The minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is $16.00 per hour, following a $0.40 increase on April 1, 2025.
Despite being one of the more affordable provinces in Canada, living on minimum wage can still be challenging.
Let’s explore the current minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador and how it has evolved over the years.
Key Takeaways
- The minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is currently $16.00 per hour.
- The most recent change to the minimum wage in NL was made on April 1, 2025.
- The minimum wage for overtime in NL is $24 per hour.
- The federal minimum wage was increased on April 1, 2025 for federally regulated industries to $17.75 per hour.
Minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador
The current minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is $16.00 per hour.
This rate has increased multiple times in recent years. The table below shows the most recent dates and the resulting wage:
| Date | Minimum wage amount |
|---|---|
| April 1, 2025 | $16.00 |
| April 1, 2024 | $15.60 |
| October 1, 2023 | $15.00 |
| April 1, 2023 | $14.50 |
| October 1, 2022 | $13.70 |
| April 1, 2022 | $13.20 |
| October 1, 2021 | $12.75 |
| April 1, 2021 | $12.50 |
| October 1, 2020 | $12.15 |
| April 1, 2020 | $11.65 |
| April 1, 2019 | $11.40 |
| April 1, 2018 | $11.15 |
| October 2, 2017 | $11.00 |
| April 1, 2017 | $10.75 |
Over eight years, the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador has gone up from $10.75 per hour to the current rate of $16.00 per hour.
Is minimum wage going up in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The last wage increase occurred on April 1, 2025. It's unlikely that the current $16.00 per hour rate will increase again this year.
This increase comes on the heels of previous adjustments aimed at improving the financial stability of workers in the province.
Minimum wage overtime pay in NL
Whether someone earns the minimum wage in NL or not, when an employee works more than 40 hours in a week, overtime rates apply.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, the minimum overtime rate is 1.5 times more than the rate for minimum wage. After the most recent hike on April 1, 2025, this rate is now $24.00 per hour.
Alternatively, employees can choose to bank their overtime instead of getting it paid out. This way, they receive 1.5 hours of paid time off for each hour of work over the 40-hour benchmark. This time off must be used within 3 months of when the overtime was worked, though, and the details regarding pay or time off must be finalized within 12 months of when it was worked.
Does Newfoundland and Labrador have the highest minimum wage in Canada?
No, Newfoundland and Labrador does not have the highest minimum wage in Canada. Nunavut’s minimum wage is the highest of all the Canadian provinces and territories at $19.00 per hour.
When comparing Newfoundland and Labrador’s current minimum wage, it ranks somewhere in the middle of the national scale.
Does the current minimum wage in Newfoundland cover cost of living?
A living wage is the amount of money a person needs to earn per hour to cover basic expenses and live comfortably in a specific area, including housing, food, clothing, child care, and transportation.
Recent estimates show the living wage in Newfoundland and Labrador ranges from $24.10 to $27.30 per hour, depending on the region. In contrast, the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is currently $16.00.
This gap between the minimum and living wages highlights a significant financial challenge for many families in the province.
Federal minimum wage increase
The federal minimum wage was increased to $17.75 on April 1, 2025. The federal minimum wage is looked at annually and adjusted based on the changes in Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI).
This change will increase the minimum wage for workers in federally regulated private sectors, which include:
- Banks
- Postal services
- Air and road transportation
- Telecommunications (telephone, internet, etc.)
- Radio and TV broadcasting
- Many other sectors
Employees of these sectors will earn either the federal minimum wage or their province/territory’s minimum wage, whichever rate is higher.
FAQ
What is the current minimum wage in NL?
The current minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is $16.00 per hour. NL's minimum wage was raised twice in 2022, twice again in 2023, once in 2024, and once in 2025. There aren't any more planned increases.
When was the last increase of Newfoundland minimum wage?
On April 1, 2025, the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador was raised by $0.40 to $16.00. Before this, the most recent change was on April 1, 2024, when the rate was increased to $15.60 from $15.
How often is Newfoundland minimum wage increased?
As with most Canadian provinces, the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is assessed each April. It was increased twice in 2022, and 2023, once in 2024, and once in 2025. It will likely increase again in 2026.
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