$1,000 increase in Nation minimum Wage come July 1 this year
/ Our Today
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Durrant Pate/Contributor
Effective July 1st, 2026, the national minimum wage will be increased by $1,000 from $16,000 to $17,000 per week.
The announcement was made in parliament last evening by Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness during his four-hour long Budget Presentation, explaining the reasons why his promised $18,500 increase made last year would not materialize at this time.
According to him, “Last year we signalled our intention to continue the journey from a minimum wage to a livable wage and we indicated that the next step would be to increase the minimum wage to $18,500. However, in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, many of our businesses are rebuilding, many households are still recovering and the economy is now navigating yet again another external shock in terms of energy price and shipping costs.”
Continuing, Dr. Holness explained, “In this context, the Government believes it is important to strike the right balance by continuing to improve the earnings of workers while recognising the realities employers face… We therefore propose a measured increase in the minimum wage from $16,000 to $17,000 effective July 1, 2026.”
Arguing that this does not reflect a departure from the Government’s long-term policy objective asserted, “the Government remains committed to transitioning from a minimum wage to a livable wage and as economic conditions stabilise, we will continue the phased increases necessary to realise that vision of the Jamaican worker.”
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