Minimum wage · Nunavut
Nunavut minimum wage.
What Nunavut employers must pay per hour in 2026, and what that comes to per week, per pay period and per year.
Nunavut's minimum wage is $20.17 an hour, effective 1 September 2026 — the highest anywhere in Canada.
It applies with no age restriction, and is adjusted every 1 September using the Iqaluit Consumer Price Index and the territorial average hourly wage.
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Nunavut minimum wage rates in 2026
| Rate | Amount | In effect from |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum wage | $20.17/hour | 1 September 2026 |
Nunavut has the highest minimum wage in Canada, and the Act and the government page both state that it applies with no age restriction — there is no student or youth rate. Since 2025 the rate has been adjusted every 1 September using a formula based on the change in the Consumer Price Index for Iqaluit and the change in the territory’s average hourly wage over the previous year.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: Government of Nunavut — Labour and employment standards in Nunavut. Do not rely on the Nunavut Labour Standards Compliance Office FAQ site (nu-lsco.ca) for rates: when this was verified it still quoted a minimum wage two years out of date and omitted the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation from its holiday list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Nunavut?
$20.17 an hour, effective 1 September 2026, up from $19.75 — the highest minimum wage anywhere in Canada.
Since 2025 the rate has been adjusted every 1 September using the Iqaluit Consumer Price Index and the change in Nunavut’s average hourly wage.
Is there a youth minimum wage in Nunavut?
No. Both the Labour Standards Act and the Government of Nunavut state that the minimum wage applies with no age restriction.
There is no student rate, no training rate and no server rate.
Why is Nunavut’s minimum wage so much higher?
It reflects the cost of living in the territory, which is far above the Canadian average, and the wage-and-price formula the territory uses to index the rate.
At $20.17 it is more than five dollars above Alberta’s $15.00, which is the lowest general rate in the country.
Where should I check Nunavut employment standards figures?
Use gov.nu.ca and the Labour Standards Act consolidation. When this page was verified, the separate Labour Standards Compliance Office FAQ site still quoted a minimum wage two years out of date.
That same site also omitted the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation from its holiday list, which the Act names expressly. Where the two disagree, the Act governs.
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 Nunavut is set by the Nunavut Labour Standards Office 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.