Emigration Intentions and Drivers among Residents of Colombo Municipal Council, Sri Lanka
K. Nishanthi *
Department of Geography, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Emigration has been a persistent feature of Sri Lanka's socio-economic landscape since the 1970s, but the 2022 economic crisis triggered an unprecedented surge, with foreign employment departures rising from 122,264 in 2021 to a record 311,161 in 2023. While existing research has examined national-level migration trends and the economic drivers of emigration, limited attention has been given to emigration intentions among highly urbanised populations and their relationship with observed national migration patterns. This study examines the drivers of emigration intentions among residents of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Sri Lanka’s most urbanised and highly educated area, and compares them with national migration trends. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire among 69 residents of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, and the findings were compared with national migration statistics obtained from secondary sources. Emigration intention among respondents was pervasive: 86.4% intended to migrate within the next five years, with economic factors being the dominant motivation, followed by educational and family reasons. Income dissatisfaction was near universal (95.5%), 90.9% believed that better opportunities existed abroad, and only 22.7% rated their quality of life as good. The comparative analysis shows convergence in economic motivation but sharp divergence in gender and skill profiles: the sample was 63.6% female and 77.3% degree-holding, whereas only 44.7% of actual national departures are female and roughly 21% are classified as skilled. This gap points to constrained migration aspirations among urban women, who face regulatory barriers such as the Family Background Report requirement, and to a distinct brain-drain segment whose departure carries the greatest long-term developmental cost. The study concludes with six evidence-linked policy recommendations: improve income and economic stability, reduce the cost of living, improve urban quality of life, retain skilled human capital, create more quality employment opportunities, and strengthen political stability and good governance.
Keywords: Migration, emigration drivers, Sri Lanka, Colombo municipal council, push-pull factors, brain drain