Half of Lankan youth sees future abroad

Nearly half of young Sri Lankans would leave the country if given the opportunity, despite a strong sense of national belonging, according to a nationwide survey on the aspirations and concerns of the younger generation.

The “My Sri Lanka | Next” study, conducted by Global Unites South Asia in partnership with the Centenary Movement, surveyed 2,418 people across all 25 districts, alongside 22 provincial consultations, to assess the concerns of Gen Z and younger Millennials.

The survey found that 80% of respondents primarily identified themselves as Sri Lankan, while 73.7% reported a strong sense of national belonging.

However, 49.1% said they would leave Sri Lanka if given the opportunity. The figure rose to 52.7% among Gen Z respondents.

Even among those with a strong sense of national belonging, 42.4% said they would consider leaving the country.

The findings attributed the desire to migrate largely to worsening living conditions, limited employment opportunities and economic uncertainty facing young people.

Financial pressure was widespread, with 69.8% of respondents saying they were financially stressed or struggling, while 16.6% said they were struggling to afford basic necessities.

The Northern Province recorded the highest level of financial stress at 84.3%, followed by the Eastern Province at 78.3%. The corresponding figure for the Western Province was 63.5%.

The survey also found a strong link between experiences of discrimination and the intention to leave the country.

Among respondents who had experienced discrimination, 55.8% said they were willing to emigrate, compared with 37% among those who had not experienced discrimination.

Speaking at the launch of the report, Global Unites Founder and President Prashan De Visser warned that Sri Lanka needed to address the grievances of its younger generation before they contributed to a recurrence of past cycles of unrest.

“As we look at Sri Lanka, our initial studies showed that almost every 15 to 18 years, we’ve experienced cycles of violence. And we are sitting at an 18-year mark,” he said.

De Visser called for the creation of an environment in which young Sri Lankans could build their futures in the country.

“Sri Lanka deserves better. Our children deserve better. We have the power to be part of that change, and that is what today is all about,” he said.

The report stressed that the intention to leave should not be interpreted as an indication that those respondents would actually migrate. Instead, it reflects growing concerns among young Sri Lankans about whether they can build secure and meaningful futures within the country.