Department of Government Factory: Open Recruitment for Primary Skilled Service (PL 3) – 2026
The Department of Government Factory has announced open competitive recruitment for 39 permanent and pensionable vacancies in the Primary Skilled Service Category (PL 3) Grade III for 2026. Signed by Director General Eng. S. N. B. M. Padmasiri, this recruitment drive offers stable public sector employment opportunities across 14 specialized industrial and technical trades—including Machinists, Fitters, Welders, and Heavy Vehicle Operators—at the central engineering factory complex in Kolonnawa.
🇱🇰 සිංහල සාරාංශය
රජයේ කර්මාන්තශාලා දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ ප්රාථමික ශිල්පීය සේවා ගණයේ (PL 3) III ශ්රේණියේ ස්ථිර හා විශ්රාම වැටුප් සහිත පුරප්පාඩු 39ක් සඳහා විවෘත බඳවා ගැනීම් ප්රකාශයට පත් කර ඇත. යන්ත්ර ශිල්පි (08), සාමාන්ය සවිකරන්නා (08), පෑස්සුම්කරු (05), වාත්තුකරු (04), බර වාහන ක්රියාකරු (04) ඇතුළු ක්ෂේත්ර 14ක් යටතේ අයදුම්පත් කැඳවේ. වයස අවුරුදු 18–45 අතර NVQ 4 හෝ තාක්ෂණික සහතිකලත් අපේක්ෂකයින් සම්පූර්ණ කරන ලද අයදුම්පත් ලියාපදිංචි තැපෑලෙන් 2026 ඔක්තෝබර් 23 දිනට පෙර එවිය යුතුය.
🇱🇰 தமிழ் சுருக்கம்
அரசாங்க தொழிற்சாலை திணைக்களத்தின் ஆரம்ப கைவினை சேவைப் பிரிவின் (PL 3) தரம் III இற்கான 39 நிரந்தர மற்றும் ஓய்வூதியமுள்ள வெற்றிடங்களை திறந்த அடிப்படையில் நிரப்புவதற்கு விண்ணப்பங்கள் கோரப்பட்டுள்ளன. இயந்திரவியலாளர் (08), பொருத்துநர் (08), பற்றவைப்பாளர் (05), கனரக வாகன இயக்குபவர் (04) உட்பட 14 தொழிற்துறைகளில் ஆட்கள் சேர்க்கப்படவுள்ளனர். 18–45 வயதுக்குட்பட்ட NVQ 4 அல்லது தொழினுட்ப தகைமையுடையவர்கள் பூர்த்தி செய்த விண்ணப்பங்களை பதிவுத் தபாலில் 2026 ஒக்டோபர் 23 ஆம் திகதிக்கு முன்னர் அனுப்பி வைக்க வேண்டும்.
📌 Key Overview & Vital Details
🛠️ Trade-wise Vacancy Breakdown & Salary Structure
The 39 vacant technical cadre positions are distributed across 14 distinct workshop and production disciplines:
| Trade / Post Title | No. of Vacancies | Service Grade | Required Core Technical Competency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machinist | 08 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Lathe, milling, shaping, and precision engineering operations. |
| Fitter (General) | 08 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Mechanical assembly, machine maintenance, fitting, and overhaul work. |
| Welder | 05 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Arc, gas, TIG/MIG industrial welding, cutting, and metal joining. |
| Foundry Man | 04 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Moulding, casting techniques, and heavy metal foundry operations. |
| Heavy Vehicle Operator | 04 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Operation of cranes, plant machinery, and industrial heavy vehicles. |
| Fabricator (Metal) | 02 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Structural steel fabrication, bending, cutting, and plate assembly. |
| Core Maker | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Foundry sand core production, baking, and furnace casting prep. |
| Furnaceman | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Industrial smelting, cupola/crucible furnace firing and monitoring. |
| Pipe Fitter | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Industrial high-pressure piping, flange joints, and network installation. |
| Machine Operator (Production) | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Mass production line machinery operation and component handling. |
| Machinist (Wood) | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Industrial woodworking machinery, planers, saws, and spindle shapers. |
| Pattern Maker | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Precision wooden/metal foundry pattern construction and scaling. |
| Plumber | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Sanitary engineering, industrial drainage, and internal pipe distribution. |
| Carpenter (Furniture) | 01 | PL 3 (Grade III) | Cabinet making, office furniture joinery, and structural finishing. |
Salary Scale & State Allowances: Selected candidates will be placed on the salary structure coded PL 3 – 2025: Rs. 42,780 – 10 x 480 – 10 x 570 – 10 x 700 – 10 x 810 – Rs. 66,540/- per month, in addition to cost of living allowances and other statutory public sector benefits.
