Sri Lanka to raise private sector minimum wage in two phases
The Cabinet of Ministers in Sri Lanka has approved a proposal to increase the minimum wage of private sector employees. The decision was made following a Cabinet paper presented by the Minister of Labour.
Under the new proposal, the monthly minimum wage will rise from Rs. 17,500 to Rs. 27,000, effective April 1, 2025. At the same time, the daily minimum wage will increase from Rs. 700 to Rs. 1,080.
A second increase has also been proposed. Starting January 1, 2026, the monthly minimum wage will go up further to Rs. 30,000, and the daily wage will be raised to Rs. 1,200.
The Ministry of Labour stated that the proposed changes will be submitted to Parliament in May 2025 for approval. Officials also confirmed that this wage hike is part of the government’s 2025 budget plan.
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