If you are interested in expanding your business to Sri Lanka, you may also be aiming to bring employees from foreign countries to help with the expansion process. To do this, your foreign workers will need to obtain work visas for Sri Lanka.
The process of applying for and obtaining your Sri Lanka work visas can be complex, with administrative barriers and unique regulations contributing to the difficulty. However, it’s important to always follow the process carefully or you may risk delaying your organization’s expansion.
At Horizons, our foreign expansion experts provide comprehensive Sri Lanka work visa services, immigration support, and outsourcing options to help your organization hire foreign employees in Sri Lanka and expand more effectively.
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Basic requirements for Sri Lanka work visas
While the precise requirements for Sri Lankan visa applications vary depending on several factors, there are some basic requirements that will need to be met by most applicants:
- A job offer/contract/explanation letter from a Sri Lanka-based employer
- Business documents from the employer (such as company registration and a BOI certificate).
- A valid passport
- Application forms and fees
Different types of Sri Lanka visas
Foreigners coming to Sri Lanka for work purposes will need either a visitor visa or a residence visa. The visitor visa is valid for stays of up to 30 days and holders are limited in their business activities to things like attending conferences and meetings, so it is not suitable for full employment.
Residence visas are valid for up to one year and enable applicants to work, so your employees will generally this type of document.
How to get Sri Lanka Work Visas
Before getting a residence visa, your prospective employees should apply for an entry visa to allow them to travel to Sri Lanka. The best source of information for this process is the employee’s local Sri Lankan embassy consulate, or information can be found online via the country’s immigration website.
Once the entry visa has been issued, the holder can travel to Sri Lanka and apply for their residence visa, either through the Department of Immigration and Emigration or online. When the residence visa is issued, the holder can commence employment.
Further considerations
How can Horizons help?
At Horizons, we help employers set up and grow their businesses in Sri Lanka by ensuring they understand the immigration rules and can obtain all the necessary visas for their workforce. Our Sri Lanka work visa experts offer qualified advice and bespoke outsourcing services to support you through the nation’s complicated visa process. We ensure that you and your valued workers are always in full compliance with Sri Lanka’s immigration and employment laws, save you time, and offer the answers to any questions you may have about the procedures.
In addition, we provide extensive outsourcing services that cover recruitment, payroll, HR, administration, and more to help your business trade and grow in Sri Lanka as quickly and efficiently as possible, whether or not you have an established entity in the country.
