Sri Lanka received $735.6 million in overseas remittances in October

Money sent home by Sri Lankans working abroad reached $735.6 million in October 2026, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said, an increase on both the previous month and the same month last year.

According to the central bank's weekly economic indicators report, remittances rose from $734.4 million in September 2026 to $735.6 million in October, a month-on-month increase of $1.2 million.

Compared with a year earlier, the growth is clearer still. Remittances stood at $712 million in October last year, so the latest figure marks an increase of $23.6 million, a year-on-year rise of about 3.3 per cent.

The report points out that worker remittances continue to play a vital role in Sri Lanka's foreign exchange earnings, remaining one of the country's most important sources of hard currency.