By admin (May 21, 2024)
Six of Ten Provinces Across Canada Will Raise Minimum Wage Rates This Year
Six of ten provinces will raise minimum wage rates this year on October 1. The federal minimum wage in Canada rose from $ 15.55 to $ 16.65 at the beginning of this month.
This move was very effective because around 26,000 Canadians earn less than $ 15.55 per hour as Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) noted at the time. In more than half of the country’s provinces, Canadians will soon see their minimum wage rates increase at a regional level coinciding with that minimum wage increase on a federal level.
The anticipated October 1 minimum wage increases will be as mentioned below, to be more specific:
Ontario: Up to $ 16.55 to $ 15.50
Manitoba: Up to $ 15.30 to $ 14.15
Nova Scotia: Up to $ 15.00 to $ 14.50
Newfoundland and Labrador: Up to $ 15.00 to $ 14.50
Prince Edward Island (PEI): Up to $ 15.00 to $ 14.50
Saskatchewan: Up to $ 14.00 to $ 13.00
Note: It is already indicated by Saskatchewan that they will once again raise their federal minimum wage from $ 14.00 to $ 15.00 per hour in October 2024.
Changes for New Canadian Immigrants
“Immigrants” are one of the three groups alongside groups who are seeking equality and women who overwhelmingly find themselves near the bottom scale of the wage spectrum according to Craig Pickthorne who is communications coordinator at the Ontario Living Wage Network. Immigrants have been arriving in Canadian provinces either with Work Visa or Permanent Residency for many years.
A significant number of recent Canadian newcomers will be benefited from the news of increasing regional minimum wage rates, particularly because the federal minimum wage increase from earlier this month affects only employees in federally regulated occupations.
The move will be a welcome boost to the earning potential of the recent immigrants, for a significant portion of them residing in the six provinces receiving minimum wage increases in October. More comfortable lives in the home of newly arrived immigrants can be established with the aid of this move subsequently, for immigrants arrived with the help of the Provincial Nominee Program or Express Entry.
The number of new permanent residents that landed in every province of Canada last year is presented in the following table.
| Province/Territory | 2022 PRs | % of all PRs | % change from 2021 |
| Ontario | 184,725 | 42.2% | -6.7% |
| Quebec | 68,685 | 15.7% | +3.4% |
| British Columbia | 61,125 | 14% | -3.1% |
| Alberta | 49.460 | 11.3% | +1.4% |
| Manitoba | 21,645 | 4.9% | +0.8% |
| Saskatchewan | 21,635 | 4.9% | +2.2% |
| Nova Scotia | 12,650 | 2.8% | +0.6% |
| New Brunswick | 10,205 | 2.3% | +1% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 3.490 | 0.7% | +0.2% |
| Prince Edward Island | 2,665 | 0.6% | – |
| Yukon | 455 | 0.1% | – |
| Northwest Territories | 235 | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| Nunavut | 45 | 0.0% | – |
| Province not stated | 20 | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| Total | 437,120 | 100% | – |
Universal Labour Laws to Protect Canadian Newcomers
It is vital to understand that Canadian newcomers are still afforded the same rights and protection as all other workers in the country, while they are typically over-presented in low-wage occupations. Permanent residents, citizens, international students, temporary foreign workers, and all other employed persons are entitled to be compensated for their work and perform their job in a safe environment as outlined by Canada’s Labour Code.
Newly arrived individuals need to know about the Rights of Temporary Workers in Canada. Job training, reasonable healthcare services, information about their rights, and a signed copy of the employment agreement are required to be provided by employers across Canada to their employees.
Note: The details of the rate of compensation and terms of any applicable overtime work, must be outlined by an employment agreement but it should not be limited only to these factors. On or before the first day of work, this agreement must be provided to the employees.
It should be ensured by Canadian employers that they do not mistreat their employees in any of the ways mentioned below:
- Forcing sick or injured employees to work
- Taking away the passport or work permit of an employee
- Forcing employees to perform that may be unsafe for them
- Forcing employees to work overtime even after no mention of such conditions in the employment agreement.
- Threatening the employees with deportation or altering their immigration status
Reporting Misconduct of Any Employer
Canadian employees, especially immigrants may be prevented from reporting workplace misconduct because of the fear of consequences such as job loss. It is important, however, for all Canadians to understand that to help with the reporting of these issues, the territorial and provincial workplace health and safety offices exist across the country.For example, urgent and immediate concerns can be reported to the Health and Safety Contact Centre by phone in the destination province for most Canadian immigrants, Ontario. Canada Immigration News will provide further latest update regarding wage rates, if any further modification happens.