Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sri Lankan Migrant Workers in the Gulf Region

Abstract

At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, the crowded labour camps, where most Sri Lankan low-wage migrant workers in the Gulf resided, became breeding grounds for COVID-19 and had to be placed in isolation with entry and exit barred. As the year 2020 progressed, lockdowns and other COVID-19 containment measures imposed, coupled with the contraction of Gulf economies caused by the pandemic-led drastic decline in oil prices in the world market, resulted in lay-offs, pay-cuts, delays in payments and other financial issues for migrants belonging to all skill levels. Furthermore, while certain Gulf countries implemented policies to provide financial support to help their populations affected by the pandemic, most of these were geared towards benefiting only citizens and local businesses, and migrant workers were given limited financial assistance. As a result, the pandemic severely affected Sri Lankan migrant workers and their families that depend on the remittances they send home. ...