Ontario employment standards
Ontario Minimum Wage Rates and Worker Categories
Ontario’s minimum wage is date-effective and includes specialized rates for qualifying students, homeworkers, and hunting, fishing and wilderness guides.
Current and upcoming general rate
Ontario’s general minimum wage is currently $17.60 per hour for work from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
The general rate rises to $17.95 per hour on October 1, 2026Use the rate and worker category in effect on the date the work was performed.
Ontario minimum wage rates
| Worker category | Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026 | Oct. 1, 2026–Sept. 30, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| General | $17.60 per hour | $17.95 per hour |
| Qualifying student | $16.60 per hour | $16.90 per hour |
| Homeworker | $19.35 per hour | $19.70 per hour |
| Hunting, fishing or wilderness guide: less than five consecutive hours in a day | $88.05 per day | $89.75 per day |
| Hunting, fishing or wilderness guide: five or more hours in a day | $176.15 per day | $179.50 per day |
The October 2026 rates were published by Ontario before their effective date and should not be used for work performed before October 1, 2026.
Which worker category applies?
General minimum wage
The general rate applies to most employees covered by Ontario’s minimum-wage provisions.
Student minimum wage
The student rate applies to students under age 18 who work 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or who work during a school break or summer holiday. A student who does not meet those conditions generally uses the general rate unless another category applies.
Homeworker minimum wage
A homeworker is an employee who does paid work in their own home for an employer. Ontario states that students of any age who are employed as homeworkers must receive the homeworker rate.
Hunting, fishing and wilderness guides
These guides use daily block rates rather than an hourly rate. One amount applies for less than five consecutive hours in a day and another for five or more hours, whether or not those hours are consecutive.
Minimum wage applies beyond hourly pay
Ontario states that most eligible employees must receive at least minimum wage whether they are paid hourly, by salary, commission, piece rate or flat rate. Compliance is determined on a pay-period basis. Commission and piece-rate comparisons can require more detailed calculations, especially when overtime is involved.
Check exemptions and special rules
Some occupations, industries, training programs and work relationships are exempt or follow special rules. Confirm coverage before treating a rate comparison as an entitlement determination.
When the rate changes during a pay period
Ontario states that when a minimum-wage change takes effect partway through a pay period, the pay period is treated as two separate periods. Hours before October 1 use the earlier rate and hours on or after October 1 use the new rate.
Worked examples
Current general rate
38 hours × $17.60
$668.80 minimum gross wagesFor a supported pay period before October 1, 2026.October 2026 general rate
38 hours × $17.95
$682.10 minimum gross wagesFor a supported pay period on or after October 1, 2026.What the WageWise calculator supports
The calculator compares one hourly wage with the general, qualifying student or homeworker rate for work dates from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. It does not calculate guide daily rates, salary, commission, piece-rate, room-and-board, three-hour-rule, overtime or public-holiday scenarios.
Compare an hourly wage with the applicable rate
Select the work date and supported worker category before entering the hourly wage and hours worked.
Open Ontario Minimum Wage CalculatorFrequently asked questions
What is Ontario’s minimum wage right now?
As of August 2, 2026, the general rate is $17.60 per hour. It rises to $17.95 on October 1, 2026.
Does every student receive the student rate?
No. The specialized rate is limited to students under 18 who meet the weekly-hours or school-break conditions. Other rules or categories may also affect coverage.
Are remote employees automatically homeworkers?
Not every work-from-home arrangement should be classified without checking the ESA definition and facts. The calculator asks the user to confirm homeworker status.
Do tips reduce the minimum wage an employer must pay?
Ontario no longer has a separate liquor-server minimum wage. The applicable minimum-wage rate must be paid independently of tips.
Official sources
- Ontario: Minimum wage
- Ontario Newsroom: October 1, 2026 minimum-wage increase
- Ontario: Homeworkers
- Ontario: Industries and jobs with exemptions or special rules
This guide is informational and does not replace the ESA, its regulations or advice about a specific situation. See the calculation methodology and sources policy.