Private sector to see hike in minimum wage

Tuesday, 18 February 2025 01:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President and Finance Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday revealed in Parliament that the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon (EFC) has agreed to increase the monthly Minimum Wage to the private sector workers from

Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 27,000 in April 2025 and to Rs. 30,000 from 2026.

In presenting the 2025 Budget, Dissanayake also made a case for higher wages for estate workers. “There are nearly 1.5 million plantation workers engaged in the sector, mainly in tea, rubber and coconut. The Government is of the view that their living standards need to be improved. In addition to the programs focused on the development of the plantation sector, the Government will intervene to increase the daily wages of the workers to Rs. 1,700,” the President added.