The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has urged the government to introduce further tax relief for doctors and other professionals, warning that the country continues to lose skilled workers due to what it described as an excessive tax burden.
In a statement, the GMOA said more than 2,500 specialist doctors and other medical officers have left Sri Lanka since 2021/2022, citing taxation as one of the main factors contributing to the migration.
The association said professionals were among those most affected by the tax reforms introduced from January 2023 as part of measures to increase government revenue following Sri Lanka’s economic crisis.
While acknowledging that amendments were subsequently made to the personal income tax structure, the GMOA said the relief provided was inadequate when compared with inflation, living costs, transport expenses and other economic pressures.
The association claimed some professionals continue to pay close to 36% of their income in direct taxes while also bearing a significant indirect tax burden.
It also pointed to long-standing concerns over doctors’ salaries and allowances, saying some allowances had not been revised for years while certain additional duty and holiday payments had been reduced.
The GMOA argued that Sri Lanka’s improving economic situation provides room for further tax adjustments without undermining overall government revenue.
According to the association, government tax revenue has exceeded Rs. 5.4 trillion, while tax collections in 2025 were more than 30% above the expected level.
The GMOA said it has submitted proposals to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake ahead of the upcoming Budget, seeking changes to the tax-free threshold, tax rates and income brackets.
It called for a tax structure that would provide greater relief to doctors and other professionals while maintaining overall government revenue.
The association warned that failure to retain highly skilled professionals could have long-term consequences for Sri Lanka, including further loss of intellectual and professional talent. (Newswire)