Sri Lankan workers resume departure for Israel jobs after airspace reopens

Colombo, May 7 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lankan workers bound for Israel have resumed departures following the reopening of Israeli airspace, which had been temporarily closed due to unrest in the Middle East.

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) said that 47 workers assigned for nursing jobs in Israel left the country this morning aboard Etihad Airways flight EY 593.

The group consisted of 42 women and five men and marked the 202nd batch of Sri Lankan workers departing for employment in Israel.

Speaking at the departure event, SLBFE Chairman Kosala Wickramasinghe said the Bureau would continue efforts to ensure the wellbeing and stability of migrant workers after they return to Sri Lanka.

He also advised workers to carry out their duties responsibly, pay close attention to their health, and make proper use of the income earned abroad.

Wickramasinghe further said that Sri Lanka recorded its highest-ever foreign remittance income of US$ 8 billion in 2025 and expressed confidence that the figure could be increased further this year.