Despite a 39.7% decline in worker departures from Sri Lanka in March, and a 10.6% overall decline in worker departures in Q1, Sri Lanka’s remittances have sustained growth, indicating higher remittance inflows per worker, SenFin Finance’s remittances report, released this week (25) said.

“Departures for foreign employment were broadly stable in January and February but declined significantly in March, falling to 14,398 from 21,545 a year earlier.”

“Overall, the strong increase in remittances despite lower departures in March suggests improved earnings and higher remittance inflows per worker,” the report said.

Beyond the month of March, total departures for Q1 had fallen by 10.6%, compared to the same time last year.

Sri Lanka’s total cumulative foreign remittances from January through July 2026 reached $ 5,382.4 million.

The cumulative remittance value for the January-July period in 2026 was 21.36% higher than the value for the same period in 2025.

The top remittances source countries in Q1 2026 signaled a deviation from the norm of Gulf countries, as it had been led by the United Kingdom, followed by the traditional markets – United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

The Middle East however still dominated departures, making 72.8% of total departures from Sri Lanka in the year, and the Gulf Sri Lanka’s primary employment destination.

The inflow of worker remittances recorded a monthly average of $ 770 million during Q2 2026, compared to a monthly average of $ 765 million in Q2 2025, indicating a y-o-y increase of 0.7%.