Sri Lanka is the Asian country that “supplies” one of the most important contingents of foreign workers for Romania. In recent years, they have reached all over the country, starting from construction sites to agriculture or HoReCa.
Officially, there are currently 9,500 Sri Lankans working in Romania, but the data from the embassy in Bucharest indicates that the number is more than double.
Asian citizens came to Romania to earn money. Most want to return home, but there are some who hope to stay forever in Romania or to reach a country in Western Europe. They brought their families and even have children born here.
The migratory phenomenon is similar to the one encountered in Romania after the 1989 Revolution and, in particular, after the country’s accession to the European Union. Millions of Romanians left for developed European countries to earn more money and to make a point in life.
Sri Lankans are also looking for a better life and hope to raise funds to help them build a house when they return home or start a business.
The average salary in Sri Lanka is, according to official statistics, around 350 euros, while in Romania the amount is more than 900 euros. The minimum wage in the Asian country is below 100 euros. The difference matters enormously to a person living on the poverty line.
Gather from all counties
Sri Lankan workers generally adapted quickly to life in Romania. One of the best-knit communities has taken shape in Alba Iulia, where several hundred people from the Asian country work.
They even formed an organization called the Alba Warriors, which has a cricket team. Every year, Sri Lankans in Alba take part in a big party around the traditional New Year. On Saturday, April 27, 2024, for the second year in a row, in Alba Iulia, on the banks of the Ampoi river, the meeting of the community of Asian residents took place, to which they invited everyone.
Memories were made, new friendships were made, and plans were made. A representative of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bucharest also participated.
The entry into the new year took place on April 13/14, according to the solar calendar used by the majority ethnic groups in this country. Residents of Alba Iulia, colleagues with Sri Lankan citizens, were invited and participated in the event, who could thus see the traditions of this country.
“We like it a lot in Romania”
“This is the second year we are organizing this event for our Sri Lankan community. We like it here very much and the place we chose is very similar to the ones we have fun at home. We have a lot of green space,” said Maudi, the community representative who organized the event.
The young man has been in Romania for eight years, learned the Romanian language, works as a tailor and is the father of one of the first children born in Romania to a family of Sri Lankan citizens.
“In Romania I earn about 600 euros, and in Sri Lanka I would have received only 150 euros for the same work. Almost all of us want to go back home after we earn enough money to live better. We were very well received by the Romanians and we like it a lot in Romania”, says the Sri Lankan citizen.
Ajith is a young man who came to our country for a better life and works at a large Italian factory in Cluj-Napoca. “I like it a lot in your country. People treat us very well and we earn much more money than we would have in Sri Lanka. We are grateful for what Romania does for us”, said Ajith, who was present at the party in Alba Iulia.
General cleaning at the end
The event was also attended by Nipuni Samarasinghe, Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bucharest. “It is a very important holiday for the citizens of Sri Lanka. The Romanian community has over 25,000 people who celebrate the New Year. It is a moment that gives a strong feeling that reminds us of our country. We have traditional dances and traditional Sri Lankan spicy food,” said the embassy representative.
Nipuni Samarasinghe was grateful for Romania, which offers such an opportunity for Sri Lankan citizens. “Romania is a European country, now also in Schengen, and Sri Lankan people are happy here. The income is higher than it would be in our country, which is very important for the Sri Lankan economy. We are very grateful to the Government of Romania for giving us this opportunity”, added Nipuni Samarasinghe.
At the end of the party, which lasted until after dusk, the participants did a general cleaning. The place looks a lot cleaner than it used to be.
100,000 foreign workers in 2024
In 2024, according to a government decision, Romania will receive 100,000 foreign workers, 10,000 more than last year. According to the statistics of the General Inspectorate for Immigration, 45% of foreign workers came in 2023 from Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The data shows that the majority of foreigners with a right of residence for the purpose of employment in 2023 are aged between 18 and 60, with only 382 people aged over 60.
Over 15,000 people settled in Bucharest, followed by Cluj with over 7,800 people, Constanța with 6,100 people, Timiș with 4,200 people. Foreign workers were also in Brașov, Cluj, Sibiu and Arad, their number being below the threshold of 4,000 people. The most foreign workers were unskilled construction workers, followed by those working in parts assembly.
More than 5,000 people work in the kitchen as cook helpers and stock handlers, and nearly 3,000 people work as kitchen workers. The number of people in Sri Lanka at the end of 2023 almost doubled from the end of 2022.
Sri Lankan New Year
Sri Lanka is an island country located in South Asia, in the Indian Ocean, with a population of about 22 million inhabitants. It has shores on the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Indian Ocean to the south and west, and the Palk Strait to the northeast, which separates it from India. The capital of the country is Colombo, with a population of about 3 million inhabitants, including the metropolitan area. Until 1972, the country was called Ceylon (Ceylon). The official currency is the Sri Lankan rupee.
New Year, also known as ‘Aluth Avurudda’ or ‘Sinhala and Tamil New Year’, is one of the most important holidays in this country and marks the beginning of the year according to the traditional calendar.
It takes place in the month of April and is celebrated by most of the Sri Lankan community, including the Sinhala and Tamil ethnicities who are in the majority. Important traditions include cleaning and decorating the house, preparing and eating traditional foods such as “kiribath” (rice with coconut milk), and participating in various cultural and religious activities.
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Tags: Years Eve Sri Lankans Romania Small Gathering Alba Iulia Place
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