Checked 5 November 2026. Job Bank wages were last updated on 19 November 2025 (reference period 2023-2024). The BC and Alberta grids are the rates each agreement sets for the dates shown, checked on 5 November 2026; both agreements schedule further rises, shown where we have them.
Across Canada, the median wage for medical laboratory technologists is $39.00 an hour on Job Bank, the Government of Canada's job site, using Statistics Canada data. That is about $76,050 a year for a 37.5-hour week (our arithmetic). Job Bank's low wage is $25.13 and its high wage $49.00; in most cases these are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
On the two union pay grids in this guide, a technologist at the first step earns $38.93 an hour in British Columbia (HSPBA, P1 1st year, from the first pay period after 1 April 2026) and $38.74 in Alberta (Alberta Precision Laboratories, Laboratory Technologist I step 1, from 1 October 2026). The highest rates on those two rows are $48.59 (BC, 25th year) and $51.02 (Alberta, step 9; $52.04 with the long-service adjustment after 20 years).
ProSyllabus is an independent study site. It is not part of CSMLS, CAMLPR, any provincial regulator, union, health authority or Alberta Precision Laboratories, and nothing here is an offer of pay. Every figure below comes from Job Bank (Government of Canada, using Statistics Canada data) or the collective agreement named beside it, read on 5 November 2026. Yearly figures marked "about" are our arithmetic.
Job Bank: updated 19 Nov 2025, reference period 2023-2024. Agreement rates: as dated. Checked 5 Nov 2026.
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MLT salary by province
Job Bank publishes a low, median and high hourly wage for each province. Job Bank says the low wage, in most cases, is the 10th percentile (10% of workers earn it or less) and the high wage, in most cases, is the 90th percentile (90% earn it or less). The median is the middle wage.
| Province | Low ($/hour) | Median ($/hour) | High ($/hour) | Median, about a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $25.00 | $45.79 | $50.00 | $89,291 |
| Ontario | $23.00 | $42.00 | $50.00 | $81,900 |
| British Columbia | $30.00 | $41.00 | $45.90 | $79,950 |
| Manitoba | $36.00 | $38.00 | $41.00 | $74,100 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $32.00 | $38.00 | $42.10 | $74,100 |
| Saskatchewan | $32.00 | $38.00 | $44.90 | $74,100 |
| Prince Edward Island | $17.30 | $37.57 | $41.75 | $73,262 |
| New Brunswick | $30.50 | $35.78 | $44.95 | $69,771 |
| Nova Scotia | $30.00 | $35.00 | $42.56 | $68,250 |
| Quebec | $29.72 | $35.00 | $40.00 | $68,250 |
| <strong>Canada</strong> | $25.13 | $39.00 | $49.00 | $76,050 |
Job Bank cannot publish figures for Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut because of data limitations; it points to the national figure instead. The "about a year" column is the median times 1,950 hours (37.5 hours a week for 52 weeks), our arithmetic; Job Bank itself gives hourly wages only.
Job Bank, NOC 32120 Medical laboratory technologists, updated 19 November 2025, reference period 2023-2024 (Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada).
Three things to keep in mind when reading the table. First, the data is from 2023-2024; the BC and Alberta agreements below have raised their grids since then, and other provinces' grids may have changed too. Second, Job Bank lists related job titles under NOC 32120, such as cytotechnologists, charge technologists and laboratory supervisors, so the figures are not for staff technologists alone. Third, we have not printed Quebec's public-sector pay scale because we could not find a current one on the official site; use Job Bank's figure for Quebec.
Entry vs senior: how MLT pay steps up
Both schedules below list rates by classification or profile and by year or step, with higher rates for higher classifications or profiles. We explain the APL placement and step rules from that agreement; for BC, check the HSPBA agreement for its placement and progression rules.
