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Minimum wage in the Northwest Territories (2026)

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Quick Answer

The general adult minimum wage in the Northwest Territories is $17.20 an hour, in effect since September 1, 2026. Full-time at 40 hours a week that is about $35,776 a year gross and roughly $30,238 after tax — $2,520 a month. the Northwest Territories ranks 5 of 13 in Canada.

Minimum wage in the Northwest Territories

$17.20/hour

Full-time gross

$35,776

After tax

$30,238

Per month

$2,520

What $17.20 an hour pays in the Northwest Territories

Gross is the hourly rate times the hours; the after-tax column runs it through 2026 federal and Northwest Territories tax, CPP and EI.

Hours per week Gross per year After tax Per month
40 hours (full-time) $35,776 $30,238 $2,520
37.5 hours $33,540 $28,583 $2,382
35 hours $31,304 $26,928 $2,244
30 hours $26,832 $23,617 $1,968
20 hours $17,888 $16,740 $1,395

How the Northwest Territories compares

At $17.20, the Northwest Territories sits 5 of 13 across Canada. The highest rate is $20.17 in Nunavut , and the lowest is $15.00 in Alberta . Workers in federally regulated industries — banks, airlines, telecoms, interprovincial transport — get the federal minimum of $18.15 instead, whichever is higher.

Full comparison table for every province and territory

Related

Minimum wage in other provinces

Official source: Northwest Territories government.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum wage in the Northwest Territories?

$17.20 an hour for general adult workers, in effect since September 1, 2026. That ranks 5 of 13 jurisdictions in Canada — the highest is $20.17 in Nunavut and the lowest is $15.00 in Alberta.

How much is $17.20 an hour a year in the Northwest Territories?

At 40 hours a week it is about $35,776 before tax, which nets roughly $30,238 after income tax, CPP and EI — about $2,520 a month. At 30 hours a week it is closer to $26,832 gross.

Does the Northwest Territories minimum wage apply to everyone?

It is the general adult rate. Most jurisdictions set different rates for liquor servers, students under 18, homeworkers, or specific industries, and workers in federally regulated sectors — banks, airlines, telecoms, interprovincial transport — instead get the federal minimum of $18.15, which has applied since April 1, 2026. Check your provincial employment standards office for the exception that fits your job.

Can you live on minimum wage in the Northwest Territories?

Full-time at $17.20 nets about $2,520 a month. Whether that covers rent depends entirely on the city — minimum wage is a legal floor, not a living wage, and living-wage estimates in most Canadian cities run several dollars an hour above it. Use the $2,520 monthly figure as the real budget starting point, not the hourly rate.

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