Minimum wage · Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador minimum wage.
What Newfoundland and Labrador employers must pay per hour in 2026, and what that comes to per week, per pay period and per year.
Newfoundland and Labrador's minimum wage is $16.35 an hour as of 1 April 2026, up from $16.00.
The province also sets a minimum overtime wage rate of $24.53, which is the statutory floor for overtime hours. Future increases follow the national Consumer Price Index and are announced each 1 April.
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Newfoundland and Labrador minimum wage rates in 2026
| Rate | Amount | In effect from |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum wage | $16.35/hour | 1 April 2026 |
There is no student rate, no inexperienced rate and no special rate of any kind in the Labour Standards guide or the Labour Standards Regulations. Future adjustments follow the annual Consumer Price Index for Canada and are announced each 1 April. Newfoundland and Labrador also publishes a minimum overtime wage rate of $24.53 an hour, which is the province-wide statutory overtime floor rather than a multiplier of your own wage.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: NL Labour Standards Division — Your Rights at Work (April 2026).
What $16.35 an hour means in practice
Newfoundland and Labrador’s minimum wage is $16.35 an hour from April 1, 2026. On its own that number is hard to compare with a salary or a weekly paycheque, so here is the same rate expressed at full-time hours, before tax and deductions.
| Period | Hours | Gross at $16.35 |
|---|---|---|
| One day | 8 | $130.80 |
| One week | 40 | $654.00 |
| Two weeks | 80 | $1,308.00 |
| One year | 2,080 (40 × 52) | $34,008.00 |
The yearly figure assumes 40 hours every week with no unpaid weeks. It is a gross number: Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance contributions and income tax all come off it. See the paycheque calculator for take-home pay.
The minimum overtime wage rate
Newfoundland and Labrador publishes two numbers each April: the minimum wage and the minimum overtime wage rate, which is $24.53 an hour for 2026. The provincial announcement describes both as moving together under the Labour Standards Regulations, and the overtime figure works out to one and a half times the minimum wage ($16.35 × 1.5 = $24.525, shown as $24.53). Overtime applies once a week passes 40 hours, so a minimum-wage worker with a 46-hour week would be owed 6 hours at the overtime rate: 6 × $24.53 = $147.18 for those hours, on top of $654.00 for the first 40. See the Newfoundland overtime page for the full rules.
How and when the rate changes
The rate is not set by a vote each year. The Regulations tie it to the national Consumer Price Index, and government announces the new figure for April 1. The 2026 announcement came on February 26 and raised the wage by $0.35, from $16.00 to $16.35. The same page says the rates are adjusted every April 1, so an employer who pays the old wage after that date is below the minimum.
The Labour Standards guide gives one general rate and lists no student, inexperienced-worker or other special minimum wage.
Related pay rules that affect minimum-wage workers
- Reporting pay. If you report for a scheduled shift of three hours or more and it is cancelled, you must be paid for at least three hours: 3 × $16.35 = $49.05 at the minimum wage.
- Called in for less than three hours. The employer must either let you work three hours or pay for the unworked part of the three hours.
- Deductions. Employers cannot deduct cash shortages, bad cheques or charge-card losses from wages, and cannot make you pay for a uniform that carries the employer’s logo. Rental charges are a permitted deduction when you live in the employer’s premises.
- Pay timing. Pay must be issued at least half-monthly, and all wages owing must be paid within seven days of the end of the pay period.
- Vacation pay. 4% of gross wages (including overtime and commissions) for under 15 years with the same employer, 6% from 15 years.
A common mistake
Comparing an hourly wage with a salary without converting hours. Divide the weekly salary by the hours you actually work, and use the table above as the yardstick.
This page reports the legal floor from the province’s sources. It does not set your actual pay, which may be higher by contract or collective agreement, and it is not legal advice. Related: minimum wage by province.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador?
$16.35 an hour since 1 April 2026, up 35 cents from $16.00.
Future adjustments follow the annual Consumer Price Index for Canada and are announced by government each 1 April.
What is the minimum overtime wage rate in Newfoundland?
$24.53 an hour. The province sets a single province-wide overtime floor rather than a multiplier of each employee’s own rate.
It is calculated as the minimum wage times 1.5, rounded to the nearest cent, and it is recalculated each 1 April along with the minimum wage.
Does Newfoundland have a student or inexperienced minimum wage?
No. Neither the Labour Standards guide nor the Labour Standards Regulations contains a student rate, an inexperienced rate or any other special minimum wage.
One flat rate applies to every employee the Act covers.
What is reporting pay in Newfoundland and Labrador?
An employee who reports for a scheduled shift of three hours or more that is then cancelled must be paid for at least three hours.
The three hours are paid at the minimum wage or the minimum overtime rate as appropriate to the shift.
When does minimum wage increase in Newfoundland and Labrador?
Every April 1. The province adjusts the rate once a year according to changes in the national Consumer Price Index, and announces the figure ahead of time. The most recent increase took effect April 1, 2026, raising the rate by $0.35 to $16.35.
How much is a full-time minimum-wage paycheque in Newfoundland?
At $16.35 an hour and 40 hours, gross pay is $654.00 a week, or $1,308.00 for a two-week period. Over a full year of 2,080 hours it is $34,008.00 before CPP, EI and income tax.
What happens if my shift is cancelled when I arrive?
If the scheduled shift was three hours or more, you must be paid for at least three hours. If you are called in and less than three hours of work is needed, the employer must either give you three hours or pay for the unworked part. The pay is at the minimum wage or minimum overtime rate as appropriate.
Can my employer deduct uniform costs or cash shortages in Newfoundland?
No for cash shortages, bad cheques and charge-card losses. An employer also cannot require you to pay for a uniform that is unique to the business and identified with it, for example by carrying the employer’s logo. Permitted deductions include income tax, CPP, EI, group-benefit contributions, overpayments and amounts withheld under a court order.
Sources
Official and primary sources used for this page. Rates and rules were read from these pages in October 2026; check them again before relying on a figure for a dispute or a payroll run.
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador — Labour Standards, Your Rights at Work (minimum wage, overtime rate, reporting pay, deductions, vacation pay) — retrieved 2026-10
- Government of Newfoundland and Labrador — Minister Goosney Announces Increase to Minimum Wage Effective April 1, 2026 (news release, February 26, 2026) — retrieved 2026-10
Estimate only — not legal advice
This calculator produces an estimate from the published employment-standards minimums. It is not legal advice and it is not a determination of what you are owed. Minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is set by the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Standards Division and can change on a fixed indexation date.
Collective agreements, employment contracts, exemptions for your occupation, averaging agreements and permits can all change the answer. For a binding answer, contact the employment-standards office named above or a lawyer.