British Columbia: the HSPBA grid
The Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association (HSPBA) agreement runs from 2025 to 2029 and was ratified by members in March 2026. Its Wage Schedule D (Technologist) lists Medical Laboratory Technologist. The table shows the P1 row; the schedule gives rates for the 1st to 6th year and a separate 25th-year rate.
| Effective | 1st year, a month | 6th year, a month | 25th year, a month | 1st to 6th year, about a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First pay period after 1 April 2025 | $6,165 | $7,678 | $7,696 | $73,980 to $92,136 |
| First pay period after 1 April 2026 | $6,350 | $7,908 | $7,927 | $76,200 to $94,896 |
| First pay period after 1 April 2027 | $6,541 | $8,145 | $8,165 | $78,492 to $97,740 |
| First pay period after 1 April 2028 | $6,737 | $8,389 | $8,410 | $80,844 to $100,668 |
Yearly figures are the monthly rate times 12, our arithmetic. From April 2026 the hourly P1 rate is $38.93 in the 1st year, $48.48 in the 6th and $48.59 in the 25th. Positions matched to higher profiles pay more on the same schedule. From April 2026, P2A pays $41.89 to $52.16 an hour from the 1st to the 6th year ($52.29 in the 25th), and P2B pays $43.56 to $54.25 ($54.38 in the 25th).
Alberta: the Alberta Precision Laboratories grid
Technologists at Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) are covered by the HSAA's APL collective agreement 2024-2028, Under Article 1.01 its terms generally take effect when the parties exchange notice of ratification and run to 30 September 2028, then continue year to year unless either side gives notice to change them. The Salaries Appendix has its own dates: rates from 1 October 2024, rising 3% each 1 October to 2027. Laboratory Technologist I, II and III are separate classifications, each with its own steps:
| Classification | Step 1, an hour | Step 9, an hour | About a year, step 1 to step 9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Technologist I | $38.74 | $51.02 | $78,061 to $102,805 |
| Laboratory Technologist II | $41.95 | $53.91 | $84,529 to $108,629 |
| Laboratory Technologist III | $44.76 | $57.72 | $90,191 to $116,306 |
Rates from 1 October 2026. Yearly figures are the hourly rate times 2,015 hours (the agreement's 77.5 hours a fortnight for 26 fortnights), our arithmetic. Under Article 14.02, a Regular Full-time Employee's step increases fall on the anniversary of the date they started as a Regular Full-time Employee, unless something else in the agreement changes that (Article 14.03, below, is one example). On 1 October 2027 Laboratory Technologist I rises to $39.90 at step 1 and $52.55 at step 9. An employee with 20 or more calendar years of service with APL also gets a 2% Long Service Pay Adjustment (Letter of Understanding #39): step 9 then pays $52.04 from 1 October 2026.
For a job in another province, ask the employer which collective agreement and classification the posting falls under, then look up that agreement's grid.
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Why certification matters for pay
The routes to registration and certification changed in 2025 and 2026. Our CSMLS certification guide explains which route applies where; this page covers only what the pay rules say.
- At APL, steps wait for proof. Under Article 14.03(a) and (b), a new employee who has completed the required training or education is placed at the starting rate for the classification, and a current employee who wins a posting and has completed the required training or education is placed on the applicable salary scale under Article 29.09. Under 14.03(c), an employee whose salary is set either way is not eligible for step increases until they provide proof of registration, licensure or certification; they are then placed on the step for their hours worked, with no back pay for earlier hours.
- MLT pay is well above lab assistant pay. On the APL grid from 1 October 2026, Laboratory Assistant I runs from $25.91 to $32.30 an hour, against $38.74 to $51.02 for Laboratory Technologist I. Job Bank's national median for medical laboratory assistants is $27.00 an hour, against $39.00 for technologists.
- Higher grades are separate positions, not extra steps. BC's P2A and P2B profiles and Alberta's Technologist II and III pay more than the base row, but those rates apply only to a position matched to that profile or classification.
IEMLTs: where you start on the grid
The BC and Alberta grids in this guide show no separate rate for internationally educated MLTs. Your pay depends on the position and the year or step assigned under the agreement's placement rules. At APL, recognised experience can change your starting step.
