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Salary Wages - Private Servants

Circular Note NO. 0572 of March 22, 2010

Most recent date of change: April 29, 2011

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Office of Protocol) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Chargés d’affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada, as well as to the Heads of International Organizations and other Offices established in Canada, and has the honour to inform them of Ontario’s and Quebec’s minimum wage increases. This Note constitutes a complement to Circular Note XDC-2494 of December 29, 2009.

The Department wishes to advise that, effective March 31, 2010, the minimum wage for Ontario will be raised from $9.50 per hour to $10.25 per hour. This equates to a weekly salary of $451.00 weekly and $1954.33 monthly. The minimum overtime wage will now be $15.38 per hour.

Similar changes will also come into effect in the Province of Quebec, effective May 1^st, 2010.^{Footnote 1} In Quebec, the minimum wage will increase from $9.00 per hour to $9.50 per hour. This equates to a salary of $380.00 weekly and $1646.66 monthly. The minimum overtime wage will then be $14.25 per hour.

The implementation of the above wage increases affect the contracts of foreign domestic servants accompanying members of diplomatic missions, consular posts and international organizations in Canada. In light of these changes, the Department has revised the model contract (attached) that must henceforth be used for the employment of private servants.

It is the responsibility of all current employers of private servants to respect the regulatory increases in the minimum wage rates, as one of the conditions of the Department’s continued approval of contracts. Also, the Department continues to rely on Heads of Missions and International Organizations and other Offices to ensure optimal compliance with Canada’s policy regarding private servants.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Office of Protocol) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Chargés d’affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada, as well as to the Heads of International Organizations and other Offices established in Canada the assurances of its highest consideration.

OTTAWA, March 22, 2010