International Migration Outlook – Sri Lanka 2008 i International Migration Outlook - Sri Lanka 2008 This volume is the fruit of a collaborative effort by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS). The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization. The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout the work do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As an intergovernmental organization, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. Publisher: International Organization for Migration No 24, Police Park Avenue Colombo 05 Sri Lanka Tel: +94 0115325300 Fax: +94 0115325302 E-mail: Internet: http://www.iom.int ISBN 978—955-0152-00-1 Barcode 9 789550 152001 © 2009 International Organization for Migration (IOM) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in Sri Lanka by: Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS), No. 99, St. Michael’s Road, Colombo - 03, Sri Lanka. ii Contents Preface vii Acknowledgments ix Executive Summary xi Key Migration Indicators xv Selected Acronyms xviii 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 Institutional Framework for Migration in Sri Lanka 9 2.1 Salient Features of the National Labour Migration Policy for Sri Lanka 11 3.0 Labour Migration 15 3.1 Historical Overview of Labour Migration from Sri Lanka 19 3.2 Present Trends in Temporary Foreign Employment 21 3.3 Demand and Supply of Jobs for Sri Lankan Workers Abroad 30 3.4 Foreign Workers in Sri Lanka 33 3.5 Brain Drain or Brain Gain? 34 3.6 Evidence of Harassment of Migrant Workers 36 3.7 Impact of Remittances 40 3.8 Contribution of Remittances to the Sri Lankan Economy 42 4.0 Tourist Arrivals 49 5.0 Student Migration 59 5.1 Student Migration to Canada 61 5.2 Student Migration to the United Kingdom 62 5.3 Student Migration to Other Countries 63 5.4 Inflow of Foreign Students to Sri Lanka 64 6.0 Irregular Migration 69 6.1 Refugees and Asylum Seekers 75 7.0 Way Forward 81 References 87 Appendix 91 Migration Terminology 121 iii International Migration Outlook - Sri Lanka 2008 List of Tables Table 3.1: Departures for Foreign Employment, by Sex: 1986 to 2007 21 Table 3.2: Estimated Stock of Sri Lankan Overseas Contract Workers by Manpower Levels and by Gender -2007 23 Table 3.3: Total Departures for Foreign Employment by Manpower Levels 1994 to 2007 23 Table 3.4: Destinations of Labour Migrants from Sri Lanka by Country 2003 to 2007 26 Table 3.5: Supply Gap of Sri Lankan Labour for Foreign Jobs 31 Table 3.6: Supply Gap by Skill Level 32 Table 3.7: Foreigners Working in Sri Lanka, 2005-2008 33 Table 3.8: Expatriates/Foreigners in the Board of Investment (BOI) Enterprises as at 05.18.2009 by Sector 34 Table 3.9: Complaints Received by Country and Sex, 2004 to 2007 37 Table 3.10: Nature of Complaints 39 Table 3.11: Worker Remittances in Relation to Selected Macro Variables (1978 -2008) 45 Table 4. 1: International Tourist Arrivals, 1990 to 2005 50 Table 4. 2: Composition of the Tourist Arrivals in Sri Lanka as a % of Total Arrivals in each Year (2000 to 2008) 53 Table 4. 3: Volume and Value of Tourism - 2000 to 2008 54 Table 5. 1: Destinations of Foreign Students Studying in OECD Countries by Origin, 2004 (%) 59 Table 5. 2: Student Migration to Canada by Type of Study 2000 to 2007 62 Table 6. 1: Number of Arrests at Colombo Airport by Reason 70 Table 6. 2: Number of Arrests at Colombo Airport by Sex and Age 71 Table 6. 3: Top Twenty Destinations having the Highest Deportation 71 Table 6. 4: Total Number of Deported Sri Lankan Persons from SAARC Countries 72 Table 6.5: Refugees and Asylum Seekers from Sri Lanka during 2000 to 2008 77 iv List of Figures Figure 3.1: Sri Lankan Labour Migration -1972 to 2008 20 Figure 3.2: Departures by Manpower Levels 2007 24 Figure 3.3: Trends in Manpower Categories, 1994 to 2007 25 Figure 3.4: Top Destinations for Housemaids in 2007 27 Figure 3.5: Top Destinations for Unskilled Workers in 2007 27 Figure 3.6: Top Destinations for Semi-skilled, Skilled, Clerical, Middle Level and Professional Workers in 2007 28 Figure 3.7: Top Recipients of Remittances, by US$ Billion - 2007 41 Figure 3.8: Top Recipients of Remittances, by Share of GDP - 2007 41 Figure 3.9: Inflow of Remittances 1975 to 2008 42 Figure 3.10: Foreign Capital Inflows 43 Figure 3.11: Remittances to Sri Lanka by Region -2007 43 Figure 4.1: Tourist Arrivals by Year - 1966 to 2008 52 Figure 5.1: Countries with over 20% of their Graduates Living in an OECD Country 60 Figure 5.2: Student Migration to Canada 2000 to 2007 61 Figure 5.3: Sri Lankan Student Migration to UK by British Missions Worldwide 2000 to 2008 63 Figure 5.4: Flow of Sri Lankans to Canada for Permanent Residence by Sex 2000 to 2007 65 Figure 5.5: UK Settlements by Sex 2004-2008 66 List of Maps Map 3. 