The national minimum wage for private sector employees will increase from Rs. 27,000 to Rs. 30,000, effective 1 January 2026, Labour Department Commissioner General H.M.D.N.K. Wataliyadda announced.
The increase comes under the National Minimum Wage of Employees (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2025. Along with the monthly wage, the daily wage will also rise from Rs. 1,080 to Rs. 1,200, with employers required to make the appropriate payments.
Commissioner General Wataliyadda emphasized that all employers—including both immediate and ultimate employers—must comply with the minimum wage provisions for employees engaged through intermediaries or contractors. “Apart from budgetary relief allowances specified under Section 4 of the Act, no other allowances received by employees as of 31 March 2025 may be used to offset the minimum wage,” he said.
The amendment also shifts responsibility for statutory payments—such as Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF), overtime, gratuity, maternity benefits, and holiday payments—to employers. Employees who believe their employers are not fulfilling these obligations can lodge complaints through the Department of Labour’s Complaints Management System at cms.labourdept.gov.lk or submit them in writing to the nearest Labour Office.