Detailed Eligibility Criteria
- Citizenship: Must be a citizen of Sri Lanka of sound character and physical health.
- Age Limit: Must be not less than 18 years and not more than 45 years of age as of the closing date (October 23, 2026).
- General Education: Passed a minimum of six (06) subjects at the G.C.E. Ordinary Level (O/L) examination with at least two (02) credit passes in not more than two sittings, OR hold an NVQ Level 3/4 certification in the relevant trade.
- Vocational / Technical Credentials: Must possess a minimum of an NVQ Level 4 certificate, or an equivalent technical craft certificate awarded by NAITA, Ceylon German Technical Training Institute (CGTTI / German Tech), VTA, or recognized National Apprentice institutes in the specified trade.
- Cut-off Date: All educational, technical, and service qualifications must be fully fulfilled on or before September 25, 2026.
📊 Selection Scheme & Evaluation Criteria
Selection will be finalized through a competitive two-tiered evaluation process:
| Evaluation Component | Duration | Maximum Marks | Qualifying Pass Mark | Assessment Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Practical Test | 1 Hour | 100 Marks | 40% | Hands-on technical assessment testing machine operation, precision measurement, safety protocols, and trade craftsmanship. |
| Structured Interview | — | Allocated Marks | Discretionary | Assessment of additional vocational certificates, recognized workshop experience, apprenticeships, extracurricular achievements, and personal aptitude. |
📝 Important Candidate Directives & Mailing Instructions
- Registered Post Only: Applications must be sent exclusively by Registered Post. Submissions delivered by hand or standard mail will be rejected.
- Envelope Endorsement: The top left-hand corner of the envelope must be clearly marked:
"Open Recruitment to Grade III Posts in the Primary Skilled Service Category - 2026"alongside the specific trade applied for. - Certified Document Enclosures: Attach clear, certified photocopies of your G.C.E. O/L certificate, NVQ Level 4 / Technical Craft diploma certificates, Birth Certificate, National Identity Card (NIC), and relevant service experience letters. Do not send original certificates.
- Separate Applications for Multiple Trades: Applicants qualified in more than one trade who wish to be considered for multiple posts must submit distinct application forms enclosed in separate envelopes.
🪜 Step-by-Step Postal Application Procedure
- Download the official specimen application form in your preferred medium (Sinhala, Tamil, or English) using the links provided below.
- Print the application form on A4 paper and fill out all sections legibly in your own handwriting (or typewritten format).
- Carefully verify that your demographic data, educational results, NVQ certificate details, and trade experience match your official certificates.
- Affix your signature and date the declaration.
- Collate all certified copies of educational, vocational, and civil documentation behind the completed application form.
- Enclose the documents in a secure envelope, endorse the top-left corner with the post title, and dispatch via registered post to reach the Government Factory on or before October 23, 2026.
📥 Official Gazette Notices & Application Form Downloads
Download the official departmental recruitment notifications and specimen application forms in all three languages:
1. Official Recruitment Notices (Full Details)
2. Specimen Application Forms (Print-Ready)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
📞 Issuing Authority & Postal Address
Completed applications must be dispatched under registered cover to:
Department of Government Factory,
Kolonnawa Road, Kolonnawa, Sri Lanka.
☎️ General Inquiries: 011-2572271 / 011-2572272
🌐 Departmental Website: www.govfactory.gov.lk
🔗 Related Public Service & Technical Career Notices
Explore these recent public sector recruitment notices and examination updates on GovInfo.lk:
| Recruitment / Notice Title | Issuing Authority | Notice Link |
|---|---|---|
| Central Bank of Sri Lanka IT & Cybersecurity Contract Vacancies 2026 | Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) | View CBSL Careers |
| Uva Wellassa University Academic Staff Vacancies 2026 (Applied Sciences) | Uva Wellassa University (UWU) | View UWU Vacancies |
| Customs ASC Grade II Promotion Exam Results 2026 Released | Sri Lanka Customs & DoENets | Check Customs Results |
 39 Vacancies (Gazette & Application Forms)){kind=link}