Cabinet nod to further extend timeline of electric vehicles import scheme for migrant workers 

The Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday approved to further extend the timeline issued to allow Sri Lankans working abroad to import electric vehicles till 15 September 2023.

This was the third time the Government decided to extend the timeline of the electric vehicles import scheme for migrant workers. Previously, the timeline eligible to import two-wheeler electric vehicles for expatriate workers was till 31 August. 

“Expatriate workers did not remit dollars to the country as they had trust issues and because they can get better currency rates by sending money through informal channels such as Undiyal. To change that, the Government introduced this fresh scheme to allow Sri Lankan migrant workers to import electric vehicles in May 2022. 

“However, they are not eligible to import the electric vehicles according to their desire with the foreign exchange amount they have remitted during the defined period. Thus, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to extend the deadline,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday. 

The original objective of the Government move was to boost foreign exchange inflows via the banking system, to overcome the ongoing foreign exchange crisis and to appreciate the contribution made to the national economy by expatriates to reduce foreign currency scarcity.

He said given the vehicle import restrictions, the migrant workers will reap great benefits from this extension.

In 2020, the Government decided to restrict vehicle imports, amidst the foreign exchange crisis and the license to import these electric vehicles will be issued ‘only’ to migrant workers who send money legally through the banking system.

Sri Lanka foreign workers’ remittances for April at $ 454 million, an 83.4% increase YoY, pushing the first four months’ figure to $ 1,867.2 million.

The proposal to this tabled by Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.