At a glance
- Statutory holidays range from 6 (Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia) to 11 (B.C., Northwest Territories, Yukon).
- Holiday pay formulas differ a lot: a regular day's pay, an average day, 5% of 4 weeks, or 1/20 of 4 weeks.
- Paid sick days are required in B.C., Quebec, P.E.I. and for federal employers. Most other provinces give unpaid, job-protected days.
- Every row links to the official government source. These are minimums; contracts can give more.
This is a reference for the employment standards rules that affect payroll in 2026. For vacation pay, see Vacation pay by province. For how these rules fit with CRA deductions, see Employment standards vs CRA rules.
Summary
| Jurisdiction | Holidays | Overtime starts after | Paid sick days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 9 | 8 h/day or 44 h/week | None |
| British Columbia | 11 | 8 h/day or 40 h/week (2x over 12 h/day) | 5 |
| Manitoba | 9 | 8 h/day or 40 h/week | None |
| New Brunswick | 8 | 44 h/week (1.5x minimum wage) | None |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 6 | 40 h/week (1.5x minimum wage) | None |
| Nova Scotia | 6 | 48 h/week | None |
| Northwest Territories | 11 | 8 h/day or 40 h/week | None |
| Nunavut | 10 | 8 h/day or 40 h/week | See source |
| Ontario | 9 | 44 h/week | None |
| Prince Edward Island | 8 | 44 h/week | 1 to 3, by years of service |
| Quebec | 8 | 40 h/week | 2 |
| Saskatchewan | 10 | 8 h/day or 40 h/week | None |
| Yukon | 11 | See source | See source |
| Federal | 10 | 8 h/day or 40 h/week | Up to 10 |
Overtime is paid at 1.5 times the regular rate unless noted. Many places have exemptions for managers, farm workers and certain industries, and most allow averaging agreements. See each source for details.
By jurisdiction
Alberta 9 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Alberta Family DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- At least 30 workdays with the employer in the 12 months before the holiday. Pay is lost for missing a scheduled holiday shift, or the scheduled day before or after, without consent.
- Holiday pay
- Average daily wage: wages divided by days worked over a 4-week period the employer chooses. Overtime is excluded.
- Working the holiday
- 1.5 times the wage rate for hours worked plus the average daily wage, or regular rate plus a future paid day off. On a day that isn't a regular workday: 1.5 times for hours worked, nothing if not worked.
- Overtime
- Over 8 hours a day or 44 hours a week, whichever gives more. At least 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- No paid sick days. Up to 5 unpaid days a year of personal and family responsibility leave after 90 days.
Official sources: General holidays · Overtime · Job-protected leaves
British Columbia 11 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Family DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- B.C. DayAug 3
- Labour DaySep 7
- National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSep 30
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- Employed for 30 calendar days, and worked or earned wages on 15 of the 30 days before the holiday. There is no day-before-and-after rule in B.C.
- Holiday pay
- An average day's pay: total wages in the 30 calendar days before the holiday (overtime excluded) divided by days worked.
- Working the holiday
- 1.5 times for hours up to 12, double time over 12, plus statutory holiday pay.
- Overtime
- 1.5 times over 8 hours a day up to 12, double time over 12 hours a day. 1.5 times over 40 hours a week (only the first 8 hours each day count toward the 40).
- Sick leave
- 5 paid sick days a year after 90 days of employment, plus 3 unpaid days.
Official sources: Statutory holidays · Qualifying · Calculating · Overtime · Paid sick leave
Manitoba 9 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Louis Riel DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)Sep 30
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- No minimum length of employment. Pay is lost for being absent without permission on the holiday when scheduled, or on the scheduled day before or after.
- Holiday pay
- A regular day's pay. If hours or wages vary: 5% of gross wages (excluding overtime) in the 4 weeks before the holiday. Construction: 4%.
- Working the holiday
- 1.5 times for hours worked plus holiday pay. Some businesses (such as hotels, restaurants and continuous operations) can pay regular wages and give another paid day off instead.
- Overtime
- Over 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- No paid sick days. Up to 3 unpaid days a year of family leave (which covers personal illness) after 30 days.
Official sources: General holidays · Overtime · Family leave
New Brunswick 8 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Family DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Canada DayJul 1
- New Brunswick DayAug 3
- Labour DaySep 7
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- Employed at least 90 calendar days in the 12 months before the holiday, and worked the scheduled day before and after (unless there is a good reason).
