The Residence Visa for Employment is the standard route for foreign nationals working in Sri Lanka – either on assignment while remaining on home contract, or hired locally in Sri Lanka. The exact process can vary depending on the Ministry responsible for the industrial sector in which the Sri Lankan sponsor company operates. The relevant Ministry will only allow an application once it has satisfied itself that a local candidate could not be found, although the process of testing this varies between Ministries
The applicant may have a contract either directly with the Sri Lankan entity or may remain on contract outside Sri Lanka
For the fulfilment of a service/installation/maintenance or training contract for up to 30 days, the applicant may enter Sri Lanka on a business visa and may not require a residence visa for employment.