Minimum wage in Nova Scotia (2026)
Verified against government sources on .
Quick Answer
The general adult minimum wage in Nova Scotia is $16.75 an hour, in effect since April 1, 2026. It rises to $17.00 on October 1, 2026. Full-time at 40 hours a week that is about $34,840 a year gross and roughly $28,366 after tax — $2,364 a month. Nova Scotia ranks 7 of 13 in Canada.
Minimum wage in Nova Scotia
$16.75/hour
Full-time gross
$34,840
After tax
$28,366
Per month
$2,364
Scheduled increase
Rising to $17.00 on October 1, 2026 — an increase of $0.25 an hour, or about $520 a year at full-time hours.
What $16.75 an hour pays in Nova Scotia
Gross is the hourly rate times the hours; the after-tax column runs it through 2026 federal and Nova Scotia tax, CPP and EI.
| Hours per week | Gross per year | After tax | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 hours (full-time) | $34,840 | $28,366 | $2,364 |
| 37.5 hours | $32,663 | $26,946 | $2,245 |
| 35 hours | $30,485 | $25,476 | $2,123 |
| 30 hours | $26,130 | $22,369 | $1,864 |
| 20 hours | $17,420 | $15,923 | $1,327 |
How Nova Scotia compares
At $16.75, Nova Scotia sits 7 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
- Every salary after tax in Nova Scotia
- What any hourly wage pays a year
- Salary to hourly calculator
- Income tax calculator
- How much rent you can actually afford
Minimum wage in other provinces
- Nunavut — $20.17
- Yukon — $18.51
- British Columbia — $18.25
- Ontario — $17.60
- Northwest Territories — $17.20
- Prince Edward Island — $17.00
- Quebec — $16.60
- Newfoundland and Labrador — $16.35
- Manitoba — $16.00
- New Brunswick — $15.90
- Saskatchewan — $15.35
- Alberta — $15.00
Official source: Nova Scotia government.