Sri Lanka’s Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara has issued a circular allowing migrant workers to import an electric vehicle in an attempt to incentivise remitting money through formal channels.
Nanayakkara tweeted on Wednesday August 31 that money transmitted from May to December 2022 is eligible for the incentive scheme and will apply to both four-wheeled and two-wheeled vehicles.
Just released d circular letting migrant workers import an electric vehicle - four wheeler or two wheeler as an incentive to promote remitance through legal and formal channels. Money transmitted from May22 is eligible and will come to an end in December 2022. #ElectricVehicles
— Manusha Nanayakkara (@nanayakkara77) August 31, 2022
On August 01, Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers approved a proposal by the minister to provide an additional duty concession and electric vehicle import allowance to migrant workers based on the amount they remit to the country through official channels.
Through this move, a license is issued to local migrant workers who import an electric vehicle equivalent to 50% or less of remittance transmitted through legal channels.
If a migrant worker has transferred more than USD 3,000 will be allowed to import an electric motorcycle.
Meanwhile, those who have transferred more than USD 20,000 will be permitted to import an electric car priced half of the amount transmitted to Sri Lanka, up to a maximum of USD 65,000.
However, they should also purchase or import a solar power system to provide the electricity required to charge the vehicle they import, as these electric vehicles are not allowed to be charged through the national grid.
Meanwhile, strict legal action will be sought against those who submit fraudulent documents to obtain the import licence, the ministry warned.