20 hrs/week
Northwest Territories
$339.00/wk · $17,628.00/yr
Nunavut
$395.00/wk · $20,540.00/yr
All Canada minimum wage comparisons
Nunavut +$2.80/hr · 2026
Northwest Territoriesvs
NunavutMinimum Wage 2026
In 2026, Nunavut wins on the general minimum wage: $19.75/hour vs $16.95/hour in Northwest Territories — a gap of $2.80/hour. At full-time (40 hrs/week), that is roughly $5,824.00 more gross income per year before taxes. This page compares floors, federal CLC context, and scheduled increases; use our hourly and Canada tax calculators for take-home.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
$16.95Northwest Territories
$19.75Nunavut
$2.80Hourly gap
$5,824.00FT annual gap
Nunavut has the higher general minimum wage
$19.75/hr vs $16.95/hr — a $2.80/hr gap ($5,824.00/yr FT gross).
Nunavut wins · 2026
Northwest Territories
$16.95/hr
$35,256.00/yr FT · effective September 1, 2025
Nunavut
Winner$19.75/hr
$41,080.00/yr FT · effective September 1, 2025
Gap: $2.80/hr · $5,824.00/yr FT ($485.33/mo)
Why Nunavut wins
- Nunavut's general minimum is $2.80/hr higher ($19.75 vs $16.95).
- At 40 hours/week, that is about $5,824.00 more gross pay per year ($485.33/month).
- Nunavut meets or exceeds the federal CLC $18.15 floor; Northwest Territories sits below it for provincially regulated workplaces.
Side-by-side metrics
| Metric | Northwest Territories | Nunavut |
|---|---|---|
| General minimum | $16.95/hr | $19.75/hr |
| FT annual gross (40×52) | $35,256.00 | $41,080.00 |
| vs federal CLC | Below CLC | At/above CLC |
| Scheduled increase | Yes | Yes |
Pay by hours/week
Gross pay at each jurisdiction's general minimum (before taxes).
| Hours | Northwest Territories / wk | Nunavut / wk | Northwest Territories / yr | Nunavut / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hrs | $339.00 | $395.00 | $17,628.00 | $20,540.00 |
| 30 hrs | $508.50 | $592.50 | $26,442.00 | $30,810.00 |
| 40 hrs | $678.00 | $790.00 | $35,256.00 | $41,080.00 |
30 hrs/week
Northwest Territories
$508.50/wk · $26,442.00/yr
Nunavut
$592.50/wk · $30,810.00/yr
40 hrs/week
Northwest Territories
$678.00/wk · $35,256.00/yr
Nunavut
$790.00/wk · $41,080.00/yr
Pros & caveats
Northwest Territories
Pros
- Published scheduled increase on the books
Cons / caveats
- Lower floor than Nunavut ($16.95 vs $19.75)
- Below the federal CLC $18.15 — federally regulated workplaces still owe the higher rate
Nunavut
Pros
- Higher provincial/territorial floor ($19.75 vs $16.95)
- At or above the federal CLC $18.15 floor
- Published scheduled increase on the books
Planning guide
How to read the Northwest Territories vs Nunavut minimum wage comparison
Nunavut has the higher general minimum in 2026. Check federal CLC coverage and take-home tools before deciding which corridor fits workers or payroll.
General floor
Northwest Territories $16.95/hr vs Nunavut $19.75/hr
FT annual gap
$5,824.00/yr before taxes
vs federal CLC
Northwest Territories: below · Nunavut: at/above
Scheduled raises
Northwest Territories: listed · Nunavut: listed
Before you use this Northwest Territories vs Nunavut wage gap
Confirm work location
Pay usually follows where hours are worked. Federally regulated workplaces use the higher of CLC and local provincial/territorial rates.
Check special rates
Students, liquor servers, and other special categories may have different floors — see provincial ESA pages.
Check effective dates
Rates are for 2026. Scheduled increases can change the gap mid-year.
Model take-home next
Convert hours with the hourly calculator, then compare Canada tax take-home for net pay.
Federal CLC vs Northwest Territories and Nunavut
The federal CLC floor is $18.15/hour. Federally regulated employers must pay the higher of that rate and the provincial/territorial rate where the employee usually works. This duel ranks general provincial/territorial floors for provincially regulated workplaces.
Overview
In 2026, Nunavut wins on the general minimum wage: $19.75/hour vs $16.95/hour in Northwest Territories — a gap of $2.80/hour. At full-time (40 hrs/week), that is roughly $5,824.00 more gross income per year before taxes. This page compares floors, federal CLC context, and scheduled increases; use our hourly and Canada tax calculators for take-home.
FAQ
Nunavut is higher at $19.75/hour versus $16.95 in Northwest Territories ($2.80/hr gap).
About $5,824.00 more gross per year at 40 hrs/week ($485.33/month), before taxes and overtime.
The federal CLC minimum is $18.15/hour. Northwest Territories is below that floor; Nunavut is at or above. Federally regulated employers must pay the higher of federal and the worksite province/territory rate.
Northwest Territories: yes — next listed change toward $17.20/hr on September 1, 2026. Nunavut: yes — next listed change toward $20.17/hr on September 1, 2026.
Yes. Rates reflect our 2026 Canada minimum wage tracker (last reviewed against the Labour Program Minimum Wage Database and provincial labour sources). Laws change on fixed dates — verify before payroll changes.
Convert hours with our hourly salary calculator, then run the result through the Canada tax calculator for federal and provincial income tax, CPP/QPP, and EI. Minimum wage figures here are gross floors, not net pay.
Not always. Nunavut has the higher legal floor, but provincial income tax and cost of living can narrow or erase the net advantage. Model both at the same hours with the tax tools.
The ladder shows weekly and annual gross at common hour counts using each jurisdiction's general minimum. It helps translate the hourly gap into cash flow before taxes — overtime and tips are not included.
Use related links below, the reverse matchup (Nunavut vs Northwest Territories), or the Canada minimum wage compare hub picker for any two provinces or territories.
Compare take-home too
Wage floors are only half the story. See Canada province tax take-home comparisons for federal + provincial + CPP/EI at the same salary.
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