Sri Lanka, Sept. 9 -- The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) announced that a total of 212,302 Sri Lankan workers have left for overseas employment during the eight-month period from January to August 2025.

Of this number, 130,252 were male workers, reflecting a significant increase compared to female workers (82,050) who have departed the country during the same period.

Kuwait recorded the highest intake of Sri Lankan workers, with 53,159 arrivals, followed by the United Arab Emirates (41,180) and Qatar (30,263), it said.

The SLBFE also observed a growing trend of Sri Lankan workers moving to East Asian destinations, with 8,015 travelling to Japan and 4,324 to South Korea for employment opportunities.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka...