Complete Rate Card: All Skills and Zones
Shops & Commercial Establishments rates. Monthly and daily (26 working days). VDA Rs 4,549 uniform across zones. Source: Karnataka Labour Department FY 2026-27.
| Zone | Unskilled | Semi-Skilled | Skilled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone I Per month |
Rs 16,137 Rs 621 / day |
Rs 17,296 Rs 665 / day |
Rs 18,570 Rs 714 / day |
| Zone II Per month |
Rs 15,585 Rs 599 / day |
Rs 16,689 Rs 642 / day |
Rs 17,903 Rs 689 / day |
| Zone III Per month |
Rs 15,060 Rs 579 / day |
Rs 16,111 Rs 620 / day |
Rs 17,267 Rs 664 / day |
Zone Coverage
Zone I: BBMP Bengaluru limits
Zone II: Other municipal corporation areas
Zone III: District headquarters and remaining areas
How the Karnataka Wage Is Built Up
Example: Zone I Unskilled worker, monthly figures. Karnataka uses Basic + VDA (no separate HRA component).
Basic Wage
Rs 11,588
Government-notified base rate by zone and skill. Revised under Section 5(1) of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
VDA
Rs 4,549
Variable Dearness Allowance. 4 paise per CPI point above base 6,537. Revised annually each April.
Total / Month
Rs 16,137
Floor wage payable. Cannot fall below this under Section 22.
Basic and VDA must appear as separate line items on the payslip under the Payment of Wages Act, 1936.
True Cost of 1 Minimum-Wage Worker in Karnataka
Statutory add-ons on top of Rs 16,137 Zone I Unskilled base.
4 Things Every Karnataka Employer Must Do
01
Pay at or above the notified rate
Apply current Zone I, II, or III rate per worker. Update payroll when the annual April notification takes effect. Compute arrears for back-dated effective dates.
02
Maintain statutory registers
Keep Form A (Muster Roll), wage register with Basic + VDA separated, deductions register, and overtime register under the Karnataka Minimum Wages Rules, 1958. Preserve for 3 years.
03
Pay within the wage cycle
Wages payable by 7th of next month (under 1,000 workers) or 10th (1,000 plus) under the Payment of Wages Act, 1936. Overtime at twice the ordinary rate under Section 14.
04
Display the wage notice
Post the current Karnataka minimum wage notice in Kannada and English at the workplace within 30 days of revision.
Which Skill Category Does Your Worker Fall Under?
Karnataka Shops & Establishments notification uses 3 skill levels.
Unskilled
Loader, Cleaner, Helper, Office attendant
Semi-Skilled
Store keeper, Counter staff, Operator assistant
Skilled
Electrician, Cashier, Accountant, Technician
Cost of Underpayment in Karnataka
Section 22 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 applies. Karnataka Labour Department inspects Bengaluru IT-services, retail, and security sectors closely.
High-Risk Karnataka Sectors
- IT and ITES support staff (Bengaluru)
- Retail and malls (Bengaluru, Mysuru)
- Security and housekeeping (statewide)
- Garments and textiles (Bengaluru, Ballari)
- Construction (metro projects)
Rate applies by employee work location, not company registered address.
Karnataka VDA Trend
Annual VDA notification, latest first.
Auto-apply Karnataka wages on every payslip
factoHR India tracks Karnataka Labour Department notifications, splits Basic and VDA per zone and skill, and flags any payslip below the floor wage.
Book a DemoAuto-update on notification
Zone + skill aware
Floor wage guardrail
Register-ready
Other State Wage Pages
Karnataka Minimum Wages FAQ
Run Karnataka Payroll Without Spreadsheets
factoHR India auto-applies the latest Karnataka wages per worker. No missed VDA cycles, no arrear surprises.
If you employ staff in Karnataka, the same workforce is also covered by Professional Tax in Karnataka, working-hour and overtime rules in Karnataka, Labour Welfare Fund rates in Karnataka, and the public holiday calendar for Karnataka. Keep every Karnataka statutory obligation aligned across your payroll.