The Quebec government announced a $0.35 increase to the minimum wage, effective May 1, 2025. While this increase raises the general minimum wage to $16.10 per hour, it doesn’t apply in the same way to all minimum wage workers.
This increase to $16.10 per hour will allow full-time minimum wage workers to earn up to $484 more per year.
Some of the rules about minimum wage are less well-known. Here is an overview of the different types of earnings and the increases that apply in each case.
Workers who get tips
As of May 1, 2025, the minimum wage for tipped workers will increase to $12.90 per hour—an increase of $0.30. It’s lower than the regular minimum wage because tips are added on top of paid wages.
An employee is considered a “tip employee” if they regularly get tips from clients and work in a restaurant, bar, hotel, etc.
Berry pickers
Starting May 1st, 2025, workers who pick raspberries or strawberries by hand are entitled to $4.78 per kilo (raspberries) and $1.28 per kilo (strawberries).
But if field or fruit conditions reduce how many berries workers can pick, they must receive the standard minimum wage at the very least.
Employees not entitled to minimum wage
Minimum wage rules don’t apply to some employees, such as interns in professional training programs.
Also, some workers are not covered by the Act respecting labour standards. This means that minimum wage rules don’t apply to them either. For example, an accounting intern is not entitled to the minimum wage.
Employees earning a weekly salary
Some employees are paid a fixed amount each week no matter how many hours they work. These workers are also entitled to minimum wage.
For example, if you’re paid $700 a week, divide this amount by the number of hours you work each week to make sure your hourly rate is equal to or higher than the minimum wage. For a person working 40 hours a week, their hourly rate would be $17.50.
If you work more hours than your normal work week, you might benefit from rules that apply to overtime work.
Employees on commission
Most employees who work on commission are entitled to the standard minimum wage.
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Uniforms and benefits Sometimes, an employer requires staff to wear a uniform, such as a shirt and black pants in a restaurant. The uniform must be provided free of charge by the employer if employees are paid minimum wage. If they earn more than minimum wage, the cost of the uniform should not reduce their salary below the minimum wage. Important! In this case, tips are included in the calculation. Do you have a company car? A company cellphone? Benefits with a monetary value are not included in calculating the minimum wage. Your employer must still pay you the minimum wage regardless of the value of these benefits. |