Employee benefits and leave in Canada
Statutory vacation starts at 2 weeks with 4% vacation pay and rises to 3 weeks and 6% after 5 years in Ontario and British Columbia, or 3 years in Quebec. Public holidays number 9 in Ontario, 11 in British Columbia and 8 in Quebec. Maternity and parental leave is unpaid by the employer: EI pays 55% of insurable earnings up to CAD 729 a week in 2026, and Quebec runs its own plan at up to 75%.
At a glance
Key figures with the official source for each, checked November 2026.
| Item | Rule or figure | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Vacation, Ontario | 2 weeks and 4% vacation pay. 3 weeks and 6% after 5 years | Government of Ontario |
| Vacation, Quebec | 2 weeks and 4% from 1 year of service. 3 weeks and 6% from 3 years | CNESST |
| Public holidays | Ontario 9, British Columbia 11, Quebec 8 | Government of British Columbia |
| Paid sick days, British Columbia | 5 paid and 3 unpaid days per calendar year after 90 days of employment | Government of British Columbia |
| Sick leave, Ontario | 3 unpaid days per calendar year after 2 weeks of employment, plus unpaid long-term illness leave of up to 27 weeks | Government of Ontario |
| Paid sick days, Quebec | 2 paid days per calendar year after 3 months of service. Up to 26 weeks of protected unpaid absence in 12 months | CNESST |
| EI maternity and parental benefits (2026) | 55% of insurable earnings up to CAD 729 a week, or 33% up to CAD 437 a week on the extended parental option | Service Canada |
| Pregnancy and parental leave, Ontario | Up to 17 weeks of pregnancy leave and up to 61 or 63 weeks of parental leave, both unpaid by the employer | Government of Ontario |
| Quebec Parental Insurance Plan, basic plan | Maternity 18 weeks at 70%. Paternity 5 weeks at 70%. Shareable parental 32 weeks, 7 at 70% then 25 at 55% | Gouvernement du Québec |
| Minimum wage, British Columbia | CAD 18.25 an hour from June 1, 2026. Each province sets its own rate | Government of British Columbia |
Paid vacation
Vacation has two parts in Canadian law: time off, and vacation pay calculated as a percentage of wages earned. Both are set by the province of employment.
| Province | Starting entitlement | Higher entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 2 weeks and 4% of gross wages | 3 weeks and 6% after 5 years |
| British Columbia | 2 weeks and 4% after 1 year | 3 weeks and 6% after 5 consecutive years |
| Quebec | 1 day per month in the first year, then 2 weeks and 4% | 3 weeks and 6% from 3 years of uninterrupted service |
In Ontario the employer schedules vacation and must make sure it is taken within 10 months after the end of the vacation entitlement year. Vacation pay accrues on every dollar of wages, so it is owed on termination even where no vacation time has been earned yet. Paying vacation pay on each pay cheque as it accrues requires the employee's written or electronic agreement. Quebec uses a reference year that normally runs from May 1 to April 30. Employment contracts for professional roles commonly grant more than the statutory minimum.
Public holidays
Each province sets its own list of paid public holidays.
- Ontario, 9: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
- British Columbia, 11: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, B.C. Day, Labour Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Christmas Day. Boxing Day and Easter Monday are not statutory holidays there.
- Quebec, 8: January 1, Good Friday or Easter Monday at the employer's choice, National Patriots' Day, June 24, July 1, Labour Day, Thanksgiving and December 25.
Holiday pay formulas differ. Ontario adds regular wages and vacation pay for the four work weeks before the holiday week and divides by 20. An Ontario employee who works on the holiday earns premium pay of one and a half times the regular rate for those hours. In British Columbia an employee who works on a statutory holiday receives an average day's pay plus time and a half, and double time after 12 hours. In Quebec a worker required to work on a holiday receives wages for the day plus either the holiday indemnity or a paid compensatory day.
Sick leave and who pays
Short-term sick pay is the area where provinces differ most. Where the statute gives paid days, the employer pays them. Longer absences are unpaid by the employer and fall to Employment Insurance or a private disability plan.
| Jurisdiction | Short-term sick leave | Long-term protected absence |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 3 unpaid days a year after 2 weeks of employment | Up to 27 weeks unpaid in 52 weeks, after 13 weeks of employment, since June 19, 2025 |
| British Columbia | 5 paid and 3 unpaid days a year after 90 days | Up to 27 weeks unpaid in 52 weeks for serious illness or injury |
| Quebec | 2 paid days a year after 3 months of service | Up to 26 weeks unpaid over 12 months |
| Federal sector | Up to 10 paid medical leave days a year | Not covered here |
Since October 28, 2024 Ontario employers cannot require a medical note from a health practitioner for the 3 statutory sick days. EI sickness benefits pay 55% of earnings for up to 26 weeks, to a maximum of CAD 729 a week, and require a medical certificate. Most professional employers bridge the gap with short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Maternity, paternity and parental leave
The province gives the job-protected leave. A separate insurance plan pays the income. The employer pays no salary unless it chooses to top up.
| Jurisdiction | Maternity or pregnancy leave | Parental leave |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Up to 17 weeks | Up to 61 weeks after pregnancy leave, 63 weeks otherwise |
| British Columbia | Up to 17 weeks | Up to 61 weeks after maternity leave, 62 weeks otherwise |
| Quebec | Up to 18 weeks | Up to 65 weeks |
Outside Quebec, EI pays. Maternity benefits are 55% of average insurable weekly earnings up to CAD 729 a week in 2026. Standard parental benefits pay the same rate for up to 35 weeks for one parent, or 40 weeks shared. Extended parental benefits pay 33%, up to CAD 437 a week, for up to 61 weeks for one parent or 69 shared.