- Holiday pay
- A regular day's pay (variable wages: average over the 30 days before, excluding overtime). Or the employer can pay an extra 4% of gross wages instead.
- Working the holiday
- A regular day's pay plus 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked.
- Overtime
- Over 44 hours a week, at least 1.5 times the minimum wage ($23.85 an hour from April 1, 2026).
- Sick leave
- Five days of job-protected leave for illness or injury in a 52-week period. New Brunswick doesn't require paid sick days.
Official sources: Public holidays · Overtime · Sick leave
Newfoundland and Labrador 6 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Good FridayApr 3
- Memorial DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- No holiday pay for a holiday within the first 30 days of employment, or if the employee misses the scheduled day before or after without cause.
- Holiday pay
- The hourly rate times the average hours worked per day over the 3 weeks before the holiday.
- Working the holiday
- The employee's choice: double pay, a paid day off within 30 days, or an extra vacation day.
- Overtime
- Over 40 hours a week, at the minimum overtime rate of 1.5 times the minimum wage ($24.53 an hour from April 1, 2026).
- Sick leave
- No paid sick days. Up to 7 unpaid days a year of sick or family responsibility leave after 30 days.
Official sources: Labour Standards Act · Your Rights at Work guide · 2026 minimum wage
Nova Scotia 6 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Nova Scotia Heritage DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- Entitled to pay on at least 15 of the 30 calendar days before the holiday, and worked the last scheduled shift before and the first after. Remembrance Day falls under the separate Remembrance Day Act.
- Holiday pay
- A regular day's pay (hours averaged over the 30 days before if they vary).
- Working the holiday
- A regular day's pay plus 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked. Continuous operations may pay straight time and give another paid day off.
- Overtime
- Over 48 hours a week, 1.5 times the regular wage. Amendments tabled September 8, 2026 would lower this to 44 hours from April 1, 2027 (not yet law).
- Sick leave
- No paid sick days. 5 unpaid sick days a year, plus 3 unpaid days for medical appointments and family illness.
Official sources: Holiday pay · Overtime · Overtime change (tabled) · Sick leave
Northwest Territories 11 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- National Aboriginal DayJun 21
- Canada DayJul 1
- First Monday in AugustAug 3
- Labour DaySep 7
- National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSep 30
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- Worked for the employer 30 days in the 12 months before, worked the scheduled days before and after, reported if scheduled or called in, and not on pregnancy or parental leave.
- Holiday pay
- An average day's pay.
- Working the holiday
- 1.5 times for hours worked plus an average day's pay, or the holiday is moved to another paid day off.
- Overtime
- Over 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week (32 in a week with a holiday). At least 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- No paid sick days. 5 unpaid sick days in a 12-month period.
Official sources: Employment standards FAQ
Nunavut 10 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- Nunavut DayJul 9
- First Monday in AugustAug 3
- Labour DaySep 7
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
This is the list in the Labour Standards Compliance Office fact sheet. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sep 30) may also apply under the current Act. Check the Act before relying on the list.
- Who gets holiday pay
- Not owed if the employee hasn't worked 30 days for the employer in the 12 months before, didn't report when called in, missed the regular day before or after without consent, or is on pregnancy or parental leave.
- Holiday pay
- A regular day's pay.
- Working the holiday
- A paid day off at another time, or a normal day's pay plus 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked.
- Overtime
- Over 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- Not confirmed from an official page yet. See the Act below.
Official sources: General holidays fact sheet · Hours of work fact sheet · Labour Standards Act
Ontario 9 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Family DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Boxing DayDec 26
- Who gets holiday pay
- Most employees, with no minimum service. Lost by missing the last scheduled day before or the first after without reasonable cause.
- Holiday pay
- Regular wages plus vacation pay payable in the 4 work weeks before the holiday's work week, divided by 20.
- Working the holiday
- Holiday pay plus 1.5 times for hours worked, or regular wages plus a substitute paid day off.
- Overtime
- Over 44 hours a week. 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- No paid sick days. Up to 3 unpaid days a year after 2 consecutive weeks of employment.
Official sources: Public holidays · Overtime · Sick leave
Prince Edward Island 8 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Islander DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSep 30
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
From the new Employment Standards Act, in force June 30, 2026.
- Who gets holiday pay
- Not owed if the employee fails, without permission or reasonable cause, to work both the last work day before and the first after.
