This page shows the current applicable minimum wage for Domestic Workers in Punjab, as notified by the Punjab government. Use the rate table below to find the wage that applies to the role and skill category you employ or work in.
Minimum wage rates for Domestic Workers in Punjab
| 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 |
Rates effective 1 May 2026.
What counts as Domestic Workers
Domestic Workers covers persons employed in private households to carry out domestic tasks such as cleaning, cooking, washing, childcare, care of the elderly or sick, and general upkeep of the home. It includes workers engaged full-time, part-time, live-in, or across several households on a visiting basis.
- Private residences and independent houses
- Apartments and flats in residential societies
- Bungalows and gated community homes
- Households engaging live-in domestic staff
- Households engaging part-time or visiting help
- Residential staff quarters and accommodation provided by the employer
- Placement and recruitment agencies that supply domestic workers
Typical roles and skill categories
- House cleaner or maid
- Cook
- Nanny or child caregiver
- Elderly or patient attendant
- Housekeeper or house manager
- Household driver
- Gardener or mali
- Utensil and dish washer
- Residential watchman or caretaker
In domestic work, general helpers, sweepers, and utensil washers usually fall under the unskilled category, while part-time maids handling varied chores, cooks of routine meals, and gardeners are commonly treated as semi-skilled. Trained cooks, experienced nannies, and dedicated patient or elderly attendants often map to the skilled category, and specialised staff such as household managers or professional chefs may be classed as highly skilled.
Who fixes this wage
Domestic Workers is a notified scheduled employment for which the Punjab government fixes minimum wages by skill category, and in many cases by geographic zone or area classification. The applicable rate depends on the category the worker's duties fall under and, where notified, the zone in which the household is located.
How Punjab sets minimum wages
Punjab's Department of Labour applies a single statewide schedule with no zoning, but grades workers into the longest ladder among these states at eight categories. Each grade carries both a daily rate and a monthly rate on a 26-day basis, with the current wages effective from 1 May 2026. Revision is by notification rather than through a variable dearness allowance.
Common questions
What is the current minimum wage for Domestic Workers in Punjab?
In Punjab, the minimum wage for Domestic Workers currently runs from about ₹518.69 to ₹747.34 per day and ₹13486 to ₹19431 per month, depending on skill category and zone, effective 1 May 2026. The exact figure by category is in the table below. Confirm the exact rate for your worker's skill category and zone in the table above, and against the latest official notification.
Does the minimum wage differ for live-in and part-time domestic workers in Punjab?
The notified minimum wage is set by skill category and, where applicable, by zone, so the rate turns on the nature of the duties and their classification rather than only on whether the worker is live-in or part-time. Part-time or multi-household arrangements are usually paid on a proportionate basis for the hours or tasks agreed, using the category that matches the work actually performed.
How do I decide which skill category applies to a cook or a caregiver?
Match the worker's duties and level of training to the categories notified by the Punjab government: a general helper differs from a trained cook, and a routine attendant differs from an experienced patient or elderly caregiver. When one person handles duties spanning more than one role, classify by the predominant skilled task they perform.
Besides wages, what should an employer and worker record for domestic work in Punjab?
The table on this page reflects the notified minimum wage, while conditions such as weekly rest, leave, and any welfare board provisions follow the applicable rules in Punjab. Both sides should keep a simple written record of the duties agreed, the days and hours worked, and the skill category applied, so the correct wage can be checked and disputes avoided.
Never underpay in Punjab
ZeniaHR maps every worker to the correct minimum-wage notification by state, skill and zone, and flags anyone paid below it.
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