Moreover, Sri Lanka has over 1.07 million registered migrant workers employed globally, with the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait hosting the largest share. Figures from within the export sector indicate the same gap. That is a striking figure for a sector Sri Lanka depends on for foreign exchange earnings. According to the Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026, the country’s labour force participation rate stood at 49.2%, while the unemployment rate was 3.7%. For Sri Lanka’s own export sector, these labour shortages create a distinct set of challenges.