The Yukon minimum wage is currently set at $17.94 per hour. This rate changes every year on this date. It's tied directly to inflation and calculated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Increasing the minimum wage helps improve everyday affordability for Yukon residents, as it’s the lowest amount an employer can legally pay a Yukon worker.
Below, you'll find details regarding Yukon’s minimum wage, living wage, and more.
Key Takeaways
- The minimum wage in Yukon is $17.94 per hour.
- This rate is reviewed and updated on April 1 of each year.
- The federal minimum wage rate was raised to $17.75 per hour on April 1, 2025.
- The only province or territory with a higher minimum wage rate than Yukon is Nunavut at $19.00.
What is Yukon minimum wage?
On April 1, 2025, Yukon minimum wage was increased to $17.94 per hour – $0.19 above the federal minimum wage.
Minimum wage in the Yukon changed seven times in the last five years:
- $12.71 per hour on April 1, 2020
- $13.85 per hour on April 1, 2021
- $15.20 per hour on August 1, 2021
- $15.70 per hour on April 1, 2022
- $16.77 per hour on April 1, 2023
- $17.59 per hour on April 1, 2024
- $17.94 per hour on April 1, 2025
Over the course of five years, Yukon’s minimum wage has increased by $5.23, or 41.15%.
How often does Yukon’s minimum wage increase?
The minimum wage in Yukon is based on changes to the CPI and is revised on an annual basis, as needed. CPI measures the changes in the cost of a specific set of goods and services over time. This indicator is used by both federal and provincial governments to assess changes in the cost of living.
The Government of Yukon adjusts the minimum wage to meet the increased demand that inflation places on the shoulders of local workers, based on the Consumer Price Index for Whitehorse.
Is minimum wage in the Yukon comparable with other territories?
Yukon has the second highest minimum wage of all Canadian provinces and territories.
It’s higher than the minimum wage in Northwest Territories, which is $16.70 per hour. It's also slightly higher than British Columbia, which has one of the highest minimum wages of all Canadian provinces at $17.40 per hour.
The minimum wage in Nunavut, though, is $19.00 per hour – quite a bit higher than NWT's.
What is a living wage in the Yukon?
According to a 2024 report from the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, the living wage for people living in Whitehorse is $22.72 per hour. This is an increase of $1.68 from the 2023 living wage rate of $21.04 per hour. It's also the highest amount on record.
A living wage is the amount of money a person needs to make in their job to comfortably meet the cost of living in their community.
The huge increase in the living wage is attributed to increased costs of basic needs, including food, shelter, and transportation. Prices for residential rental properties are especially high in the Yukon.
Federal minimum wage increase
As of April 1, 2025, the federal minimum wage is $17.75 per hour. This amount gets reviewed every year and is adjusted based on inflation, rounded up to the nearest five cents.
Employers in federally regulated private sectors must adhere to this rate. That includes industries like these:
- Air travel (airlines, airports, aircraft operations, etc.)
- Broadcasting (radio, TV, etc.)
- Most federal Crown corporations (Canada Post, Royal Canadian Mint, etc.)
- Telecommunications ( phone, internet, and cable providers, etc.)
Since the Yukon’s minimum wage is currently higher than the federal minimum wage, these employees will still earn $17.94 per hour.
FAQ
What is Yukon minimum wage?
As of April 1, 2025, the Yukon minimum wage is $17.94/hr. This is a 1.99% increase over the previous rate of $17.59. The rate changes each year on April 1 and will likely increase in 2026.
When was the last increase of Yukon minimum wage?
The minimum wage in Yukon increases every year on April 1. These increases are linked to inflation and based on changes in the CPI. Most recently, the rate went up to $17.94/hr on April 1, 2025.
Which Canadian territory has the highest minimum wage?
At $17.94/hr, Yukon has the second-highest minimum wage rate among all Canadian provinces and territories – Nunavut has a significantly higher wage of $19.00/hr. Both are higher than the federal minimum wage rate of $17.75/hr.
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