- Experience can move you up the steps. Under Article 15.02 of the APL agreement, experience satisfactory to the employer earns annual increments: one for one year's experience within the last six years, two for two years within the last seven, and so on, up to eight for eight years within the last thirteen. Article 15.01 says the employer must tell you your grade and step in writing when you are hired.
- There is a recency proviso. Article 15.02 recognises experience provided not more than five years have elapsed since it was obtained. For regulated professions, the employer may recognise experience despite a break in service of more than five years if you fulfilled your professional body's licensing requirements to maintain standing.
- Pay follows the job you are hired into. A lab assistant is paid the lab assistant rate; technologist rates apply to a technologist position, under the placement rules above.
The assessment (PLA) and exam route for IEMLTs is in our certification guide; exam dates and fees are in CSMLS exam dates.
What sits on top of base pay
The grid rate is not your whole pay. Using the APL agreement (Article 16) as an example:
- Evening shift differential (Article 16.01): $2.75 an hour, paid in any one of three ways: for a shift where most of the hours fall between 15:00 and 23:00; or for each regularly scheduled hour worked in that window, provided more than two hours are worked in it; or for overtime hours in that window.
- Night shift differential (Article 16.01): $5.00 an hour, paid in any one of three ways: for a shift where most of the hours fall between 23:00 and 07:00; or for each regularly scheduled hour worked in that window, provided more than two hours are worked in it; or for overtime hours in that window.
- Weekend premium (Article 16.02): $3.25 an hour, paid in any one of three ways: for a shift where most of the hours fall in the 64-hour period starting at 15:00 on Friday; or for each regularly scheduled hour worked after 15:00 on Friday, provided more than two hours are worked in that 64-hour period; or for overtime hours in that period. Shift differential and weekend premium stack where both apply (Article 16.03).
- Overtime, on-call duty, benefit plans and the pension plan have their own articles in the same agreement. Job Bank reports that 95.7% of workers in this occupation get at least one non-wage benefit.
So two technologists on the same APL step can earn different amounts in a year, depending on their evening, night and weekend hours. For BC, or any other employer, check the premiums in that agreement.
Two worked examples
Example 1: a new APL hire, first two years
- A new Laboratory Technologist I with no recognised previous experience starts at step 1: $38.74 an hour from 1 October 2026, about $78,061 a year full-time before tax (step increases need proof of registration, as above).
- One qualifying evening shift a week (7.75 hours x $2.75) adds about $21 a week, roughly $1,100 a year.
- A Regular Full-time Employee who started on 1 October 2026 reaches the first anniversary on the same day as the 1 October 2027 rise, so they move to step 2 on the 2027 grid: $41.30 an hour. ($39.90 is the new step 1 rate for someone starting then.)
APL agreement 2024-2028. Yearly figures are our arithmetic; tax and deductions not shown.
Example 2: comparing a BC and an Alberta offer
- BC, P1 1st year from April 2026: $6,350 a month, about $76,200 a year.
- Alberta, Laboratory Technologist I step 1 from 1 October 2026: about $78,061 a year.
- On base pay the two are close at the start. Alberta's row has nine steps; BC's has rates for the 1st to 6th year plus a 25th-year rate. Compare the higher steps, the premiums and the cost of living where you would live.
Base rates only. BC: monthly x 12; Alberta: hourly x 2,015 (our arithmetic).
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Common mistakes when reading MLT pay
- Treating the Job Bank median as a starting salary. It is the middle wage across the occupation, not a first-step rate. At APL, a new hire with no recognised experience starts at the classification's starting rate.
- Comparing a BC monthly figure with an Alberta hourly one without converting. Use the same hours, or compare hourly rates.
- Using an old grid. Both agreements here schedule raises; check the date a rate takes effect.
- Forgetting premiums. At APL, qualifying evening, night and weekend hours add a fixed amount an hour.
