Opened on August 11, 2026 and will close to new input on October 9, 2026.
On this page
Overview
Current status: Closed
The 2026 Engagement on the Minimum Wage is an opportunity for New Brunswickers to share their thoughts on the minimum wage in the province.
The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training, and Labour (PETL) reviews the minimum wage every two years. The review of the minimum wage must look at the amount of the minimum wage and whether it is enough. It also looks at whether there are better ways to decide the amount of the minimum wage and how often it is changed. The review of the minimum wage must also look at how much it costs to afford the basic needs of life in New Brunswick.
The review of the minimum wage must include engagement with organizations, employers and workers to share their thoughts on the minimum wage in New Brunswick, and how it impacts them.
For this year’s review, we would also like to hear your thoughts on the overtime rate.
How to participate
Share ideas online
Use our online form to share your thoughts.
Learn more about minimum wage
What is the minimum wage?
The minimum wage is the lowest hourly wage that a New Brunswick employer can legally pay workers. Currently, the minimum wage in New Brunswick is $15.90.
New Brunswick’s minimum wage is updated on April 1 of every year based on the change in the cost of buying the basic items needed for living, measured by the all-items New Brunswick Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by Statistics Canada.
Laws for the minimum wage are described in New Brunswick’s Employment Standards Act, which is a document that describes the laws which employers in New Brunswick must follow.
What is overtime?
When an employer pays an employee overtime, it means they are paying the employee a higher-than-normal wage or “overtime rate” for extra hours worked beyond the normal workday or week.
In New Brunswick, employers legally must pay their employees a rate of at least one and one-half times the minimum wage for hours worked beyond 44 in one week. The minimum wage in New Brunswick is currently $15.90, which makes the minimum overtime rate $23.85.
The rules for the overtime rate can be found in the Minimum Wage Regulation under the Employment Standards Act.
Target audience
We welcome input from all New Brunswick residents, including individuals, workers, employers, and organizations.
For statistics on the minimum wage in New Brunswick, you can read the 2026 New Brunswick Minimum Wage Report (PDF)
Timeline and next steps
Contacts
Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-844-453-4155 (toll-free)
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday
Address:
Chestnut Complex
470 York Street
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 3P7
Mailing address:
Chestnut Complex
PO Box 6000
Fredericton, NB
E3B 5H1