British Columbia
Minimum Wage
What is the minimum wage in BC?
The minimum wage for most workers is $8.00 per hour. (as of Nov. 1, 2001)
The First Job/Entry-level wage (applied to employees hired on or after Nov. 15, 2001 with no previous paid work experience prior to Nov 15, 2001 and have less than 500 total hours of work experience with one more more employers) is $6 per hour.
Minimum wage for live-in home support workers for each day or part of a day worked is $80.
The minimum daily wage for a live-in camp leader is $64.00 for each day or part day worked.
Minimum wage for resident caretakers in apartment buildings with more than 8 but less than 61 suites is $480 per month plus $19.25 for each suite. Minimum wage for resident caretakers in apartment buildings with more than 60 suites is $1,635 per month.
Tips or gratuities are not wages. Employees must be paid at least minimum wage in addition to any tips or gratuities they receive.
BC workers have not seen an increase in minimum wage since 2001 and currently receive the lowest minimum wage in Canada.
Am I covered by the minimum wage law in BC?The Act does not apply to workers in the following occupations:
- Accountants (members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants)
- Lawyers (members of the Law Society of British Columbia)
- Dentists (members of the College of Dental Surgeons)
- Professional Engineers, or a person who is enrolled in training as an engineer
- Insurance agents or adjusters
- Land Surveyors or a person admitted as an articled student
- Physicians (members of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia)
- Real Estate agents or salespeople
- A student working at the secondary school where he or she is enrolled
- A student enrolled at a secondary school in a work study, work experience or occupational study class
- A person receiving benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act (Canada) as a result of working on a job creation project
- A person participating in Youth Community Action while working for financial credit towards post-secondary tuition fees under that program
- A student of a school of nursing, or a student in training to be a practical nurse
- Volunteer or auxiliary firefighters
What percentage of working British Columbians are earning minimum wage?
Approximately 4.6% of working British Columbians earned minimum wage in 2006, or about 82,000 people. Of those 82,000 people, 38% were between the ages 15-19 years old.
What is the average hourly wage most British Columbians make?
The average hourly wage British Columbians make is $21.66 per hour.
Which legislation determines the minimum wage?
The British Columbia Employment Standards Act and Regulations.
Sources: Statistics Canada |