- Reading a salary estimate as an offer. Check what area, job titles and data it covers. The collective agreement for the job is the figure that applies.
Registration and the pay steps
Under the Alberta APL agreement (Article 14.03), a new or newly appointed technologist is not eligible for step increases until they provide proof of registration, licensure or certification.
See the CSMLS MLT practice exam. Independent practice; not made or endorsed by CSMLS or CAMLPR.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an MLT make in Canada?
Job Bank puts the national median at $39.00 an hour (about $76,050 a year at 37.5 hours a week, our arithmetic), with a low wage of $25.13 and a high wage of $49.00 (in most cases the 10th and 90th percentiles). Data updated 19 November 2025, reference period 2023-2024.
Which province pays MLTs the most?
On Job Bank's medians, Alberta ($45.79 an hour), then Ontario ($42.00) and British Columbia ($41.00). Quebec and Nova Scotia have the lowest medians, at $35.00.
What is the starting salary for a new MLT?
On the two grids in this guide: $38.93 an hour ($6,350 a month) for BC P1 1st year from the first pay period after 1 April 2026, and $38.74 an hour for APL Laboratory Technologist I step 1 from 1 October 2026. Other employers set rates in their own agreements.
How much do MLTs make in Alberta?
At Alberta Precision Laboratories, from 1 October 2026: Laboratory Technologist I $38.74 to $51.02 an hour, II $41.95 to $53.91, III $44.76 to $57.72. Job Bank's Alberta median is $45.79.
How much do MLTs make in BC?
On the HSPBA Wage Schedule D, P1 from the first pay period after 1 April 2026: $6,350 a month ($38.93 an hour) in the 1st year, $7,908 ($48.48) in the 6th and $7,927 ($48.59) in the 25th. The schedule rises again each April to 2028.
Do MLAs earn less than MLTs?
Yes. Job Bank's national median for medical laboratory assistants is $27.00 an hour, against $39.00 for technologists. On the APL grid, Laboratory Assistant I tops out at $32.30 an hour, below step 1 of Laboratory Technologist I.
Are internationally educated MLTs paid less?
The BC and Alberta grids in this guide show no separate rate for internationally educated MLTs. Your pay depends on the position and the year or step assigned under the agreement's placement rules; under the APL agreement, previous experience satisfactory to the employer can place you on a higher step at hiring.
Where can I check official MLT pay?
Job Bank's wage pages for NOC 32120 (by province and region), and the collective agreement for the employer: for example the HSPBA agreement on the HSA BC site and the APL agreement on the HSAA site.
Sources
- official — Job Bank (Government of Canada): Wages, Medical Laboratory Technologist in Canada (NOC 32120), updated 19 November 2025, reference period 2023-2024, Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — Job Bank (Government of Canada): Wages, Medical Laboratory Assistant in Canada (NOC 33101), updated 19 November 2025 (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — Job Bank: Wage methodology FAQ (low wage in most cases the 10th percentile, high wage the 90th) (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — HSA BC: HSPBA 2025-2029 Wage Schedule D, effective first pay period after 1 April 2025 (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — HSA BC: HSPBA Provincial Agreement 2025-2029, Wage Schedule D (Technologist, includes Medical Laboratory Technologist), effective first pay period after 1 April 2026 (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — HSA BC: HSPBA 2025-2029 Wage Schedule D, effective first pay period after 1 April 2027 (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — HSA BC: HSPBA 2025-2029 Wage Schedule D, effective first pay period after 1 April 2028 (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — Government of British Columbia news release: "Health Science Professionals ratify collective agreement" (12 March 2026)
- official — HSAA: Alberta Precision Laboratories collective agreement, 1 October 2024 to 30 September 2028: Salaries Appendix, Articles 10, 14, 15, 16 and LOU #39 (read 5 Nov 2026)
- official — HSAA: APL collective agreement 2024-2028, Salaries Appendix (Paramedical Professional/Technical) (read 5 Nov 2026)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
