Minimum Wages in Punjab 2026

Category	Per day	Per month (26 days)
Unskilled	₹518.69	₹13,486
Semi-skilled	₹553.19	₹14,383
Skilled	₹592.84	₹15,414
Highly-skilled	₹638.50	₹16,601
Staff A (postgraduate / professional)	₹747.34	₹19,431
Staff B (graduate / diploma)	₹673.46	₹17,510
Staff C (above matriculation, certificate)	₹607.15	₹15,786
Staff D (Class IV / casual)	₹554.07	₹14,406

How Punjab sets its minimum wages

Punjab fixes minimum wages under the Code on Wages, 2019, as a single consolidated rate per category, with no zones. Unlike the older Minimum Wages Act schedules, the rate is not split into a basic wage and a variable dearness allowance; it is one all-in figure per category, adjusted for the cost of living at prescribed intervals. The monthly figure is the daily rate multiplied by 26.

The current rates are in force from 1 May 2026. Punjab also notifies separate staff categories A to D for clerical and office grades; confirm the current figure against the latest Punjab Labour Department notification.

Under the Code on Wages, the consolidated rate is re-fixed and adjusted for the cost-of-living index at prescribed intervals. The rates on this page are in force from 1 May 2026.

What employers must do

Pay every worker at least the notified minimum for their skill category and zone. Paying below it is an offence.
Pay overtime at twice the ordinary rate for work beyond normal hours.
Maintain a wage register, muster roll and wage slips, and pay within the wage period.
Update payroll at each revision so no worker slips below the new minimum.

For contractors and staffing firms deploying workers across Punjab, keeping every worker on the right skill and zone rate by hand is error-prone. ZeniaHR payroll checks each worker's wage against the applicable state minimum automatically and handles the registers and PF/ESI returns.

Related calculators

Work out the deductions on a Punjab wage with our free tools: the in-hand salary calculator, the PF calculator and the ESI calculator. Confirm the official rates on the Punjab Department of Labour.

Keep every worker on the right wage, automatically

ZeniaHR flags any worker paid below the applicable minimum wage and updates rates at each revision. Built only for manpower and staffing companies.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in Punjab in 2026?

Effective 1 May 2026, an un-skilled worker earns at least ₹518.69 per day, about ₹13,486 per month. Semi-skilled is ₹553.19, skilled ₹592.84 and highly-skilled ₹638.50 per day. Punjab uses a single consolidated rate with no zones.

Does Punjab split the minimum wage into basic and VDA?

No. Under the Code on Wages, 2019, Punjab fixes a single consolidated rate per category that cannot be split into a basic wage and a dearness allowance. The figure shown is the all-in minimum.

What are the staff categories A to D in Punjab?

They are clerical and office grades based on qualification, from Staff A (postgraduate or professional) to Staff D (Class IV or casual). They may apply to government or local-authority employment, so confirm applicability for a private employer.

Does Punjab have wage zones?

No. Punjab applies a single statewide consolidated rate per category, with no zone-wise variation.

Minimum wages in Punjab (2026)

How Punjab sets its minimum wages

What employers must do

Related calculators

Keep every worker on the right wage, automatically

Frequently asked questions

Minimum wage by scheduled employment