Punjab Minimum Wage 2026-27: Still Rs 40,000 a Month Until a New Notification
Punjab minimum wage is Rs 40,000 a month and Rs 1,538.46 a day, with no 2026-27 rate notified yet. Allowed deductions and how to claim if you are paid less.
Punjab's minimum wage is Rs 40,000 a month, Rs 1,538.46 a day and Rs 192.31 an hour for unskilled adult and adolescent workers. That is the latest rate the Punjab Labour and Human Resource Department has notified, in force since 1 July 2025. As of 1 October 2026, no new rate for 2026-27 has been notified.
Plenty of higher figures for Punjab are passed around online. None of them is in a Punjab notification we could find. Until the department issues a new one, Rs 40,000 is the legal floor, and an employer paying less is breaking the law.
Punjab minimum wage for 2026-27 is still Rs 40,000 a month
The rate in force in Punjab is Rs 40,000 a month for 26 working days. It was fixed by a notification dated 8 September 2025 and printed in the Punjab Gazette on 9 September 2025, with effect from 1 July 2025. Nothing has replaced it yet.
We read the notification on the Labour Department's own minimum wages page on 1 October 2026. It is the only notification that page lists. The rate covers adult and adolescent workers in all industrial and commercial establishments in the province. An adolescent, under the Punjab Minimum Wages Act 2019, is someone aged 14 to 17.
| Period | Minimum wage in Punjab | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Per month | Rs 40,000 | 26 working days |
| Per day | Rs 1,538.46 | Eight working hours |
| Per hour | Rs 192.31 | One hour of work |
| Effective from | 1 July 2025 | Notification of 8 September 2025 |
A new Punjab rate may still come, and it may be backdated
Punjab notified its last two rates in September: on 5 September 2024 and on 8 September 2025. The 2025 rate was backdated to 1 July. A 2026-27 rate could come late and backdated in the same way, so keep your payslips.
The law does not force a yearly rise. Section 7 of the Punjab Minimum Wages Act 2019 says the Minimum Wages Board may review its rate when prices and living costs change. It cannot review earlier than one year in normal cases, and it must review within three years.
Other provinces have moved. Sindh approved a Rs 43,000 minimum wage in Sindh, backdated to 1 July 2026. Gilgit-Baltistan announced Rs 44,000 in its 2026-27 budget. Neither changes the rate in Punjab, because minimum wage is a provincial subject.
If Punjab does notify a higher rate with a 1 July 2026 start, the difference for July onward becomes arrears. Old payslips are what prove how much you are owed.
What your employer can deduct from the Punjab minimum wage
An employer can deduct only three things from the minimum wage, and only if the worker agrees: Rs 100 a meal for food, Rs 1,800 a month for transport and Rs 2,000 a month for housing. Any other cut below Rs 40,000 is not allowed.
These limits are in paragraph 2 of the notification. A worker who eats one meal a day at work for 26 days could see up to Rs 2,600 deducted for food. That deduction still needs the agreement in place.
The notification also protects two things. A worker already paid more than the minimum cannot have that pay cut down to it. And a woman doing work of equal value must get the same rate as a man in the same category.
Coverage has limits. The rate applies to industrial and commercial establishments, such as factories, shops, offices and workshops. Domestic workers at home are not named in this notification, and shop worker rights in Punjab on hours and holidays sit on top of the wage.
How to complain in Punjab if you are paid less than Rs 40,000
You can file a claim with the Authority under the Payment of Wages Act within six months of the underpaid wage. The Authority can order your employer to pay the difference plus a penalty of up to Rs 10,000. You can also complain online to the Labour Department.
Section 12 of the Punjab Minimum Wages Act 2019 sets the claim route. The Authority is an officer appointed for your area under section 15 of the Payment of Wages Act 1936. The law says it is a Commissioner for Workmen's Compensation or another officer with experience as a civil judge or magistrate. Follow these steps:
- Collect proof of pay: payslips, bank transfers, an attendance record or messages about salary.
- Write down your job, start date, working hours and the amount paid each month.
- Ask your employer in writing to pay the difference, and keep a copy.
- File a complaint on the Labour Department's online form, or visit your district labour office and ask which Authority covers your area.
- Apply to that Authority within six months of the underpaid wage, yourself, through a lawyer or through a registered union official.
The six month limit can stretch to one year if you show a good reason for the delay. Do not count on that. File early.
A Labour Department inspector can also file the claim for you, with approval from the Director Labour Welfare. That route helps a worker afraid of being named first.
Penalties for paying below the Punjab minimum wage
An employer who pays below the minimum wage can be jailed for up to six months or fined between Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000, or both. The employer must also pay the worker the full difference that was withheld, on top of any fine.
These penalties are in section 11 of the Act. A claim that the Authority finds malicious can cost the worker up to Rs 1,000, so claim only what your records show.
Either side can appeal the Authority's order to the Labour Court within 30 days. A worker can appeal only if the claim is above Rs 5,000. An employer can appeal only if the order is above Rs 20,000, and must first deposit that amount.
Common questions
What is the minimum wage in Punjab in 2026?
Rs 40,000 a month for unskilled adult and adolescent workers, under the notification in force since 1 July 2025.
What is the daily minimum wage in Punjab?
Rs 1,538.46 for an eight hour day, and Rs 192.31 an hour.
Has Punjab announced a new minimum wage for 2026-27?
No new rate was notified as of 1 October 2026. The Labour Department's page still lists only the Rs 40,000 notification.
Can my employer cut my pay for food and housing?
Only with your agreement, and only up to Rs 100 a meal, Rs 1,800 a month for transport and Rs 2,000 a month for housing.
How long do I have to claim unpaid minimum wage in Punjab?
Six months from the day the wage was due, or up to one year if you show a good reason for the delay.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 1 October 2026. The rate, daily and hourly figures, deductions, equal pay rule and dates are read in the Labour and Human Resource Department notification of 8 September 2025, published on the department's minimum wages page. The claim route, penalties, appeal rules and review rule are read in the Punjab Minimum Wages Act 2019 on the Punjab Code, and the Authority's definition in section 15 of the Payment of Wages Act 1936 there. We found no 2026-27 notification for Punjab on either site.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
