Book Description
In many developing countries, remittances from workers who have migrated elsewhere have expanded in the last three decades to become a key balance of payments. In response to their growing economic significance, there has been increasing policy interest in harnessing remittances as a resource for macroeconomic and regional development, but few studies give detailed consideration to migrant workers and their families from a development policy perspective. Sri Lanka, a small low-income country, sends large numbers of workers into overseas labor markets. This working paper contributes to the building of a development policy framework by focusing on the main issues which affect remittance flows to households and the expenditure decisions of recipients in Sri Lanka. The study recommends appropriate corrective measures.