The hot workability of extruded Mg-3Sn-1Ca alloy has been evaluated by developing processing maps with flow stress data from compression and tensile tests with a view to find the effect of the applied state-of-stress. The processing maps developed at a strain of 0.2 are essentially similar irrespective of the mode of deformation - compression or tension, and exhibit three domains in the temperature ranges: (1) 350 - 425 °C, and (2) 450 - 550 °C and (3) 400 - 500 °C, the first two occurring at lower strain rates and the third occurring at higher strain rates. In all the three domains, dynamic recrystallization occurs and is caused by non-basal slip and controlled by lattice self-diffusion in the first and second domains and grain boundary self-diffusion in the third domain. The state-of-stress imposed on the specimen (compression or tension) does not have any significant effect on the processing maps.