Why Sri Lanka is an ideal tech destination for Gulf companies
For Gulf companies, Sri Lanka is the closest deep engineering market. Colombo is 1.5 hours ahead of the UAE and Oman and a direct flight away. Surge Global won a technology transformation contract with the government of Qatar. Gapstars runs a hub in Dubai and serves clients in the UAE from its engineering base in Colombo. Tiqri delivers for clients across the Middle East.
- 1.5 hours
- ahead of the UAE and Oman
- 6.5 to 7.5
- shared working hours a day
- 2024
- Surge Global won its Qatar government contract
4 companies connected to the UAE, Oman and the Gulf already build in Sri Lanka
Surge GlobalTechnology transformation for the government of Qatar, delivered by a 400+ person company from Colombo.Read the story and sources
GapstarsHubs in Amsterdam, Lisbon, Dubai and Colombo, with clients in the UAE.Read the story and sources
TiqriClients across Scandinavia, the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific.Read the story and sources
CodeGen Internationaltravelbox clients include Desert Adventures.Read the story and sourcesWorking hours and time zones
Sri Lanka is 1.5 hours ahead of the UAE and Oman and 2.5 hours ahead of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, all year. With a 9 to 6 day in both places you share 6.5 to 7.5 working hours every day. Note that the working week differs in parts of the Gulf, so check which days overlap.
What Gulf companies source from Sri Lanka
HealthtechRegulated health platforms and operations
Automotive techEmbedded, electric vehicle and connected car software
Fintech and capital marketsTrading, banking and wealth platforms
AIAI products, agents and data platforms
Enterprise software and ERPERP, integration and large product codebases
Semiconductors and embeddedChip design tools and device software
Logistics and travel techBooking, warehouse and supply chain systems
Govtech and public sectorPublic sector platforms and secure delivery
Finance and shared servicesAccounting, finance operations and shared servicesThree ways to start
Hire a few people
Use an employer of record or contractors. No local company needed. How it works
Take a dedicated team
A Sri Lankan company runs a team that works only for you. See companies
Open your own centre
Register a company and hire directly. Setup guide
Tell us who you need
We introduce Sri Lankan engineers, specialists or partner teams who have worked with companies from the UAE, Oman and the Gulf.
Common questions
What is the time difference between Dubai and Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is 1.5 hours ahead of the UAE and Oman all year, and 2.5 hours ahead of Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Do Sri Lankan companies deliver technology in the Gulf?
Yes. Surge Global won a government technology transformation contract in Qatar, and Gapstars and Tiqri both serve clients in the region.
We are in Oman. Are there published examples from Oman?
Not yet. We have not published a story about an Omani company building in Sri Lanka. The time zone, flight time and talent case are the same as for the UAE, and we would like to hear from the first one.