Nova Scotia minimum wage in 2026
Nova Scotia's minimum wage is $17.00 an hour from October 1, 2026 under the Minimum Wage Order (General); it was $16.75 from April 1, 2026, so the province raised it twice in one year.[ns_mw][ns_news] There is no separate rate for students or inexperienced workers. Construction and property maintenance, and logging and forest operations, have their own minimum wage orders.[ns_mw]
Overtime in Nova Scotia: after 48 hours a week
Most Nova Scotia employees earn 1.5 times their regular wage for each hour worked over 48 in a week, a fixed 7-day period such as Monday to Sunday; there is no daily overtime.[ns_ot] The threshold is higher than Ontario's 44 hours and Manitoba's 40, so a 46-hour week has no overtime. At $17.00, a 50-hour week is 48 × $17.00 + 2 × $25.50 = $867.00. The government's example, $20 an hour, gives $30.00 for each hour over 48.[ns_ot]
Some groups have different rules: managers, supervisors, IT professionals, oil and gas workers and several others receive overtime at 1.5 times the minimum wage ($25.50) after 48 hours, transport workers after 96 hours in two weeks, and road building, paving and landscaping crews after 110 hours in two weeks.[ns_ot]
Call-in pay and waiting time
If you are called in outside your regular hours, the employer must pay at least 3 hours at the minimum wage, which is $51.00 at $17.00, even if you work only one or two hours.[ns_mw] Time spent at the workplace waiting for work at the employer's request is paid at least the minimum wage. Piece workers must earn no less than the minimum wage for their hours: 30 hours must pay at least $510.00, so a worker paid $400 by the piece is owed $110.00 more.[ns_mw]
Board and lodging deductions
An employer that provides board or lodging can take only these amounts from the minimum wage, and cannot charge for a meal not received.[ns_mw]
| Item | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Board and lodging, per week | $68.20 |
| Board only, per week | $55.55 |
| Lodging only, per week | $15.45 |
| One meal | $3.65 |
Nova Scotia minimum wage per week, month and year
At $17.00 an hour, a 40-hour week pays $680.00 and a 52-week year $35,360; a 30-hour week pays $510.00, $26,520 a year.
| Hours a week | Week | Two weeks | Month | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 h | $816.00 | $1,632.00 | $3,536.00 | $42,432 |
| 40 h | $680.00 | $1,360.00 | $2,946.67 | $35,360 |
| 37.5 h | $637.50 | $1,275.00 | $2,762.50 | $33,150 |
| 30 h | $510.00 | $1,020.00 | $2,210.00 | $26,520 |
| 20 h | $340.00 | $680.00 | $1,473.33 | $17,680 |
| 15 h | $255.00 | $510.00 | $1,105.00 | $13,260 |
Next increase and how Nova Scotia compares
From April 1, 2027 Nova Scotia moves to one yearly increase, set at projected inflation plus 1% and rounded to the nearest 5 cents; the 2027 amount has not been announced.[prov_mw] At $17.00 the province pays $2.00 more than the minimum wage in Alberta and $0.60 more than the minimum wage in Manitoba, but $0.95 less than the minimum wage in Ontario.
| Jurisdiction | Hourly | Since | Previous | Next change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunavut | $20.17 | September 1, 2026 | $19.75 (September 1, 2025) | September 1, 2027 (formula) |
| Yukon | $18.51 | April 1, 2026 | $17.94 (April 1, 2025) | April 1, 2027 (Whitehorse CPI) |
| British Columbia | $18.25 | June 1, 2026 | $17.85 (June 1, 2025) | June 1, 2027 (BC CPI; amount not yet announced) |
| Federal (federally regulated jobs) | $18.15 | April 1, 2026 | $17.75 (April 1, 2025) | April 1, 2027 (CPI; amount not yet announced) |
| Ontario | $17.95 | October 1, 2026 | $17.60 (October 1, 2025) | October 1, 2027 (Ontario CPI; announced by April 1, 2027) |
| Prince Edward Island | $17.30 | October 1, 2026 | $17.00 (April 1, 2026) | $17.60 on April 1, 2027 |
| Northwest Territories | $17.20 | September 1, 2026 | $16.95 (September 1, 2025) | September 1, 2027 (formula) |
| Nova Scotia | $17.00 | October 1, 2026 | $16.75 (April 1, 2026) | April 1, 2027 (projected CPI + 1%) |
| Quebec | $16.60 | May 1, 2026 | $16.10 (May 1, 2025) | May 1, 2027 (usually announced in spring) |
| Manitoba | $16.40 | October 1, 2026 | $16.00 (October 1, 2025) | October 1, 2027 (indexed) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.35 | April 1, 2026 | $16.00 (April 1, 2025) | April 1, 2027 (CPI) |
| New Brunswick | $15.90 | April 1, 2026 | $15.65 (April 1, 2025) | April 1, 2027 (CPI) |
| Saskatchewan | $15.70 | October 1, 2026 | $15.35 (October 1, 2025) | October 1, 2027 (formula) |
| Alberta | $15.00 | October 1, 2018 | $13.60 (October 1, 2017) | No increase announced |
Prices in Nova Scotia: 14% HST
Nova Scotia's HST is 14% since April 1, 2025, when the provincial part fell from 10% to 9%, so $100 costs $114.[cra_rates] The HST calculator adds or removes it and splits the federal and provincial parts; the GST credit payment dates page covers the quarterly benefit for low-income households.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Nova Scotia in 2026?
$17.00 an hour since October 1, 2026. It was $16.75 from April 1, 2026 and $16.50 before that.
When does Nova Scotia's minimum wage go up next?
April 1, 2027, by projected inflation plus 1%, rounded to the nearest 5 cents. The amount has not been announced.
When does overtime start in Nova Scotia?
After 48 hours in a week, at 1.5 times the regular wage. There is no daily overtime. At $17.00, a 50-hour week pays $867.00.
What is call-in pay in Nova Scotia?
If you are called in outside your regular hours you are paid for at least 3 hours at the minimum wage, $51.00 at $17.00.
Is there a student minimum wage in Nova Scotia?
No. The $17.00 general rate applies to students and new workers too.
Sources
- Minimum wage (Minimum Wage Order (General): $17.00 from October 1, 2026, call-in pay, board and lodging)
- Minimum wage rises to $17
- Overtime pay (1.5 times the regular wage after 48 hours a week; special rules by wage order)
- Provincial and territorial minimum wage orders and releases (AB, MB, SK, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL, YT, NT, NU)
- GST/HST calculator (and rates): GST/HST and PST rates by province; GST/HST rates since April 1, 2013