News
Remote worker visa category on the agenda
Following the war in Ukraine, many have been displaced, with minimal access to essentials and loss of jobs and livelihoods. For Ukraninan tourists, the Sri Lankan government provided free visa extensions from February 21 to April 21. This was further extended until May 22 for those with a valid tourist visa.
Samz Hackeem
Meanwhile, Samz Hackeem from the Ukraine Colombo Coordination Office told the Sunday Times that a proposal had been discussed with Dhammika Wijayasinghe, director general of the Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority (SLTDA) on April 1. The proposal calls for a special category of visa for a year, for information technology (IT) freelancers in Ukraine to visit Sri Lanka, to engage in remote working. This idea is still in the early stages of discussion with a written proposal not yet submitted by the Ukraine Colombo Coordination Office.
“A programme like this will help both Ukraine and Sri Lanka,” said Mr Hackeem. This would help Ukrainians financially while Sri Lanka will also benefit from the dollar inflow. Mr Hackeem noted that IT freelancers receive a minimum of US$1,500 (about Rs 539,316) as their monthly salary. Local bank accounts will be used by Ukrainians for all transactions and the money they receive will be spent on living expenses.
When asked as to how these freelancers could verify their employment, Mr Hackeem said: “The Immigration and Emigration Office can create a specific form of visa which asks for documentation to prove the authenticity.”
Power outages, fuel and cooking gas shortages and scarcity of essential food, have put many businesses in jeopardy, while bringing the economy to a standstill.
The Sunday Times also questioned whether freelancers would be attracted to Sri Lanka.
Mr Hackeem suggested that special areas be created in the south with good internet connections and power generators.
“They prefer staying in areas like Mirissa and Unawatuna.”
Dhammika Wijayasinghe
The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) recently partnered with industry stakeholders to provide workspaces with free, uninterrupted power for tech small and medium enterprises (SMEs), start-ups and freelancers. There are two such spaces in Colombo 3 and Rajagiriya.
“These are all interconnected. If we can address this, it will help Sri Lanka overcome this economic crisis too,” Mr Hackeem claimed. He said Sri Lankans are extremely hospitable and were especially helpful in providing food and accommodation to Ukrainians.
However, Ms Wijayasinghe said a discussion regarding a special visa for Ukrainian IT freelancers had not taken place.
“We are in the process of getting the digital nomad visa passed by the Cabinet, which will allow IT freelancers from any country and isn’t exclusive to Ukraine,” she emphasided. Discussions regarding the visa extension for Ukrainian tourists had taken place.
The concept of remote work has become increasingly significant in the post-pandemic world. This is seen through ‘Digital Tourism’, a new form of tourism based on remote working and to facilitate this, the SLTDA proposed the ‘Digital Nomad Visa’.
According to Ms Wijayasinghe, special security clearance must be obtained by the Sri Lankan embassy of the respective country when applying for a ‘Digital Nomad’ visa. In addition, proof of a permanent job and bank statements are also required. Implementation of such a visa has been delayed for over a year due to various concerns of stakeholders regarding regulations.
The Department of Immigration and Emigration, ICTA, SLTDA are the main organisations involved in the ‘Digital Nomad’ visa proposal. This decision was taken after the French tourism and travel operator Club Med which ranked Sri Lanka as the second-best destination for digital nomads in 2021. Thailand was ranked the best destination,while Singapore, Cambodia, Maldives, Indonesia and Malaysia were not far behind. This study looked at eight factors like cost of living, safety, average internet speed and number of activities. Countries were given a score out of 320 in which Sri Lanka received 238.
“With low living costs and a beautiful working backdrop of lush green mountains, coral reefs and powdery sand, it’s clear to see why Sri Lanka offers such a great remote working experience,” it said.
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