Minimum Wage Across Canada

Starting Apr 1, 2024, a total of six Canadian provinces are raising the minimum wage per hour. The Federal government along with five other provinces and territories increased the minimum wage back in April, and BC followed suit as of June 1. Time to have a look at the minimum wage across Canada! The following table shows the current minimum wage across Canada and its respective effective date:

ProvinceCurrent Minimum WageEffective Date
Federal$ 17.30April 1, 2024
Alberta$ 15.00October 1, 2018
British Columbia$ 16.75June 1, 2023
Manitoba$ 15.30October 1, 2023
New Brunswick$ 14.75April 1, 2023
Newfoundland and Labrador$ 15.00October 1, 2023
Northwest Territories$ 16.05September 1, 2023
Nova Scotia$ 15.20April 1, 2024
Nunavut$ 19.00April 1, 2024
Ontario$ 16.55October 1, 2023
Prince Edward Island$ 15.40April 1, 2024
Quebec$ 15.25May 1, 2023
Saskatchewan$ 14.00October 1, 2023
Yukon$ 17.59April 1, 2024

Federal Minimum Wage

The federal minimum wage is what an employee should be paid at the very least. Every year on April 1, the federal minimum wage is adjusted by inflation per the Consumer Price Index (CPI). If the minimum wage of the province or territory where the employee usually works is higher than the federal minimum wage, the employer is to pay the higher minimum wage. Otherwise, the federal jurisdiction includes specific labour market sectors under federal authority, such as international and interprovincial transportation, telecommunication and banking. In some jurisdictions, there are different minimum wage rates for young workers, like students under the age of 18, and specific occupations, such as live-in or domestic workers, or employees who usually receive gratuities.



Workers' Rights in Canada

As a newcomer to Canada, it can be challenging to find a job that pays well and is safe. To prevent exploitation, the Canadian government has implemented measures to protect the rights of foreign workers. The Canada Labour Code defines workers' rights, which states that all workers, including citizens, permanent residents, foreign workers, and international students, are entitled to compensation for their work and a safe workplace. It also specifies key entitlements of newcomers to Canada such as job training, reasonable healthcare services, and receiving a copy of their employment agreement by the first day of work. Employers also have a duty to accommodate their employees to prevent workplace discrimination. The Canadian Human Rights Act recognizes 11 grounds of discrimination, including race, national/ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and a conviction (for which a pardon/record suspension has been granted). 

Reporting Workplace Issues and Abuse

If foreign workers encounter any issues in the workplace, they can report them to the appropriate provincial/territorial office. Employees can contact the employment standards office if they believe that their compensation or employment agreement is unfair. Workers can report unsafe conditions or injuries to the workplace health and safety office. Additionally, workers who have been injured or fallen ill on the job may apply for workers' compensation benefits. If you're being abused or at risk of being abused in relation to your job in Canada, you may be eligible for an open work permit for vulnerable workers. By knowing their rights and the reporting measures available to them, newcomers to Canada can protect themselves from exploitation and work towards a better future.

Popular posts from this blog

What's a CLB?

Image
In most cases, applicants for permanent residence in Canada need to prove their language skills in English or French. To do so, they must take an approved language test. There are five language tests accepted for immigration to Canada; three for English and two for French: •   Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program ( CELPIP) •   International English Language Testing System ( IELTS) •   Pearson Test of English ( PTE)  •   Test de connaissance du français ( TCF) •   Test d’évaluation de français ( TEF) IRCC will use the test results as proof of an applicant's language skills. In order to be valid, test results must be less than two years old at the time of application for permanent residence. There are provisions if a candidate cannot complete one or more sections of the language test because of a disability. The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) (or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) for French) was created to assess language skills of permanent residen
Read more

How Express Entry works

Image
The Express Entry online system is used to manage applications for Permanent Residence under three separate programs: Federal Skilled Worker Program Federal Skilled Trades Program Canadian Experience Class Each program has its own eligibility criteria. Candidates need to meet all requirements for at least one program to apply under Express Entry, and can't mix and match criteria from different programs. The following table shows the eligbility requirements for each of the three programs: Eligibility Criteria Canadian Experience Class Federal Skilled Worker Program Federal Skilled Trades Program Language skills English or French skills CLB 7 for TEER 0 or TEER 1 occupations CLB 5 for TEER 2 or TEER 3 occupations English or French skills CLB 7 English or French skills CLB 5 for speaking and listening CLB 4 for reading and writing Type/Level of work experience Canadian work experience in an occupation
Read more

International Experience Canada (IEC)

Image
International Experience Canada (IEC) is a reciprocal program that gives youth the opportunity to travel and work in Canada for up to 3 years. Young adults aged 18 to 35 can participate in the program under the following categories: Working Holiday ( open work permit ) Young Professional (employer-specific "closed" work permit for jobs contributing to professional development) International co-op (employer-specific work permit for student internship terms) Who Can Apply Citizens of partner countries may be able to apply to one or more of these three categories. Citizens of other countries may still be able to apply to the IEC program through a Recognized Organization  (RO).  The number of participations and length of work permit depend on the applicant's country of citizenship. While some countries allow repeat participations in the same or a different category, others are limited to one participation. The length of work permit under the IEC program can vary from 6 mont
Read more