House Cleaner

The federal minimum wage is $18.65 per hour effective April 1, 2026, applying to cleaning staff in sectors like interprovincial transport, banks, and airports. Overtime pay is 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours per week. Provincial minimum wages may be higher, such as $17.20/hour in Ontario as of October 1, 2026.

Job Bank data shows low wages at $17.25 per hour, median at $20.00 per hour, and high at $25.50 per hour for NOC 65310 Cleaners nationally in 2026. In high-demand areas like Vancouver, median reaches $21.50 per hour. Full-time cleaners earn approximately $41,600 annually at median rate.

Non-Canadians need an employer-specific work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, requiring a positive Low-Media Impact Assessment (LMIA) with $1,000 fee paid by employer. Processing takes 10-26 weeks via IRCC portal. Cleaning jobs qualify as low-wage stream if paid at least provincial median.

No formal education is required for 72% of cleaning positions; high school completion suffices for others. Less than 1 year of experience is needed for 68% of jobs, with on-the-job training common. CLB 4 English or French proficiency is typical for 40% of postings.