Migrant worker abuse could be limited if workers were contacted within the first month of employment to check whether their actual conditions match their contract, according to the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). This measure has yet to be implemented.
The IPS notes that the current system is reactive, responding only after abuse is reported. It recommends a more proactive approach that would reach workers through a phone call from the Bureau of Foreign Employment, an embassy check-in, or a social media survey. The aim is to identify problems before they are reported, not after.
IPS research found that of the 7,448 complaints logged in 2024, 41% came from workers in Saudi Arabia, 34% from Kuwait, and 10% from the UAE. Three-quarters of these complaints were filed by female domestic workers. Many workers tolerated abusive workplaces without reporting them, fearing that doing so would cost them their jobs.
Worker remittances to Sri Lanka hit a record $8.07 billion in 2025, up 22.8% from 2024’s $6.6 billion. Gulf countries remain the largest source, but between Q4 2022 and Q3 2025, remittance shares from Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman declined while shares from France, Canada, and Australia doubled. This reflects a shift towards higher-skilled, better-paid workers abroad.
While workers endure hardship abroad, their families bear a separate burden. An IPS study found that children under five were 14% less likely to need a clinic visit and 15.2% less likely to be hospitalised when their mothers stayed home rather than migrating. Older children were also 60% less likely to fail a grade if their mothers were present.
When a mother went overseas to earn a living, her children experienced worse health and education outcomes. The effect was not explained by money, as the drop in overseas remittances was offset by higher domestic income.