The minimum wage for an unskilled adult worker is Rs 40,700 a month in Islamabad and Rs 43,000 in Sindh from 1 July 2026. Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were still at Rs 40,000 on their last notifications, though KP's budget announced Rs 45,000. Balochistan's last notified rate is Rs 37,000.
Pick your province to see the daily and hourly rate, and enter your pay to check that it meets the minimum. Wage notifications count a month as 26 working days of 8 hours.
Minimum wage 2026-27 by province
Rates for unskilled adult workers in notified industrial and commercial establishments. Daily rates divide the monthly wage by 26 days; hourly rates by 208 hours.
| Area | Monthly (Rs) | Daily, 26 days | Hourly, 208 hours | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islamabad (ICT) | 40,700 | 1,565.38 | 195.67 | 1 July 2026 |
| Punjab | 40,000 | 1,538.46 | 192.31 | 1 July 2025 |
| Sindh | 43,000 | 1,653.85 | 206.73 | 1 July 2026 (cabinet approval) |
| Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | 40,000 | 1,538.46 | 192.31 | 1 July 2025; Rs 45,000 announced |
| Balochistan | 37,000 | 1,423.08 | 177.88 | 1 July 2024 |
Each province fixes its own minimum wage under its own law after the Minimum Wages Board advises. The federal budget figure applies to Islamabad only; provinces follow with their own notifications, often weeks or months later.
How the daily and hourly rates are worked out
A month's minimum wage pays for 26 working days of 8 hours, which is 48 hours a week with one day off.
- Daily rate = monthly wage / 26. In Punjab, Rs 40,000 / 26 = Rs 1,538.46.
- Hourly rate = monthly wage / (26 x 8) = monthly wage / 208. In Punjab, Rs 40,000 / 208 = Rs 192.31.
- Overtime is paid at twice the ordinary rate, so Rs 384.62 an hour on the Punjab minimum. See the overtime calculator.
The Islamabad notification of 19 August 2026 gives the same kind of figures: Rs 1,565 a day for unskilled daily-wage workers, which is Rs 40,700 / 26, and Rs 196 an hour for domestic workers, which is Rs 40,700 / 208 rounded.
What counts towards the minimum wage
The minimum is the lowest wage for a full month of normal hours by an adult unskilled worker. Semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers have higher rates in the same notifications. The minimum is for normal hours, so overtime is paid on top of it at twice the ordinary rate.
If your employer pays less, you can complain to the provincial labour department, or in Islamabad to the Directorate of Industries and Labour Welfare, which issued the 2026 notification. Registered employers also pay EOBI contributions, 5% by the employer and 1% by the worker, worked on the minimum wage notified for EOBI; those years later count towards your EOBI pension.
Minimum wage rates change every year and provinces notify them at different times. The table shows the latest rate we could confirm on 30 September 2026 and says whether it is notified or only announced. Check the labour department notification for your province, and your own trade's rate if you are semi-skilled or skilled.
Minimum wage questions
What is the minimum wage in Pakistan in 2026?
It depends on the province. From 1 July 2026 it is Rs 40,700 a month in Islamabad and Rs 43,000 in Sindh. Punjab and KP were at Rs 40,000 on their last notifications, with KP's budget announcing Rs 45,000. Balochistan's last notified rate is Rs 37,000.
What is the minimum wage per day in Punjab?
Rs 1,538.46, which is Rs 40,000 divided by 26 working days. Per hour it is Rs 192.31, for an 8-hour day. These follow the Punjab notification of September 2025, the latest we found on 30 September 2026.
What is the Sindh minimum wage for 2026-27?
Rs 43,000 a month from 1 July 2026, up from Rs 40,000. The Sindh cabinet approved it in August 2026 on the Minimum Wages Board's advice. That is Rs 1,653.85 a day over 26 days and Rs 206.73 an hour.
Is the minimum wage the same for part-time work?
No, it is paid in proportion to hours. Use the hourly rate: 4 hours a day for 26 days on the Islamabad rate is 104 hours x Rs 195.67, about Rs 20,350. Islamabad's notification also fixes a part-time rate of Rs 18,700 a month for 4-hour shifts; check which one applies to your job.
Does the minimum wage apply to domestic workers?
Islamabad's 2026 notification sets Rs 196 an hour for domestic workers. Provinces cover domestic workers under their own domestic workers laws and notifications. Ask the provincial labour department for the rate in your area.
Related tools
Last reviewed 30 September 2026. Results are estimates; official notices always take precedence.