Alberta Minimum Wage – How much can you earn?

Alberta minimum wage is amongst the highest in the whole of Canada. The province makes significant efforts to ensure Albertans are the highest paid workers in Canada.

Through legislation and its workers employment standards, Alberta minimum wage continue to rank high, therefore, if you intend to immigrate or settle anywhere in Canada, you might want to make Alberta your choice province of residence.

A minimum wage by definition is the lowest sum an employer can pay an employee as set out in the legislation of the province or jurisdiction and it’s often expressed in hourly rate.

In addition, constituted in the legislation set out by each province are usually some exemptions, these exceptions are different in every province and are often quite extensive.

Therefore, employers are advised to always look into the regulation so as to make sure that their operations do not fall outside the legislation while making their employees minimum wage decisions.

Alberta Minimum Wages Basic Rules

• It is mandated that employers must pay at least the minimum wage.
• Present federal Alberta minimum wage applies to every employee except for students who are under 18 years of age.
• Employers must familiarize themselves with the new job creation student wage which was implemented in June 26, 2019 and the applicable Restrictions.
• Tips or expense money are not counted as wages
• Weekly and monthly minimum wages applies to some group of workers such as salespersons and domestic employees.
• Employees are entitled to be paid a minimum of 3 hours pay at the minimum wage rate each time they resume to work even if they’re sent home after less than 3 hours, unless the employee is not available to work the 3 hours.
• The maximum amount that can be deducted from minimum wage for meals provided and accommodation for workers are CAD3.35 per consumed meal and CAD4.41 per day’s lodging respectively.

Alberta Minimum Wage Rate for 2018-2019

The minimum wage rates tabulated below are set out in the Employment Standards Regulation.

Alberta Minimum Wage for under 18 years

Basic rules

• The jobs individuals under 18 years of age can do have restrictions
  • Jobs for individuals 14 years old or younger require a government permit. This is different for each age group and type of work.
  • Individuals who are 14 years and under must get a parent or guardian’s permission to work.
• Similarly, restrictions are also applicable on the number of hours people under 18 years are permitted to work.
• However, some important exceptions are involved:
  • Regulations for youth employment can only apply to employees, and not self-employed contractors or volunteers.
  • In addition, some separate rules apply to students in approved training course or integrated learning programs.
  • Furthermore, rules listed here do not apply to working on farms and ranches. Youth and under 18years follow the same rules as other farm and ranch employees.
• Therefore, every employee, including under 18 years of age, are entitled to the minimum standards of employment like general holidays, vacations, minimum wage and termination notice or pay.
• With regards to employees in Alberta, employers of individuals under 18 years of age must perform hazard assessments and control workplace hazards.

Self-employed and Contractors

Just like every other workers, similarly, people under 18 years old are only covered by Employment Standards rules if they are employees. Therefore, the rules don’t apply to people under 18 years old who are self-employed or working as independent contractors or who are volunteering.

This may include, but certainly not limited to casual work such as:

• Babysitting
• Snow shoveling
• Lawn mowing

Meanwhile, for the same type of work, such as refereeing, some workers may be considered true employees, whereas others may be doing it casually or as a self-employed contractor. However, the important thing is not the type of job; but whether the worker is a true employee or not.

Average Alberta Minimum Wage

Regardless of the declines, Albertans still earn more money than people in any other province in Canada, with a median after-tax income of CAD72, 700 in 2018, when counting both individuals and families.

• This is 18.4 per cent higher than the Canadian average of CAD61, 400.
• In 2015, Alberta’s average income pegged at 27.5 per cent higher than the nationwide average.
• Average income for individuals placed at CAD35, 800 in Alberta in 2018. Meanwhile for families it placed CAD98, 400.
• In comparison to CAD30, 700 for individuals across Canada and CAD84, 900 for families.

