Sri Lanka, Sept. 29 -- Sri Lanka saw foreign employment departures drop to 7.2% of total departures in 2025, falling from 8.1 percent in 2024 and a peak of 27.6% in 2022, according to the Central Bank.

Total departures for foreign jobs reached 311,223 in 2025, down slightly from 314,670 in 2024, which remains the highest annual figure across eight consecutive years.

Daily foreign employment departures averaged 853 in 2025, compared to 862 in 2024 and 852 in 2022.

Male departures for employment increased to 190,881 in 2025 from 186,658 in 2024, whereas female departures declined from 128,012 to 120,342.

The shift extends a trend following 2022, when female departures reached a high of 124,006, compared to pre-pandemic 2019 figures of 1...