IMSL Executive Director Shantha Kulasekara shares insights on why Sri Lanka needs a National Talent and International Mobility Strategy. One that transforms migration from a challenge into an opportunity for skills development, global partnerships, and sustainable economic growth.

For over 50 years, Sri Lanka has relied heavily on exporting labor to boost the national economy. But today, our industries face a critical challenge: severe, structural shortages of skilled professionals, technicians, and specialized talent. It is time for a paradigm shift. Sri Lanka must evolve from a country that simply sends workers overseas into one that actively attracts global talent, knowledge, and investment. 

• Beyond Labour Export: Why domestic shortages in IT, hospitality, construction, and healthcare require a comprehensive National Talent and International Mobility Strategy.  
• Reimagining the Diaspora: Moving past remittances to unlock the vast knowledge, professional networks, and expertise of over 3 million Sri Lankans globally.
• A Balanced Framework: How to attract international experts, researchers, and innovators while securely protecting local jobs and national interests. 
• The India Opportunity: Leveraging our closest neighbor, one of the world's fastest-growing knowledge economies, to drive regional innovation and knowledge transfer.

"If Sri Lanka is to become a competitive upper-middle-income economy, it must aspire not only to export talent to the world but also to attract the world's talent to Sri Lanka," Shantha Kulasekara, IMSL Executive Director.

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