Short answer: as of August 2026 the general minimum wage ranges from $15.00 in Alberta to $19.75 in Nunavut, with $18.15 in federally regulated industries. For anyone planning a work permit, that number is only the floor. The wage your LMIA is actually judged against is the prevailing wage and the provincial wage threshold — a job offer set at minimum wage does not clear an LMIA.
What the minimum wage does not do
- It is not the LMIA wage requirement. An LMIA requires the prevailing wage: the higher of the Job Bank median wage for that occupation, or the range you already pay employees in the same job and work location with the same skills and experience. Below it, the application receives a negative decision.
- A minimum-wage offer lands in the low-wage stream. BC's $18.25 is less than half the BC threshold of $38.40, and the low-wage stream brings the 6%-unemployment CMA freeze, the 10% proportion cap, employer-paid round-trip transportation and a housing obligation.
- A lower wage does not open a PR route. PR pathways turn on NOC TEER level and program criteria, not on wage level.
- Tips and bonuses do not count. Overtime, tips, benefits, profit sharing, bonuses and commissions are excluded when the offered wage is assessed.
Minimum wage rates as of August 17, 2026
| Jurisdiction | Current rate | In effect since | Next increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | $18.15 | 2026-04-01 | — |
| Alberta | $15.00 | 2019-06-26 | — |
| British Columbia | $18.25 | 2026-06-01 | — |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | 2025-10-01 | $16.40 (2026-10-01) |
| New Brunswick | $15.90 | 2026-04-01 | — |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.35 | 2026-04-01 | — |
| Northwest Territories | $16.95 | 2025-09-01 | $17.20 (2026-09-01) |
| Nova Scotia | $16.75 | 2026-04-01 | $17.00 (2026-10-01) |
| Nunavut | $19.75 | 2025-09-01 | $20.17 (2026-09-01) |
| Ontario | $17.60 | 2025-10-01 | $17.95 (2026-10-01) |
| Prince Edward Island | $17.00 | 2026-04-01 | $17.30 (2026-10-01), $17.60 (2027-04-01) |
| Quebec | $16.60 | 2026-05-01 | — |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | 2025-10-01 | — |
| Yukon | $18.51 | 2026-04-01 | — |
The federal rate covers sectors under federal authority — interprovincial and international transportation, telecommunications and banking among them. Where the provincial or territorial rate is higher, the employer must pay the higher of the two.
Minimum wage next to the LMIA threshold
| Province | Minimum wage | LMIA threshold (from 2026-07-17) | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | $18.25 | $38.40 | ~2.1× |
| Ontario | $17.60 | $36.92 | ~2.1× |
| Alberta | $15.00 | $37.50 | 2.5× |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | $34.62 | ~2.3× |
| Nova Scotia | $16.75 | $31.96 | ~1.9× |
| Quebec | $16.60 | $36.00 | ~2.2× |
Anything below the threshold is a low-wage application. The full 13-jurisdiction table is in high-wage vs low-wage thresholds.
What to check on a job offer
- Is the hourly rate at or above the Job Bank median for that occupation? That, not the minimum wage, is the LMIA line.
- Is it above or below the provincial threshold? The stream, and the employer's obligations, change entirely.
- If low-wage, is the work location in a frozen CMA? Check the frozen regions list.
- Is it full-time — at least 30 hours a week? Both streams require it.
- Is the employer charging you any recruitment fee? Charging or recovering recruitment fees from the worker is prohibited and produces a negative LMIA.
FAQ
Why has Alberta not moved since 2019? The federal Labour Program's minimum wage database lists Alberta's rate as in effect since June 26, 2019, with no forthcoming increase registered.
Is a high-minimum-wage province better for immigration? Not straightforwardly. Provinces with higher minimum wages also carry higher LMIA thresholds, so the same offer is more likely to be classified low-wage — and if that province's CMA is frozen, the application will not be processed at all.
Do working holiday and open work permit holders get the minimum wage? Employment standards in the province where you work apply to everyone working there, regardless of permit type.
