stated that nearly 300,000 Sri Lankans leave the country annually in search of overseas employment opportunities. Of that number, close to 80,000 workers — representing nearly 30 percent — choose Kuwait as their destination.

The Chairman further noted that Sri Lankan workers in Kuwait remitted approximately US$ 893 million to Sri Lanka during 2025 alone, making Kuwait the leading contributor of foreign exchange earnings through worker remittances.

Qatar was identified as the second-highest source of remittances to Sri Lanka, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and the United States also remain among the major countries from which Sri Lankan expatriates send substantial amounts of foreign currency.

Furthermore, Italy, the United Kingdom, the Maldives, Australia and Israel were named among the other leading destinations contributing significantly to Sri Lanka’s foreign remittance inflows, according to SLBFE Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe.

Foreign remittances continue to play a vital role in supporting Sri Lanka’s economy, serving as one of the country’s key sources of foreign exchange earnings, the Chairman added.