Use of Border Data Collection to
Measure International Migration Flows
in Sri Lanka
H.R.Gunasekera
Director
Department of Census and Statistics
Sri Lanka
Border Data Collection
 Border control is the major responsibility of the
Department of Immigration and Emigration (DIE).
 DIE controls and regulates the entry and departure of Sri
Lankans and foreigners.
 Border control system is fully computerized.
 Every passport is scanned at the point of arrival/
departure and convert the information into the data
base.
Border Data Collection contd.,
 Items converted to data base.
• Flight number
• Passport number
• Name
• Nationality
• Sex
 Completeness and accuracy is extremely high.
Tabulations Available
 Only the following tabulations can be produced.
• Arrivals by nationality and sex
• Departures by nationality and sex
 Tabulations are transmitted to Department of Census
and Statistics (DCS).
 Published in Annual Statistical Abstract and website of
DCS www.statistics.gov.lk
Limitations of Border Statistics
 Confined only to arrivals, departures by nationality and
sex.
 International migrants are not identified among the
travellers.
 Valuable information is collected in embarkation/
disembarkation cards.
 Can be made to improve border statistics.
Embarkation/Disembarkation Cards
 Every foreigner or a citizen who enter into or exit from
Sri Lanka needs to complete embarkation or
disembarkation card.
 Embarkation/Disembarkation cards contain
• Flight number
• Profession
• Name
• Passport number, date of issue
and place of issue
• Sex
• Nationality
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Visa number, date and place
(disembarkation only)
• Address in Sri Lanka
• Address abroad (home address)
Embarkation/Disembarkation Cards
contd.,
• Purpose of visit











Holiday/Pleasure
Media coverage
Employment
Seminar/Conference/Exhibition
Education
In Transit
Visit Friends/Relatives
Official/Business
Religion/Cultural
Return to Sri Lanka (disembarkation only)
Other (specify)….
• Port of final destination (port of final embarkation)
 This document is not computerized yet.
Improving Border Statistics
 Identification of international migrants in conformity with
UN definitions.
 Purpose of visit is very valuable to identify the outflows
by education, employment etc. ; useful for policy
planning
 Need to computerize the cards (scan).
• check for completeness
• additional supervision
• time constraints
 Need to record district of residence for Sir Lankans in
cards to identify net migration by districts; absence is a
drawback in estimating the annual mid year population.
Suggested Additional Tabulations
 Arrivals by nationality, purpose of travel and sex.
 Departures of Sri Lankans by country, purpose of travel
and sex.
 Arrivals of Sri Lankans by district of residence and sex.
 Departure of Sri Lankans by district of residence and
sex.
Complementary Source: Sri Lanka Bureau
of Foreign Employment (SLBFE).
 Functions
• regulation, promotion of foreign employment
• protection, welfare of Sri Lankan employed abroad.
 Every Sri Lankan leaving for employment abroad should
register with SLBFE.
 Maintain a data base
• Departure
• Private remittances
• Complaints received on labour contracts
• Welfare measures taken for their children
• Insurance compensation payments
• Job vacancies
Complementary Source: Sri Lanka Bureau
of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) contd.
 Outflows available
 Published in Annual Statistical Handbook on Foreign
Employment and web www.slbfe.lk
 Limitations
• all are not registered.
• departures reflect the number registered and not actual
values.
 Improvements
• match PPNo. of those registered in SLBFE with PPNo. of
departures collected by DIE.
• matching is error prone; hence need rigid controls, scan
passports at SLBFE.
Complementary Source: United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
 Collects data on repatriation, Sri Lanka refugees abroad
and refugees and asylum seekers in Sri Lanka.
 Every refugee seeking asylum in Sri Lanka needs to be
registered; hence such data are complete and accurate.
 Available information
 Data published in UNHCR’s web-site www.unhcr.lk on
monthly basis (latest May 2006).
 Improvements
• Provide totals only; need at least age, sex breakdowns.
• Sri Lankan refugees by country should be published.
• Computation of recognition rates.
THANK YOU !