The minimum wage is going up in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan government announced Wednesday that the hourly minimum will increase by 30 cents to $8.25 on Jan. 1, 2008.

The boost will give Saskatchewan one of the highest minimum wages in Canada.

Another increase will bring it up to $8.60 in May.

A year later, a third hike will set the minimum wage at $9.25 an hour.

The last minimum wage increase was on March 1, when it went up by 40 cents an hour.

Two years ago, the minimum wage was $7.05. The increase comes amid widespread expectation that the NDP government will call an election within days.

About 12,400 people are making minimum wage in the province, the government said.