Alberta Minimum Wage for Teachers

Elementary School Teacher

Elementary school teachers teach and administer the learning of children with age range from 4 to 12 years of age (i.e. Kindergarten to Grade 6)

• Average Salary: CAD77, 661
• Average Wage: CAD44.68
• Minimum Education: 4 years post-secondary
• Level: Below average

High School Teacher

High school teachers, are also referred to as secondary school teachers, these provide instruction to students in one or more areas of study in a public or private high school.

• Average Salary: CAD68, 244

Alberta Minimum Wage for Dentist

Oct 6, 2021, the average annual pay for a Dentist in Alberta is CAD153, 374/ year. Therefore, a simple salary calculator that works will give approximately CAD73.74/hour. This is also equivalent to CAD2, 950/week or CAD12, 781/month.

Similarly, salaries range are as high as CAD274, 500 and as low as CAD54, 500, notwithstanding, the vast majority of Dentist salaries presently range between CAD130, 000 (25th percentile) to CAD194, 000 (75th percentile) while the top earners occupy the (90th percentile) making CAD237, 000 every year in Alberta.

Nevertheless, the average pay range for a Dentist is enormous (that is about CAD64, 000), thus, implying that there may be opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of work experience.

Meanwhile, Alberta currently ranks number 50 out of 50 in Canada for Dentist salaries.

Top 10 Cities in Alberta Minimum Wage for Dentists

The top ten cities in Alberta with the highest minimum salary for dentists are highlighted below.

EMT Salary in Alberta

Firstly, the average pay for an EMT is CAD49, 425 per year and CAD24 per hour in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Similarly, the average salary difference for an EMT varies between CAD37, 208 and CAD59, 583.

Averagely, a High School Degree is often the highest level of education for an EMT.

• The average salary for EMT in Alberta: CAD49, 425
• Hourly Rate: CAD 24
• Average Bonus: CAD628

Alberta Minimum Wage for Psychologist

• Average Salary: CAD85, 499
• Hourly Wage: CAD 48.97
• Average Hours of work/Week: 33.8

Alberta Minimum Wage for Welder

A Welder in his early career with 1-4 years of work experience earns on the average a total compensation (including tips, bonuses, and overtime pay) of CAD27.01 based on 16 salaries.

• In addition, a mid-career Welder, that is one with 5-9 years of work experience earns on the minimum a total compensation of CAD29.38 based on 17 salaries.
• Meanwhile, an experienced Welder with 10-19 years of work experience earns on the average a total compensation of CAD33.50 based on 21 salaries.
• Furthermore, welders in their late career (20 years and higher), earn on the average a total compensation of CAD38.
  • Therefore, the average hourly pay for a welder is: CAD30.71
  • Hourly rate: CAD 22 – 44
  • Total Pay: CAD 47,000 – 93, 00

Alberta Minimum Wage for Civil Engineers

The job of civil engineers is to plan, design, and supervise the construction, maintenance and decommissioning of a wide array of public and private facilities and structures.

• Average Salary: CAD100, 575
• Average Wage: CAD51.38
• Minimum Education: 4 years post-secondary
• In-demand: Medium

Job Creation Student Wage Rates in Alberta

Importantly, the Alberta minimum wage for students who are under 18 is pegged at CAD13/hour as of June 26, 2019. However, employers can still choose to pay students above this minimum wage benchmark.

Furthermore, this new rate applies to the first 28 hours of work in a week when school is in session. Thereafter, students must be paid the general minimum wage of $15/hour for any hours of work exceeding 28 hours in one week.

Weekly minimum wage rates in Alberta

Employees entitled to the weekly minimum wage rate do earn CAD598 per week. Eligible employees include the following:

• Direct salesperson
• Commission salesperson (other than a route salesperson) selling goods that will be delivered later
• Car, truck, recreational vehicle, or bus salesperson
• Manufactured home salesperson
• Farm machinery salesperson
• Heavy duty construction equipment or road construction equipment salesperson
• Residential home salesperson employed by builder
• Land agent
• Architect
• Accountant
• Chiropractor
• dentist
• Engineer or other geoscientist
• Lawyer
• Optometrist
• Podiatrist
• Psychologist
• Veterinarian
• Agrologist
• Denturist
• Information systems professional