Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2023-05-15

Scheme for granting permits to import fully electric vehicles for Sri Lankans employed abroad

- With the view of encouraging migrant workers to remit income earned abroad to Sri Lanka through legal channels, the Cabinet has previously approved the scheme of granting permits for the importation of fully electric vehicles to Sri Lankans employed abroad. Accordingly, the import of an electric vehicle will be based on the amount of foreign exchange remitted by the migrant workers to Sri Lanka during the period from 2022-05-01 to 2022-12-31. However, it is apparent that the amount of foreign exchange remitted during that period does not make space for them to import the desired electric vehicles. Therefore, the proposal made by the Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment to extend the period in which the amount of foreign currency remitted to Sri Lanka is considered in obtaining a vehicle import permit under the scheme up to 09-15-2023, was approved by the Cabinet.