- Holiday pay
- 5% of wages (excluding overtime) earned in the 4 weeks before, including vacation and holiday pay in those weeks.
- Working the holiday
- 1.5 times for hours worked plus regular pay for the holiday, or regular rate plus another paid day off before the next vacation.
- Overtime
- Over 44 standard hours a week. 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- 4 unpaid days after 30 days. Paid sick days: 1 in the second year of employment, 2 in the third, 3 from the fourth year on.
Official sources: Employment Standards Act (current to June 30, 2026)
Quebec 8 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Good Friday or Easter Monday (employer's choice)Apr 3 or Apr 6
- National Patriots' DayMay 18
- Quebec National HolidayJun 24
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- No minimum service. Must not be absent without a valid reason on the workday before or after (except for June 24).
- Holiday pay
- 1/20 of wages earned in the 4 complete weeks of pay before the holiday's week.
- Working the holiday
- Regular wages for the day, plus either the holiday indemnity or a paid day off within 3 weeks before or after.
- Overtime
- Over 40 hours a week for most workers. 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- The first 2 days of absence each calendar year are paid after 3 months of service.
Official sources: Statutory holidays · Indemnity · Overtime · Sick leave
Saskatchewan 10 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Family DayFeb 16
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- Saskatchewan DayAug 3
- Labour DaySep 7
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Who gets holiday pay
- Any employee, including new employees with less than 4 weeks of service. Not owed if employment ends before the holiday.
- Holiday pay
- 5% of wages in the 28 days before, including vacation pay and earlier holiday pay, excluding overtime.
- Working the holiday
- 1.5 times the regular rate for all hours worked, plus holiday pay.
- Overtime
- Over 8 hours a day (10 on a four-day, 10-hour schedule) or 40 hours a week (32 in a week with a holiday). 1.5 times the hourly wage.
- Sick leave
- No paid sick leave under the Act. Job protection for up to 12 days a year of non-serious illness after 13 weeks.
Official sources: Public holiday pay · Overtime · Illness and injury
Yukon 11 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- National Indigenous Peoples DayJun 21
- Canada DayJul 1
- Discovery DayAug 17
- Labour DaySep 7
- National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSep 30
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
Heritage Day, Easter Monday and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays in Yukon.
- Who gets holiday pay
- Employed 30 calendar days, worked the last scheduled shift before and the first after (unless the absence is permitted), and works if called in.
- Holiday pay
- Regular hours, hourly: normal day's pay. Salaried: day off with no reduction. Commission or piece work: average daily wage that week. Irregular hours: 10% of wages in the 2 weeks before the holiday's week.
- Working the holiday
- The overtime rate for all hours worked, or the regular rate plus a day off.
- Overtime
- Not confirmed from an official page yet. See the Employment Standards Act below.
- Sick leave
- Not confirmed from an official page yet. See the Act below.
Official sources: 2026 statutory holidays · Holiday pay · Employment Standards Act
Federally regulated (Canada Labour Code) 10 holidays
Statutory holidays (2026)
- New Year's DayJan 1
- Good FridayApr 3
- Victoria DayMay 18
- Canada DayJul 1
- Labour DaySep 7
- National Day for Truth and ReconciliationSep 30
- ThanksgivingOct 12
- Remembrance DayNov 11
- Christmas DayDec 25
- Boxing DayDec 26
- Who gets holiday pay
- All employees of federally regulated employers. Part-time employees are paid for the same holidays, adjusted to their hours.
- Holiday pay
- 1/20 of wages (excluding overtime) in the 4 weeks before the holiday's week. Commission employees with 12+ weeks: 1/60 of 12 weeks' wages.
- Working the holiday
- At least 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked, plus holiday pay.
- Overtime
- Over 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. At least 1.5 times the regular rate.
- Sick leave
- Up to 10 days of medical leave with pay a year: 3 days after 30 days, then 1 more per month.
Official sources: Holidays · Hours of work · Leaves
Holidays on a day off. When a holiday falls on a weekend or an employee's day off, each jurisdiction has its own rule for a substitute day or pay. Boxing Day falls on a Saturday in 2026. Check the source for your province.
In PayCub
PayCub doesn't decide holiday eligibility, overtime or sick pay for you, because the answer depends on schedules and facts PayCub can't see. Work out the amount using your province's rule, then add it to the pay run as an earning. PayCub takes care of the income tax, CPP and EI on it.