Over 100,000 Sri Lankans register for foreign employment this year

Colombo, May 16 (Daily Mirror) - The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) announced that the number of Sri Lankans registering for foreign employment has surpassed 100,000 so far this year.

According to the SLBFE, a total of 100,413 individuals have registered and left the country for overseas employment between January and mid-May. Of this number, 64,150 registered independently, while 36,263 registered through licensed foreign employment agencies. The figures include 39,496 women and 60,917 men.

Kuwait has emerged as the most popular destination, with 25,672 jobseekers heading there. Meanwhile, 18,474 individuals have taken up employment in the United Arab Emirates, 14,162 in Qatar and 12,625 in Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, 4,212 people have registered for jobs in Japan, 3,395 for Israel and 2,036 for South Korea. The remaining registrants have secured employment opportunities in other countries.

The Bureau further stated that it aims to send a total of 340,000 Sri Lankans for overseas employment by the end of this year.