Millions in Limbo: Israeli Legal Battle Leaves Over 5,000 Sri Lankan Workers Without Their Earnings

Sri Lankan migrant workers caught in Israeli financial dispute

More than 5,000 Sri Lankan workers employed in Israel have been left in financial distress after Israeli authorities took action against a prominent remittance service provider, leaving approximately USD 6.9 million of their hard-earned money frozen and inaccessible.

Global Remit Currency Services at the centre of the crisis

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) confirmed on Wednesday that the affected funds are tied up in a legal dispute involving Global Remit Currency Services, a major money transfer company operating in Israel. The Israeli government's action against the firm has effectively blocked the transfer of wages and remittances sent by Sri Lankan migrant workers and others back to their families at home.

Thousands of families feel the impact

The financial freeze has had a cascading effect on families across Sri Lanka who depend heavily on remittances from their relatives working abroad. For many households, these monthly transfers represent their primary source of income, making the sudden disruption particularly devastating.

• Over 5,000 Sri Lankan nationals working in Israel are directly affected
• The total sum held up in the legal tangle stands at approximately USD 6.9 million
• Global Remit Currency Services was a widely used remittance channel among Sri Lankan workers in Israel

SLBFE steps in to address the situation

The SLBFE has acknowledged the gravity of the situation and indicated that steps are being taken to assist the affected workers. The bureau is working to monitor developments in Israel and coordinate efforts to secure the release of the frozen funds as swiftly as possible.

Thousands of Sri Lankan workers abroad rely on remittance channels to support their families back home, and disruptions of this nature can have severe consequences on livelihoods across the country.

Broader concerns over remittance security

This incident has raised fresh concerns about the vulnerability of migrant workers who depend on third-party financial service providers to transfer their earnings. Experts have long cautioned that workers should use regulated and well-established remittance channels to avoid exposure to such risks. The situation also underscores the need for greater oversight and bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and host countries to protect the financial interests of migrant workers.

The SLBFE has urged affected workers and their families to remain patient while the matter is being addressed through the appropriate legal and diplomatic channels.

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