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Sri Lanka → Japan

Migration corridor · visas, permits and flows

From
Sri Lanka
To
Japan
Inflow, 2023 (OECD)
11,328
Change since 2018
+182.6%
Share of all arrivals in Japan, 2023
1.83%
Inflow 202311,328OECD
Year by year
Data as at 2025
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Migration from Sri Lanka to Japan

Inflows of nationals of Sri Lanka recorded by Japan; stock of nationals of Sri Lanka living there; and acquisitions of Japan's nationality (OECD).

Inflows by year

5,66411k2006200920122015201820212023
5,66411k2006200920122015201820212023
Data table
20061,363
20071,064
20081,145
20091,309
20101,200
20111,364
20121,472
20131,538
20142,159
20153,064
20164,682
20175,551
20184,009
20193,320
20202,860
2021816
20229,902
202311,328
YearInflowStockAcquired nationality
2024—46,949—
202311,32837,251160
20229,90228,98680
202181629,29077
20202,86027,36755
20193,32025,41046
20184,00923,348—
20175,55117,346—
20164,68213,152—
20153,06410,741—
20142,1599,193—
20131,5388,427—
20121,4729,303—
20111,3649,097—
20101,2008,973—
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023

Migrant population

People born in Sri Lanka who live in Japan: mid-year estimates of the international migrant stock (UN DESA).

Migrant population by year

25k49k19901995200020052010201520202024
25k49k19902000201020202024
Data table
19901,100
19952,575
20005,286
20058,642
20108,952
201512,613
202030,220
202449,037
Estimate, 2024
49,037
Share of all international migrants in the destination, 2024
1.4%
Rank among countries of birth, 2024
13
Counted by
citizenship
Source: United Nations, DESA Population Division, International Migrant Stock 2024 (CC BY 3.0 IGO)Data as at 2024

Residents in Japan

Citizens of Sri Lanka living in Japan at the end of each December, by status of residence (Immigration Services Agency of Japan).

Residents in work-related statuses

16k33k2012201420162018202220242025
16k33k2012201420162018202220242025
Data table
20122,415
20132,499
20142,689
20153,187
20163,892
20174,627
20185,665
20197,318
202214,960
202319,109
202425,486
202532,974
DecemberAll residentsWork-related statusesEngineer/Specialist in Humanities/International ServicesSpecified Skilled WorkerTechnical Intern TrainingStudentPermanent ResidentDependent
202579,12832,97420,4614,0032,87020,1724,45714,708
202463,47225,48616,1632,1912,43215,2694,21012,552
202346,94919,10912,2239951,75210,3784,00710,230
202237,25114,9609,8903741,1626,1243,8027,705
201927,3677,3184,57557407,4083,2493,971
201825,4105,6653,49104878,7013,0933,352
201723,3484,6272,80603418,2732,9382,931
201617,3463,8922,37402655,5972,7482,584
201513,1523,1871,99702233,2192,4192,319
201410,7412,6891,68301831,9812,1172,091
20139,1932,4991,58001801,2521,9091,926
20128,4282,4151,50901731,0331,6831,808
Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, Statistics on Foreign Residents (在留外国人統計), Table 1, end of December (e-Stat; Government of Japan Standard Terms of Use 2.0)Data as at Dec 2025

Workers in Japan (employment reports)

Citizens of Sri Lanka working in Japan, as reported by employers at the end of each October (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

Workers by year (end of October)

25k50k20212022202320242025
25k50k20212022202320242025
Data table
202119,938
202222,899
202329,273
202439,136
202550,427
By industry, October 2025
  1. Accommodation and food services12,530
  2. Wholesale and retail trade11,213
  3. Other services8,063
  4. Other industries6,827
  5. Manufacturing6,389
  6. Construction2,300
  7. Health and welfare2,176
  8. Education477
  9. Information and communications452
Workers, October 2025
50,427
Change on a year earlier
+28.9%
Via dispatch or contracting firms
14.9%
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), reports on the employment of foreign workers, end of October 2025 (Public Data License 1.0)Data as at Oct 2025

Embassy and consulates

Missions of Japan in Sri Lanka, as recorded in Wikidata. Details change; the mission's official website is authoritative.

MissionCityOfficial website
EmbassyColombolk.emb-japan.go.jp
Source: Wikidata (CC0)Data as at Oct 2026

Compared with other corridors

Nationalities with the most arrivals in Japan, 2023; Sri Lanka ranks 11.

Inflows to Japan, 2023
  1. Vietnam133,732
  2. China106,717
  3. Indonesia67,088
  4. Nepal39,564
  5. Philippines37,338
  6. Myanmar30,849
  7. South Korea27,566
  8. United States19,684
  9. Thailand16,777
  10. Taiwan13,603
  11. Sri Lanka11,328
  12. India10,547
Other destinations for people from Sri Lanka, 2023
  1. South Korea8,576
  2. New Zealand7,044
  3. Australia6,055
  4. Finland3,260
  5. Italy2,877
  6. Canada2,710
  7. United States2,280
  8. Germany2,058
  9. France1,883
Source: OECD, International Migration Database (OECD.ELS.IMD), accessed 24 Oct 2026Data as at 2023

Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more