Sri Lanka's average remittances per person reach US$131

(October 13, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's average remittances per person has reached US$131 making it a nation with the largest per capita remittances in South Asia. On average the remittances per person in South Asia is US$33. Sri Lanka's average is eight times higher than the regional average.

US$2,527 million remittances that were sent to Sri Lanka by migrant workers accounted 8% of GDP in 2007.

These facts were revealed by UNDP Resident Representative Neil Buhne when presenting the findings of the 2009 Human Development Report (HDR) based on the concept of “Overcoming Barriers: Human mobility and development” held at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations in Colombo yesterday.

Migration for employment mostly by females is high in Sri Lanka who work as domestic help workers in most Middle Eastern countries that has increasingly contributed towards the country’s remittances over the years.

Around 252,021 Sri Lankans, majority of them females, secured foreign employment in 2008 and 218,459 in 2007 according to Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau statistics. 

At the presentation of the report for 2009, there is a fervent call to reduce the transaction costs for migrants to obtain employment in other countries. 

Sri Lanka media has reported a large number of incidents the local politicians including Ministers are involved in rackets of human trafficking for lucrative gains.