Quick answer: As of mid-November 2026, Delhi's minimum wage is ₹18,456 a month (₹710 a day) for unskilled workers, ₹20,371 for semi-skilled and ₹22,411 for skilled, up to ₹24,356 for graduate clerical staff. These rates have applied since 1 April 2025: no Delhi order has been published for October 2025, April 2026 or October 2026, so they remain the legal minimum.
Delhi usually revises minimum wages twice a year, from 1 April and 1 October, by updating the dearness allowance for price rises. That cycle has stalled. The last order, dated 15 April 2025, took effect from 1 April 2025, and no revision has been notified since. Meanwhile, a forged "October 2025" order and unsourced "April 2026" figures have circulated online, which is why searches for the Delhi minimum wages notification PDF return conflicting numbers. This guide gives the rates that actually apply, explains the fake figures, and sets out what employers should do. For other States, see our State minimum wages tracker and the minimum wages in India hub.
Minimum wages in Delhi in force (November 2026)
| Category | Rate from 1 Oct 2024 (₹/month) | DA increase (₹/month) | Rate from 1 Apr 2025 (₹/month) | Per day (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | 18,066 | 390 | 18,456 | 710 |
| Semi-skilled | 19,929 | 442 | 20,371 | 784 |
| Skilled | 21,917 | 494 | 22,411 | 862 |
| Clerical and supervisory: Non-matriculate | 19,929 | 442 | 20,371 | 784 |
| Clerical and supervisory: Matriculate, not graduate | 21,917 | 494 | 22,411 | 862 |
| Clerical and supervisory: Graduate and above | 23,836 | 520 | 24,356 | 937 |
The same rates apply to all scheduled employments, such as shops and establishments, construction, security services, hotels and manufacturing, and to the whole of Delhi: there are no zones. The April 2025 order (No. (142)/02/MW/VII/Part file/211-241) raised the dearness allowance in line with the rise in the consumer price index for July–December 2024 (TeamLease RegTech summary of the April 2025 order). Daily rates are the monthly figure divided by 26, rounded.
Why there is no October 2026 notification
Delhi has not published a dearness allowance order for October 2025, April 2026 or October 2026. Compliance publishers that checked the Labour Department's records in October and November 2026 found the April 2025 order still listed as the latest. Until a new order is issued, the April 2025 rates remain the minimum that every employer in Delhi must pay.
The forged October 2025 order
In October 2025 a document numbered F.No. 143/02/MW/VII/Partfile/212-261, dated 13 October 2025, circulated online claiming new rates from 1 October 2025. The Labour Department issued a circular on 14 October 2025 saying it had issued no such order (Delhi circular on the false notification).
The ₹19,846 "April 2026" figure
Some rate-chart websites show ₹19,846 a month for unskilled work, ₹21,919 for semi-skilled (some sites show ₹21,813) and ₹23,905 for skilled "from 1 April 2026". None of them cites a dated Delhi order, and we have not found one. Do not treat these as the legal minimum, and do not reduce pay to ₹18,456 if you have already raised it: paying more than the minimum is always allowed.
How to check a Delhi minimum wages notification PDF
Because a forged order has already circulated once, check any PDF before you change payroll. A genuine order is issued by the Labour Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, carries a file number and date, states the period it applies from, and is listed on the Department's own website. Be wary of PDFs shared on messaging apps or rate charts that show new figures without an order number or date. If the order is not on the Department's site, keep paying the April 2025 rates and check again later.
Will Delhi minimum wages go up?
A revision is expected but no date has been announced. Delhi's dearness allowance orders have usually been issued with effect from 1 April or 1 October, so a late order could apply from an earlier date. Employers paying close to the minimum should budget for possible arrears.
Delhi vs Noida and Ghaziabad
For NCR employers with staff on both sides of the border, the place of work decides the rate. An unskilled worker in Delhi must get at least ₹18,456 a month, while in Noida and Ghaziabad the minimum from 1 October 2026 is ₹13,883.59; see UP minimum wages 2026. Establishments in the central sphere, such as those of the Central Government, railways or banks, follow the separate central minimum wages instead.
What Delhi employers should do now
- Pay at least the April 2025 rate for the employee's category, and keep a copy of the April 2025 order on file as your basis.
- Compare against wages as the Code defines them: basic pay, dearness allowance and retaining allowance, plus the amount by which excluded allowances exceed 50% of total remuneration, not gross salary including HRA; see payroll vs salary vs wages.
- Watch for a late order: if Delhi issues an order with effect from 1 October 2026 or 1 April 2026, arrears will be due from that date. Our salary arrears calculator helps you work them out.
- Overtime: pay overtime at no less than twice the ordinary rate of wages; see the overtime calculator.
- Records: keep wage registers and payslips showing the rate paid; see statutory registers.
Since 21 November 2025, minimum wages in Delhi are governed by the Code on Wages, which replaced the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and its Delhi rules, and carries forward the existing rates until new ones are fixed. Paying less than the minimum is an offence, and the employee can claim the shortfall; see payroll penalties. Delhi does not levy professional tax, so PF, ESI and TDS are the main statutory deductions alongside minimum wages. Track the status of Delhi's own rules under the Labour Codes on our Labour Code State rules tracker.
Keep wages compliant through every revision. The Practical Payroll Management e-Book explains minimum wages, the Labour Codes wage definition, arrears and statutory deductions with worked examples.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Delhi in 2026?
As of mid-November 2026, the minimum wage in Delhi is 18,456 rupees a month (710 rupees a day) for unskilled workers, 20,371 rupees for semi-skilled and 22,411 rupees for skilled workers. Clerical and supervisory staff who are graduates get 24,356 rupees. These rates come from the order effective 1 April 2025, which is still the latest notified order.
Has Delhi revised minimum wages in October 2026?
No October 2026 order had been found as of mid-November 2026. Delhi has issued no dearness allowance order since the one effective 1 April 2025, so those rates continue to apply. If an order is issued later with effect from 1 October 2026, arrears will be payable from that date.
Is the 19,846 rupees figure for Delhi correct?
Some websites show 19,846 rupees a month for unskilled workers from April 2026, but they do not cite a dated Delhi order, and compliance publishers that checked the Labour Department records found no April 2026 revision. The notified minimum remains 18,456 rupees. Paying more than the minimum is always allowed.
What is the minimum wage in Delhi per day?
The daily minimum wage in Delhi is 710 rupees for unskilled, 784 rupees for semi-skilled, 862 rupees for skilled and 937 rupees for graduate clerical or supervisory staff. These are the monthly rates divided by 26 and rounded.
Is the Delhi minimum wage the same in all areas?
Yes. Delhi has no zones, so one set of rates applies across the whole National Capital Territory. The rates do differ by skill category and, for clerical and supervisory staff, by educational qualification.
Position as of 15 November 2026. Based on the Delhi minimum wage order effective 1 April 2025 and reports by compliance publishers that no later order has been issued; check the Labour Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, for any new order before running payroll. General information, not legal advice.