Leave policy in Canada

Before hiring employees in Canada, you need to understand the leave policy in Canada and what paid time off (PTO) employees are entitled to. 

Importantly, as long as the employee is based in Canada, you need to comply with the country’s employment laws, statutory employee benefits, and leave policies, even if your company is registered elsewhere. 

In Canada, while most paid leave laws are standardized, they can sometimes vary between provinces, which is why it’s critical to check. 

For assistance with navigating local laws, partner with an Employer of Record (EOR) in Canada. An EOR like Payoneer Workforce Management helps you stay compliant and supports in mitigating compliance risks.

Vacation leave policy in Canada

Vacation time isn’t straightforward in Canada, as it varies by province and length of service. Let’s take a closer look at the vacation leave policy in Canada:

Region	Vacation leave policy in Canada
Federal	2 weeks after 1 year3 weeks after 5 years4 weeks after 10 years
Alberta	Minimum 10 paid vacation days (<5 yrs)15 paid vacation days (5+ yrs)
British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario	2 weeks after 1 year3 weeks after 5 years
Saskatchewan	3 weeks after 1 year4 weeks after 10 years
Quebec	1 day per month in the first year (up to 2 weeks)2 weeks after 1 year, though employees can request 1 additional unpaid week3 weeks after 3 years
New Brunswick	1 day/month or 2 weeks/year for the first 8 years1.25 days/month or 3 weeks/year after 8 years
Nova Scotia	2 weeks after 1 year3 weeks after 8 years

Public holidays in Canada

Canadian employees are entitled to time off on public holidays. If they’re required to work on one of these holidays, they must be given an additional day’s leave in lieu or receive a premium pay rate. 

Importantly, Canada’s provinces have different public holidays, so you’ll need to determine which apply to your employees, based on where they live. 

Here’s a list of all statutory public holidays in Canada.

Holiday	Date	Observed in
New Year’s Day	January 1st	Nationwide
Islander Day	3rd Monday in February	Prince Edward Island
Louis Riel Day	3rd Monday in February	Manitoba
Family Day	3rd Monday in February	Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan
Good Friday	Friday before Easter	Nationwide (except Quebec, where it’s not statutory)
Saint George’s Day	April 26th	Newfoundland and Labrador
National Patriots’ Day	3rd Monday in May	Quebec
Victoria Day	3rd Monday in May	Nationwide (except Quebec)
National Aboriginal Day	June 21st	Northwest Territories, Yukon
Discovery Day	June (varies)	Yukon
National Holiday (Fête nationale)	June 24th	Quebec
Canada Day	July 1st	Nationwide
Orangemen’s Day	July 12st	Newfoundland and Labrador
Civic Holiday	First Monday in August	Most provinces (not statutory everywhere)
British Columbia Day	First Monday in August	British Columbia
Heritage Day	First Monday in August	Alberta, Nova Scotia
New Brunswick Day	First Monday in August	New Brunswick
Natal Day	First Monday in August	Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan Day	First Monday in August	Saskatchewan
Gold Cup Parade Day	Third Friday in August	Prince Edward Island
Labour Day	First Monday in September	Nationwide
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation	September 30th	British Columbia and Manitoba
Thanksgiving	Second Monday in October	Most provinces
Armistice Day (Remembrance Day)	November 11th	Nationwide (except Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba)
Christmas Day	December 25th	Nationwide
Boxing Day (Saint Stephen’s Day)	December 26th	Ontario, and federally regulated employers only

Parental leave policy in Canada

Canadian employees are entitled to parental leave. Here’s how maternity and parental leave work in Canada.

Maternity leave

In Canada, employees are entitled to up to 17 weeks of unpaid maternity leave. 

Parental leave

While paternity leave is only given in Quebec, the parental leave policy in Canada dictates that employees are entitled to unpaid time off. 

Natural or adoptive parents are eligible for up to 63 weeks of parental leave. 

Sick leave in Canada

Sick leave in Canada is not standardized nationwide; each province sets its own rules. Across the country, most regions provide 3-5 days of sick leave, depending on local legislation and employment arrangements.

Bereavement leave policies in Canada

Employees in Canada are typically entitled to 2-5 days of bereavement leave in the event of the death of their immediate family. This may vary based on provincial rules.

Other types of leave in Canada

Type of leave	Details
Compassionate care leave (unpaid)	Up to 28 weeks a year to care for a family member with a serious medical condition and a significant risk of death.
Leave related to critical illness (unpaid)	Up to 37 weeks a year to care for or support a child under 18, and up to 17 weeks to provide care for or support to an adult.
Leave related to the death or disappearance of a child (unpaid)	Up to 104 weeks for death, 52 weeks for disappearance.
Family responsibility leave (unpaid)	Up to 5 days per year.
Leave for victims of family violence (paid and unpaid)	Up to 10 days per year if you are a victim of family violence, or the parent of a child who is a victim of family violence.
Leave for traditional Aboriginal practices (unpaid)	Depending on the province.
Leave for court or jury duty (unpaid)	For the time necessary for completion.
Leave of absence for members of the reserve force (unpaid)	24 months leave in a 60-month period, except in the event of a national emergency.

Explore Payoneer Workforce Managementin Canada

As you’ve seen, the leave policy in Canada can get confusing because everything varies by province. 

To streamline the process, use Payoneer Workforce Management’s Employer of Record services to onboard, pay, and manage talent in Canada, including time-off management.

Book a demo today!

FAQs

1) How many days of leave do you get in Canada?

Employees in Canada receive different vacation entitlements depending on their province and years of service. The common practice is 21 days, but the exact number varies by provincial legislation.

2) How long is parental leave in Canada?

The parental leave policy in Canada varies by province. Parents may be entitled to 61-63 weeks of unpaid parental leave, depending on the region. Maternity leave is listed separately, typically around 16–17 weeks. Employees can take both maternity and parental leave, but the total number of weeks may differ by province.

3) How many sick days are you entitled to in Canada?

Sick leave is also province‑specific. 3-5 sick days are common, and some provinces offer additional unpaid long‑term illness or medical leave based on eligibility.