What an employer in Ladakh actually has to pay and file in 2026 — the notified minimum wage by skill level, Professional Tax, Labour Welfare Fund, the Shops & Establishments Act that applies here, and the central PF and ESI rules that do not change by state.
| Skill level | Ladakh (per month) | Central sphere rate |
|---|---|---|
| Unskilled | ₹11,700 | ₹20,358 |
| Skilled | ₹14,950 | ₹24,804 |
| Highly skilled | ₹21,710 | ₹26,910 |
The second column is the Central Government (central sphere) rate for the same skill level — what applies to establishments under central authority such as railways, mines, ports, banking and oilfields. A state establishment pays the state figure; the two are shown side by side because contractors working on central-sphere sites in this state are paid on the central rate. Figures are read from the state's own notification and re-checked as each revision is published.
Under verification: Ladakh's notification sets daily rates for Unskilled (₹450), Skilled (₹575) and Highly Skilled (₹835) — converted here to monthly at ×26 days for consistency with other states; no Semi-Skilled rate was published in the source notification, so that figure is left blank rather than guessed. Zanskar, Durbuk and Nyoma tehsils get +10% over these rates. Verify against the current Ladakh Labour Department notification before relying on this.
| Professional Tax | Not applicable — not levied in this Union Territory. |
| Shops & Establishments Act | Follows the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir Shops and Establishments Act, 1966, pending a separate notification for the Union Territory. |
| Labour Welfare Fund | No state-wide Labour Welfare Fund Act in force. |
| PF (EPFO, central) | 12% employee / 12% employer (3.67% EPF + 8.33% EPS) on Basic + DA, capped at a ₹15,000/month wage ceiling — identical in every state. |
| ESI (ESIC, central) | 0.75% employee / 3.25% employer where gross wages are ₹21,000/month or less — identical in every state. |
| Gratuity | Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 — 15 days' wages per completed year after 5 years' service; applies to establishments with 10 or more employees in Ladakh as elsewhere. |
Stated under the four Labour Codes and this Union Territory's own legislation. Official portals for registration and filing are listed below.
As notified with effect from Nov 4, 2022 (S.O. 117 — still in force as of 2025-26), the monthly minimum wage in Ladakh is ₹11,700 for unskilled work and ₹14,950 for skilled work, rising to ₹21,710 for highly skilled work. Rates are revised twice a year in most states when the variable dearness allowance is refixed.
Not applicable — not levied in this Union Territory.
Follows the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir Shops and Establishments Act, 1966, pending a separate notification for the Union Territory.
No state-wide Labour Welfare Fund Act in force.
No. EPF at 12% employee and 12% employer on Basic + DA (₹15,000 wage ceiling) and ESI at 0.75% employee and 3.25% employer (gross up to ₹21,000) are central schemes and apply identically in Ladakh and in every other state. Only minimum wages, Professional Tax, Labour Welfare Fund and the Shops and Establishments Act differ by state.
