Private sector minimum wage raised to Rs. 30,000 from Jan

Wednesday, 21 January 2026 00:24 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The minimum monthly wage for private sector employees has been increased by Rs. 3,000 with effect from 1 January, raising the threshold from Rs. 27,000 to Rs. 30,000.

Commissioner General of Labour Nadeeka Wataliyadda in a statement said the revision has been implemented under the provisions of the National Minimum Wage of Employees (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2025, and applies to all employers, including both immediate and principal employers, and extends to employees engaged through intermediaries or contractors, provided the law is enforced in full.

Allowances other than budgetary relief allowances received by an employee as at 31 March 2025 cannot be counted towards meeting the minimum wage requirement.

The Commissioner General further said employers are responsible for applying the revised wage when calculating all statutory and related payments, including Employees’ Provident Fund, Employees’ Trust Fund, overtime, gratuity, maternity benefits and leave payments.

Employees can lodge complaints against employers who fail to comply through the Labour Department’s Complaint Management System at cms.labourdept.gov.lk or by submitting a written complaint to the nearest Labour Office.