1: Departures for Foreign Employment by Districts 2003 to 2007 29 List of Boxes Box 3. 1: Some Key Figures on Global Employment in 2005 17 Box 3. 2: Some Key Features of International Labour Migration 18 Box 5. 1: Permanent Resident Visas for Selected Countries 65 Box 6. 1: Human Smuggling 72 Box 6. 2: Human Trafficking 74 v International Migration Outlook - Sri Lanka 2008 List of Appendices Appendix 1: Arrivals and Departures of Sri Lankans at the CA-2001 to 2007 91 Appendix 2: Estimated Stock of Sri Lankan Overseas Contract Workers by Country and Sex, 2007 92 Appendix 3: Map of Estimated Stock of Sri Lankan Overseas Contract Workers by District- 2007 93 Appendix 4: Demand and Supply Gap of Labour Migrants from Sri Lanka 94 Appendix 5: Top 100 Countries Receiving Remittances 104 Appendix 6: Tourist Arrivals by Country of Residence - 2002 to 2008 106 Appendix 7: Tourist Arrivals by Country of Nationality - 2002 to 2008 107 Appendix 8: Top Ten Source Markets by Country of Residence (2007 and 2008) 108 Appendix 9: Tourist Arrivals by Country of Residence and Purpose of Visit – 2008 109 Appendix 10: Tourist Arrivals by Country of Residence and Occupation – 2008 110 Appendix 11: Seasonal Variation in Tourist Traffic Flow - 1967 to 2008 111 Appendix 12: Student Visas Issued to Sri Lankans by Canada 2000 to 2007 112 Appendix 13: Visas Issued to Sri Lankans by British Missions Worldwide 113 Appendix 14: Visas Issued to Sri Lankans by United States of America and Australia 114 Appendix 15: Visas Issued to Sri Lankans by Selected SAARC Country Embassies 115 Appendix 16: Country-wise Student Migration 116 Appendix 17: Number of Illegal Entrants from Sri Lanka, Based on Country of Deportation 117 Appendix 18: Number of Arrests at CA by Country 119 vi Preface This is the very first edition of the annual statistical report of the continuous reporting system on “International Migration Outlook in Sri Lanka”. Migration has become the concern of all in some form or another, and it means concern rather than simply interest, because the understanding of migration, and how to take advantage of it, live with it and manage it has not kept pace with the growth of the phenomenon and the complexity of its linkages with other issues. Understanding of migration by both policy makers and the general public can make the difference between migration having a more positive and negative impact on a region, country or society. Precise and reliable information on international migration trends and the accurate analysis of key migration issues are indispensable to the formulation of effective migration management policies. Having recognized the importance of international migration for Sri Lanka, this report was initiated with the objective of preparing a comprehensive analysis of the current trends, patterns and changes in migration related sectors such as labour migration, permanent migration, student migration, irregular migration and tourism for the recent years. This report attempts to provide Sri Lanka’s international migration dynamics using the available data. The report acknowledges that there are many gaps in the collection of migration data in Sri Lanka despite recent efforts by the Government for a coordinated approach to data collection. The report by no means provides a total migration picture in Sri Lanka however, it is a progressive step in the right direction for collection and dissemination of migration data for the benefit of policy development and subsequent program intervention for managing migration for the benefit of Sri Lanka. We hope that the 2008 edition of the International Migration Outlook in Sri Lanka will shed more light on the challenges and opportunities ahead of Sri Lanka toward enhancing migration management approaches that uphold the principle “human and orderly migration benefits migrants and society”. The International Migration Outlook in Sri Lanka is a result of two years of a capacity building project implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) towards the establishment of a coordinated migration data collection system in Sri Lanka.