In Quebec, QPIP pays. The basic plan gives 18 weeks of maternity benefits and 5 weeks of paternity benefits at 70%, then 32 shareable parental weeks. The special plan pays 75% for shorter periods: 15, 3 and 25 weeks.
Ontario employees on leave keep accruing service and seniority and may stay in benefit plans. They are generally entitled to return to the same job.
Other protected leaves
Beyond sickness and parental leave, each province lists further job-protected leaves. Most are unpaid. The British Columbia list shows the usual range:
- Family responsibility leave: up to 5 unpaid days per employment year.
- Bereavement leave: up to 3 unpaid days.
- Domestic or sexual violence leave: 5 paid and 5 unpaid days a year, plus up to 15 more unpaid weeks.
- Compassionate care leave: up to 27 weeks in a 52 week period.
- Critical illness or injury leave: up to 36 weeks for a child and 16 weeks for an adult family member.
Ontario has its own list, including family responsibility leave and bereavement leave, and added three unpaid days of job seeking leave on November 27, 2025 for employees who have received mass termination notice. A 16 week placement of a child leave for adoption and surrogacy has been passed but was not yet in force when this page was checked.
In the federal sector, the Canada Labour Code gives up to 5 days of personal leave a year, with the first 3 paid after 3 months, and up to 10 days of bereavement leave, with the first 3 paid. Employers cannot penalise an employee for taking or planning a statutory leave.
Mandatory pension and insurance
Canada's mandatory programmes are funded through payroll. There is no requirement to provide a private pension or private health plan.
- Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan. Employer and employee each pay 5.95% (CPP) or 6.30% (QPP) on earnings up to CAD 74,600 in 2026, plus 4% each on earnings between CAD 74,600 and CAD 85,000.
- Employment Insurance. Funds unemployment, sickness, maternity and parental benefits. The employer pays 1.4 times the employee premium on earnings up to CAD 68,900.
- Quebec Parental Insurance Plan. Replaces EI maternity and parental benefits in Quebec. The employer pays 0.602% on earnings up to CAD 103,000, and the EI rate is reduced in return.
- Workers' compensation. Employer-paid insurance for work injuries, run by a board in each province and rated by industry.
- Public health care. Funded through general taxation and, in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, an employer payroll tax. Employees do not need employer cover to see a doctor or use a hospital.
Minimum wage is also provincial. Ontario's general rate is CAD 17.95 an hour from October 1, 2026 and British Columbia's is CAD 18.25 from June 1, 2026.
Supplementary benefits employers usually add
Public health insurance does not generally cover prescription drugs outside hospital, dental care, vision care or paramedical services for working-age adults. Employers fill that gap, and candidates for professional roles expect it. None of the items below is required by statute.
- Extended health and dental plan. Group cover for drugs, dental, vision and paramedical services, usually extended to dependants.
- Life insurance and disability cover. Short-term and long-term disability insurance matters because statutory sick pay is limited to a few days and EI sickness benefits cap at CAD 729 a week.
- Retirement savings. A group Registered Retirement Savings Plan with an employer match is the common format for smaller teams.
- Extra vacation. Three or four weeks from the start is common in technology and professional roles, against a statutory two.
- Parental leave top-up. Some employers supplement EI or QPIP benefits for a set number of weeks.
When an employee is on a statutory leave in Ontario, they can continue in pension, life, extended health and dental plans, and Quebec requires the employer to keep matching contributions during maternity leave if the employee keeps paying theirs. Under an EOR arrangement the group plan is the EOR's plan, so cover levels are chosen from its plan design.
Frequently asked questions
How many paid vacation days do employees get in Canada?
The statutory minimum is 2 weeks with vacation pay of 4% of wages. It rises to 3 weeks and 6% after 5 years in Ontario and British Columbia, and from 3 years of service in Quebec. Many employers offer 3 or 4 weeks by contract.
Do employers have to pay sick leave in Canada?
It depends on the province. British Columbia requires 5 paid sick days a year after 90 days of employment and Quebec requires 2 paid days after 3 months. Ontario's 3 statutory sick days are unpaid. Longer illness is covered by EI sickness benefits of 55% of earnings for up to 26 weeks, or by an employer disability plan.
Who pays for maternity leave in Canada?
Not the employer, unless it chooses to top up. Outside Quebec, Employment Insurance pays 55% of insurable earnings up to CAD 729 a week in 2026. In Quebec, the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan pays 70% for 18 weeks on the basic plan or 75% for 15 weeks on the special plan. The employer's duty is to protect the job and continue benefit plan participation as the provincial statute requires.
Is private health insurance mandatory for employers in Canada?
No. Public health care covers doctors and hospitals, and no law requires an employer plan. In practice an extended health and dental plan is standard for professional hires because the public system does not generally cover prescription drugs, dental or vision care for working-age adults.
More on hiring in Canada
Employer of record and hiring guide for Canada · Payroll and taxes · Termination and notice · Contractors vs employees · Cost calculator · EOR vs PEO vs entity
Sources
- Government of Ontario, Guide to the Employment Standards Act: Vacation
- Government of Ontario, Guide to the Employment Standards Act: Public holidays
- Government of Ontario, Guide to the Employment Standards Act: Sick leave
- Government of British Columbia, Employment Standards: Leaves of absence
- Government of British Columbia, Statutory holidays
- CNESST, Annual vacation
- Service Canada, EI maternity and parental benefits: How much you could receive
- Gouvernement du Québec, Québec Parental Insurance Plan: choice of plan
This page is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rates, thresholds and procedures change, and how they apply depends on the facts. Confirm current figures with a qualified adviser or with Dryft before acting. Checked November 2026.
Hiring in Canada?
Tell us the role and salary. You get the all-in monthly cost and a compliant route within a day, from a person who has done this before.