Private sector minimum wage hiked to Rs. 30,000 from Jan 2026

Colombo, Jan. 20 (Daily Mirror) - The national minimum wage in the private sector will rise from Rs. 27,000 to Rs. 30,000, effective 1 January 2026, Labour Department Commissioner General Ms. H.M.D.N.K. Wataliyadda said.

She added that the announcement was made in accordance with the National Minimum Wage of Employees (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2025.

She also noted that the daily wage will increase from Rs. 1,080 to Rs. 1,200, with employers required to make the relevant payments.

"Under the provisions of the Amendment Act, every employer—including both the immediate and ultimate employer-will be responsible for complying with the minimum wage requirements 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," the Commissioner General said.

The salary revision also transfers responsibility for statutory payments—including Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF), overtime, gratuity, maternity benefits, and holiday payments—to employers. Employees who suspect that their employers are not making proper payments can file complaints via the Department of Labour’s Complaints Management System at cms.labourdept.gov.lk or submit complaints in writing to the nearest Labour Office.