Over 38,000 Sri Lankans in 143 countries seek to return home

• List includes 3,078 students, 4,040 short-term visa holders, 27,854 migrant workers, 3,527 dependents, and 484 duel citizens
• To date 3,600 Sri Lankans living overseas have been repatriated from 15 countries
• Over 78,000 Sri Lankans have registered on ‘Contact Sri Lanka’ web portal since launch

Over 38,983 overseas Sri Lankans (OSLs) in 143 countries at present are seeking to return home, based on information gathered mainly through the ‘Contact Sri Lanka’ Web Portal of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Foreign Relations Ministry said in a statement yesterday. 

Foreign Secretary  Ravinatha Aryasinha

This comprises 3,078 students, 4,040 short-term visa holders, 27,854 migrant workers, 3,527 dependents, 484 duel citizens, and others.

The Ministry said since 21 April, up to now, 3,600 OSLs have been repatriated from 15 countries, largely comprising foreign students and government officials in training, as well as their dependents.

Recognising the need to collect data on vulnerable OSLs, the Ministry of Foreign Relations, with the assistance of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), on 26 March, created the ‘Contact Sri Lanka’ web portal within a week following closure of the airport to inbound commercial flights. 

In parallel to the portal, Sri Lanka Missions were also instructed to collect data on those who wish to return. The two sources serve as the base for identifying vulnerable groups, prioritising, and repatriation.

The Contact Sri Lanka web portal also serves as a virtual help desk for the benefit of OSLs.

According to Acting Director General – Economic Affairs (Multilateral) and Overseas Sri Lankans Anzul Jhan, since its launch, 78,033 Sri Lankans have registered on the portal and a dedicated team operating effectively 24/7 have answered 7,788 questions posed by OSLs from across the globe – mainly on assistance on repatriation and consular issues but also relating to other operational and policy matters.

The portal has not only been able to direct Sri Lankans to the nearest Sri Lanka Diplomatic Mission, specially where there is no Sri Lankan representation in the countries concerned, but has also helped connect vulnerable categories of Sri Lankans who are in need of food and also face medical emergencies with provisions of dry rations, medicines and in some occasions, facilitating arrangements for shelter. 

It has also prompted streamlining issues pertaining to transfer of funds by migrants to Sri Lanka and to short-term travellers and students from Sri Lanka.

Some Missions have also helped students who faced issues in educational institutions and those whose employment contracts have expired to secure new employment agreements, so that they are not compelled to return due to unemployment. 

Participating in a television discussion on Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation on Saturday (16 May), Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha said the ‘Contact Sri Lanka’ portal has become a reliable analytical and organisational tool in forward planning and in fine-tuning the relations and direct communications between the Ministry, the Missions and the OSLs. He also added that the Ministry looks forward to expanding its utility and functions in the future.