Putting the brakes on migration a no-win situation  

The Government has decided to do away with the five year no-pay leave granted to public sector employees with effect from 1 January 2026. The no-pay leave system was introduced in 2022 by a Cabinet decision amidst the economic crisis. The leave was granted to pensionable officers without prejudice to their seniority.

Public Administration Ministry Secretary S. Aloka Bandara said the Cabinet has approved a proposal to cancel the five-year leave option, which was used by many to seek alternate employment either locally or overseas. The Government said there will be no leave extension for those who have already obtained such leave, while fresh applications will also no longer be processed.

The system was introduced during the economic crisis as there was the need to reduce the salary bill of the Government, but it has also led to many professionals including doctor’s engineers, nurses and many others leaving the country to take up jobs overseas.  This in turn led to a shortage in many areas particularly in the medical field.

When Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa visited the UK in October, he called on Sri Lankan specialist doctors working overseas to consider returning home, citing a shortage of medical specialists in the state health service.

“There is currently a shortage of specialist doctors in our health service. I assure that if you return to work in Sri Lanka, you will be reinstated in the same positions with all the previous service benefits,” the Minister told a meeting with Sri Lankan doctors employed in the U.K.

But how many will be willing to take up the Minister’s request and return to the country? It’s likely to be few, if any at all.

One of the main fallouts of the 2022 economic crisis, on the back of the Easter Sunday bombings, was pushing many Sri Lankans to migrate. Unlike many who used to travel overseas, mainly to the Middle East, for employment, in 2022, a large number of people decided to migrate. Some took jobs overseas while others used the education route to get a foothold in a developed country and seek employment. This trend may have slowed down but the numbers waiting to leave the country seeking greener pastures is still high. The recent Ditwah cyclone and the inevitable economic cost will no doubt push even more people to leave the country.

Migration is taking away from the country many who are needed. Doctors, nurses, teachers, academics, sportspersons, specialists in the field of IT, economics, the hospitality and tourism industry and the list goes on. Many are taking up offers from other countries and many have secured lucrative jobs overseas.

One big drawback in the country remains the low pay, high costs and lack of benefits, all of which does little to encourage people to remain in the country. Many are not only making more money but also enjoying a better quality of life overseas.

The Government cancelling the no-paid benefit for State sector employees is understandable given the dire need for them in the country. They now have to decide between quitting their jobs and seeking other forms of employment or serving their full term in office. But such measures will not help retain talented and educated Sri Lankans who want a better life than on offer in the homeland. In an ideal world, citizens of a country should be able to live, work, raise families, spend time with aging parents etc., in the country of their birth but this is true of only a few economically developed countries with a high standard of living. So, putting the brakes on migration isn’t easy. Realistically, the effects of the cyclone and the massive damage it has caused is likely to push even more people to leave the country.