Minimum Wage
General
10,000 Sri Lankan rupees per month.
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Wages can be paid on a daily, weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis. However, a wage period cannot exceed a month.
13th Salary
A 13th-month salary is not mandatory.
Working Hours
General
The normal working hours of a regular employee are 8 hours per day and 45 hours per week. Anything over is considered overtime.
Overtime
Weekly overtime should not exceed 12 hours. All overtime work shall is paid out at 150% of the hourly rate.
Working Week
Monday-Friday
Leave
Paid Time Off
Employees receive 14 days of annual leave after completing a full year of service. After completing the first year, annual leave is accrued based on the date the employee joined the company.
Sick Days
All employees are entitled to 7 days of sick leave per year.
Maternity Leave
Twelve weeks of maternity leave are given to women with no child or one child. Two weeks should be taken before the birth and ten weeks immediately following the birth.
Six weeks of maternity leave are given to women with two or more children. Two weeks should be taken before the birth and four weeks immediately following the birth.
Paternity Leave
There are no statutory laws regarding paternity leave.
Parental Leave
There are no statutory laws regarding parental leave
Termination
Termination Process
The dismissal process in Sri Lanka is governed by two principal statutes, the IDA and the TEWA, and termination of employment for non-disciplinary reasons normally requires approval from the Commissioner of Labor. the Commissioner shall give notice in writing of his decision on the application to both the employer and the employee. Non-disciplinary termination requires a notice period (typically one month) that is mutually agreed in the contract of employment.
Notice Period
There are no statutory laws regarding the probation period, but generally, it is a period of six months. Notice periods, or payments in lieu of notice, should be stipulated in the contract of employment.
Probation Period
The probation period shall not exceed one year for employees in the supervisory or technical role and six months for all other employees. Probationary periods can be for a maximum of 3 months in some cases.
VISA
VISA
To work in Sri Lanka an employee needs to apply and receive either a visitor visa or a residence visa.
- Visitor Visa/Business Purpose Visa – A 30-day visa that allows for short business trips. This can be extended for up to 90 days.
- Residence Visa/Employment Visa – A one-year-long visa for business or study. This can be renewed each year for as long as the employee needs.
Business Visas must be obtained prior to entering Sri Lanka since the change of visa class after arrival is not possible.
