What is the Minimum Wage in Alberta?
Alberta's minimum wage is $9.40 per hour. A total of 11 Canadian provinces or territories have a minimum wage rate higher then Alberta.
A full time hourly worker in Alberta earning minimum wage will earn a total of $376.00 per week and approximately $19,552.00 per year (based on an 8-hour work day and a 260-day work year). Remember that, with tax deductions, the actual amount earned will likely be lower.
Alberta Minimum Wage & Labor Law
Since 2007, the Alberta Minimum Wage has been adjusted annually on April 1st based on the average weekly wage in Alberta over the past year. If the average wage increases over the past year the minimum wage will be increased to reflect this; if the average weekly wage decreases or stays the same the Minimum Wage rate will stay the same.
There are several types of applicable Minimum Wage in Alberta. The three classes of minimum wage include an hourly minimum wage for most workers, a special weekly minimum wage rate for certain salespeople and professionals, and a monthly minimum wage rate for domestic workers.
- Salespeople and professionals are entitled to a weekly minimum wage of $352 CAD as of April 1, 2009.
- Domestic employees such as housekeepers who live primarily in their employer's home are entitled to a monthly Minimum Wage instead of an hourly Minimum Wage. The monthly minimum wage for domestic employees in Alberta was raised to $1,677 CAD per month as of April 1, 2009.
There are a variety of employees completely exempt from minimum wage regulations under Alberta's Employment Standards Regulation.Some of these exempt employees include the following:
- farm or ranch employees whose employment is directly related to the primary production of: eggs, milk, grain, seeds, fruit, vegetables, honey, livestock, game-production animals, poultry, bees or cultured fish;
- securities salespersons registered under the Securities Act;
- insurance salespersons paid entirely by commission;
- students in training courses approved by the Director of Employment Standards;
- students in off-campus education programs provided under the School Act;
- real estate broker authorized under the Real Estate Act;
- students in work experience programs approved by the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology or the Minister of Employment and Immigration;
- counsellors or instructors at non-profit educational or recreational camps for children or disabled persons, or at non-profit religious camps; and
- extras in a film or video production
Minimum Pay for Reporting to Work - There is a special provision to Alberta's labor law that entitles most workers to a minimum of three hours worth of pay on any given work day, even if they work for less then three hours. For example, if a minimum wage employee reports to work and is sent home an hour later, his employer must pay him for at least three hours of work instead of only one. Certain employees are only entitled to at least two hours of pay under this law, such as bus drivers, children under 15 on school days, and certain part-time municipal or non profit employees.
What is the Minimum Wage?
The Alberta Minimum Wage is the lowest hourly wage employers in Alberta can legally pay their employees. The minimum wage is set by the Alberta government and is periodically updated to reflect the current cost of living and ensure that all workers are paid a fair living wage.
What if my employer is paying me less then the Minimum Wage?
Unless your job is covered by one of Alberta's legal exemptions to the minimum wage described above, your employer is legally required to pay you at least the hourly minimum wage of $9.40 per hour. If you believe your employer is illegally paying you less then the Alberta minimum wage, contact the Alberta Department of Labor immediately and they will advocate on your behalf.
Need more information? Find data on the Minimum Wage in other provinces.