Expat Life in Sri Lanka
If you’ve just been offered a position in Sri Lanka, or contemplating on moving there to work, remember that moving overseas has its advantages and disadvantages. Moving to Sri Lanka will open a whole new world for you. Note that most of the expat jobs are in Colombo, where most large businesses reside. It is a bustling, modern city, with plenty of air conditioning to escape the high temperatures, and the countryside is breathtaking.
Getting a visa: If you are a foreign national and want to invest financial capital or engage in business activities in Sri Lanka, you can apply for a residence visa. Other qualified individuals for residence visa are volunteers, foreign students in universities and State-approved educational institutions. For more information, you may visit the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka.
Cost of Living: The cost of living in Sri Lanka depends on the area in which you stay. Generally speaking, the cost of living is low compared to neighboring Asian countries. Sri Lanka’s currency system is in Rupees. Its market-based economy is growing again and the government is setting some ambitious plans for their development.
The value of working in Sri Lanka is more than just the financial side. Yes, there are news that expat packages are getting less extravagant around the world. However, no matter how you look at it, you can still manage to live life very comfortably because you are still getting a higher salary as compared to your peers. Most, if not all, companies’ expat packages include housing (usually a moderate to large house), car allowances and annual tickets home. You can easily live in Sri Lanka with what you are making.
The experience itself is valuable. When living and working in Sri Lanka, you are exposed to different business environments and moreso in different cultures. A lot of people would gladly take a pay cut just for the chance to experience working abroad. And this exposure will give you a strong edge when you go back home, and will put you at a better place than your peers or competitors.
There are a number of information sources for expat living in Sri Lanka, wherein you can find information on housing, international schools, education, health care, insurance, shopping, wellness & sports, restaurants & nightlife, clubs and such.
Moving and working overseas has its advantages and disadvantages, so before you decide, ask yourself this question: “Is it worth it?”. And in the case of working in Sri Lanka, for its wealth of experience, it is indeed worth it.