The latest Himachal Pradesh order on the Labour Department's site, No. Shram(A)4-1/2024 dated 24 June 2025, with effect from 1 April 2025, sets minimum wages for shops and commercial establishments at ₹425 a day or ₹12,750 a month for unskilled workers, ₹13,470 semi-skilled, ₹14,790 skilled and ₹15,390 highly skilled, with 25% more in tribal areas. We found no 2026 revision on the department site as of 25 October 2026.
Minimum wage rates in Himachal Pradesh (from 1 April 2025)
Labour & Employment Department notification No. Shram(A)4-1/2024 dated 24 June 2025 under section 5(2) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, effective 1 April 2025, covering 19 scheduled employments; section 4 is shops and commercial establishments. The rates are flat (no separate VDA). Lower rates apply where the employer provides food, tea and accommodation. We could not search the HP e-Gazette, so check it for any 2026 notification before relying on these rates.
| Category | No benefits provided (day / month) | Food, tea and accommodation provided (day / month) |
|---|---|---|
| Highly skilled | ₹513 / ₹15,390 | ₹475 / ₹14,250 |
| Skilled | ₹493 / ₹14,790 | ₹454 / ₹13,620 |
| Semi-skilled | ₹449 / ₹13,470 | ₹439 / ₹13,170 |
| Unskilled | ₹425 / ₹12,750 | ₹394 / ₹11,820 |
Zones and who is covered
One rate applies across the State, with a 25% increase over these minimums in tribal areas. There is no male and female or adult and adolescent distinction; piece rates may not fall below the time rate.
Minimum wages apply to every employee, whether paid monthly, daily or by the hour, permanent, temporary or through a contractor. Under the Code on Wages, 2019 the employer must pay at least the notified rate for the category and area. If you use a contractor, check that contract workers are paid at least the same rates.
Worked example
A Shimla hotel-supply shop employs an unskilled helper who is not given food or accommodation.
- Helper: at least ₹12,750 a month. ESI: employee ₹96 and employer ₹415 (rounded up). PF at 12%: ₹1,530 from each side.
- If the same helper worked in a tribal area, the minimum would be 25% higher: ₹15,937.50 a month.
- A daily-rated skilled worker for 20 days: ₹493 × 20 = ₹9,860.
Compliance checklist for employers
- Classify every employee in the notification's categories (unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, highly skilled or the staff grades) based on the actual work, not the job title alone.
- Compare gross wages for normal hours with the rate for the employee's zone, before PF, ESI and other deductions.
- Revise payroll from the first day of each new rate or VDA period and pay arrears for any period already paid at the old rate.
- Pay overtime at twice the ordinary rate for work beyond normal hours, as the Code on Wages requires.
- Keep wage registers and payslips that show the rate, days worked and deductions.
Minimum wage revisions move PF and ESI too: PF is 12% of wages up to ₹25,000, and ESI applies while gross wages are within ₹21,000 a month.
Keep payroll in step with each revision
Check take-home pay with the salary calculator, the employer and employee shares with the PF calculator and ESI calculator, and show every deduction clearly using the salary slip format. Work out pay for part months with the per-day salary calculator and extra hours with the overtime calculator. FundRaksha HR turns attendance and leave into paid days, calculates salary with PF, ESI, professional tax and TDS, and issues payslip PDFs, so a VDA revision is a rate change in one place rather than in every row of a spreadsheet. If you are choosing a tool, see our comparison of the best payroll software in India, and compare every State on the minimum wages by state page.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-10-21. Information for Indian businesses; not legal advice.