Minimum wage · Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories minimum wage.
What Northwest Territories employers must pay per hour in 2026, and what that comes to per week, per pay period and per year.
The Northwest Territories minimum wage is $17.20 an hour, effective 1 September 2026, up from $16.95.
The rate is adjusted every 1 September using Yellowknife CPI and the territorial average hourly wage. There are no student, youth or server rates.
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Northwest Territories minimum wage rates in 2026
| Rate | Amount | In effect from |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum wage | $17.20/hour | 1 September 2026 |
The Northwest Territories adjusts its minimum wage every 1 September, using a formula based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Yellowknife and the change in the average hourly wage in the territory over the preceding calendar year. There are no special rates. Note that the federal minimum wage of $18.15 is currently higher than the territorial rate, so a federally regulated employee working in the NWT is entitled to the federal figure.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: Government of the Northwest Territories — NWT minimum wage set to increase Sept. 1, 2026. The rate is cited to the GNWT news release rather than the ECE minimum wage page, because that page had not yet been updated when this was verified.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in the Northwest Territories?
$17.20 an hour, effective 1 September 2026, up from $16.95.
The territory adjusts the rate every 1 September using a formula based on the change in the Yellowknife Consumer Price Index and the change in the territorial average hourly wage.
Is the federal minimum wage higher than the NWT rate?
Yes, currently. The federal minimum wage is $18.15 against the territorial $17.20.
Under the Canada Labour Code a federally regulated employee is paid the higher of the two, so someone working for a bank, airline or interprovincial carrier in Yellowknife is entitled to $18.15.
Does the NWT have special minimum wage rates?
No. The territory publishes a single general rate with no student, youth or server variant.
Where wages are not computed solely on time, section 9(3) of the Act deems the regular rate for overtime purposes to be the applicable minimum wage.
When does the NWT minimum wage change?
Every 1 September. The next adjustment is 1 September 2027, and the rate has not yet been published.
Be careful with territorial web pages around the changeover date — the ECE minimum wage page still showed the previous rate the day after the 2026 increase took effect.
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 Northwest Territories is set by Northwest Territories Employment Standards 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.