- Newfoundland and Labrador pay rules at a glance
- Overtime: a set minimum rate after 40 hours
- Call-in pay: the three-hour rule
- Breaks and rest
- Time that has to be paid
- Tips, deductions and uniforms
- Vacation pay and termination notice
- Paid public holidays
- Pay statements and records
- How the province compares
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
The minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador is $16.35 an hour, effective April 1, 2026. The minimum overtime wage rate is $24.53 an hour, and it applies to hours worked beyond 40 in a week.
The April 2026 change was a $0.35 increase, made under the province's Labour Standards Regulations. Both rates are adjusted every April 1 based on changes to the national Consumer Price Index, so employers get a predictable once-a-year update rather than surprise mid-year rises.
Newfoundland and Labrador pay rules at a glance
| Rule | Newfoundland and Labrador, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $16.35 an hour from April 1, 2026 |
| Minimum overtime wage | $24.53 an hour |
| Overtime starts | After 40 hours in a week |
| How rates change | Every April 1, based on the national CPI |
| Pay frequency | At least half monthly, within 7 days of the pay period ending |
| Vacation pay | Four per cent, or six per cent after 15 years |
Overtime: a set minimum rate after 40 hours
The province's standard working week is 40 hours. Hours beyond that are overtime and must be paid at no less than the minimum overtime wage rate of $24.53, which works out at one and a half times the minimum wage. Overtime rules don't apply to agricultural employees.
Two details matter in practice. If you approve a written request from employees to swap shifts and the swap pushes someone over 40 hours, you don't have to pay overtime on it. And overtime can be banked as time off if you both agree: one and a half hours off for every overtime hour, taken within three months unless you agree to extend, and settled within 12 months. If the job ends before the time off is used, the overtime must be paid within seven days.
Call-in pay: the three-hour rule
If an employee turns up for a scheduled shift of three hours or more and finds it cancelled, they must be paid for at least three hours. If you call someone in and don't need them for three hours, you either let them work three hours or pay the unworked part of the three hours at the minimum wage or minimum overtime rate, whichever fits. A shift that was only ever scheduled for two hours is paid as two hours.
Breaks and rest
Employees get an unbroken one-hour rest period after each five consecutive hours of work, unless a written contract or collective agreement sets different breaks, and the total still has to be at least an hour for anyone working five hours or more. Breaks can be unpaid unless you keep control over the employee during them. Separately, everyone must have at least eight consecutive hours off in every 24-hour period, on top of their breaks, except in a real emergency.
Time that has to be paid
Employees must be paid for time spent at the workplace at your request. The government's own examples include mandatory meetings before or after the work day, staying late to close the cash, clean or lock up, and training you require.
Tips, deductions and uniforms
- Tips belong to the employee they were given to or for. You, managers and supervisors can't take a share.
- A surcharge paid instead of a tip counts as a tip and also belongs to the employee, though statutory deductions can be taken from it.
- You can't deduct cash shortages, bad cheques or charge card losses from wages.
- You can't make employees pay for a uniform that's unique to your business and carries your logo.
Vacation pay and termination notice
Vacation pay is four per cent of gross income once someone has worked for you for at least five days, rising to six per cent after 15 years of continuous employment. When the job ends, vacation pay is due within one week.
| Length of employment | Notice you must give |
|---|---|
| Under 3 months | None |
| 3 months to under 2 years | 1 week, or pay instead |
| 2 years to under 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 years to under 10 years | 3 weeks |
| 10 years to under 15 years | 4 weeks |
| 15 years or more | 6 weeks |
Some exceptions apply, such as the construction industry.
Paid public holidays
The province's booklet lists six paid public holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day/Canada Day, Labour Day, Remembrance Day and Christmas Day. If an employee works one, they're paid twice their regular rate, or given another day off with pay within 30 days, or an additional vacation day.
Wages can be paid at the workplace during working hours, to the employee's home, by mail, by personal delivery or by direct deposit if the employee agrees. Cheque and direct deposit both count as lawful payment.
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Pay statements and records
Every payday, employees must get a statement of earnings showing the pay period dates, each wage rate and the hours worked at it, gross pay, each deduction and its purpose, and net pay. You must keep payroll records for four years from the last entry.
How the province compares
At $16.35, Newfoundland and Labrador sits below Nova Scotia's $17.00 and Prince Edward Island's $17.30 from October 2026, and above New Brunswick's $15.90. Federally regulated employers, such as banks and telecoms, pay the federal $18.15 because it's higher. See the full Canadian minimum wage table and how EI premiums come off the same paycheque.
My verdict
Newfoundland and Labrador makes overtime easy to budget because the minimum overtime wage is published alongside the minimum wage. The rules that cause disputes are smaller ones: paying for closing-up time, the three-hour call-in minimum and keeping your hands off tips. Get those into your manager training and you're ahead of most small employers.
If your business also operates in Nova Scotia, our Nova Scotia minimum wage guide covers the rate and the call-in rule.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Newfoundland and Labrador?
The minimum wage is $16.35 an hour, effective April 1, 2026.
What is the minimum overtime rate in Newfoundland?
The minimum overtime wage rate is $24.53 an hour, paid for hours worked beyond 40 in a week.
When does Newfoundland's minimum wage change?
Every April 1, based on the annual change in the national Consumer Price Index.
Do I get paid if my shift is cancelled in Newfoundland?
If you report for a scheduled shift of three hours or more and it's cancelled, you must be paid for at least three hours.
Can my employer take a share of my tips in Newfoundland?
No. Tips belong to the employee they were given to or for, and the employer, managers and supervisors can't take a share.
