How much vacation pay am I entitled to?

At least 4% of your gross wages, which is two weeks, everywhere in Canada. It rises to 6%, three weeks, after 3 years in Quebec, 5 years in Ontario, BC, Alberta, Manitoba, PEI, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, 8 years in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and 15 years in Newfoundland and Labrador. Saskatchewan pays 3/52 of wages (5.77%), rising to 4/52 after 10 years. Federally regulated employees get 8% after 10 years.

Is vacation pay paid on top of my salary?

For salaried employees it is usually built into your regular pay while you are on vacation. For hourly and commission employees it is a separate percentage of wages, paid each pay period or before the vacation.

How is statutory holiday pay calculated?

It depends on where you work. Ontario, Quebec and federal employers pay the wages earned in the four weeks before the holiday divided by 20. BC pays the average day's wages over the previous 30 days. Alberta and the territories pay the average daily wage over four weeks. Saskatchewan and PEI pay 5% of the previous four weeks' wages. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Yukon pay a regular day's pay.

Are managers covered?

Vacation pay generally applies to managers too, but statutory holiday and overtime rules often exclude them. Some jobs, such as farm workers, some professionals and commission salespeople, have exemptions that vary by province.

What do I get if I work on a statutory holiday?

In most provinces, holiday pay plus 1.5 times your regular rate for the hours worked, or regular pay plus a substitute day off. BC pays time and a half for the first 12 hours and double time after that, plus an average day's pay. Quebec pays regular wages plus the holiday indemnity or a day off in lieu, with no premium. Newfoundland and Labrador pays double or an extra day.

Do I qualify for holiday pay if I just started?

It depends on the province. Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have no minimum service, as long as you work your scheduled shifts before and after. BC requires 30 days of employment and 15 days worked in the previous 30, Alberta 30 days worked in the last 12 months, and New Brunswick 90 days.

Do I get vacation pay when I quit or am let go?

Yes. Any vacation pay earned but not yet paid is owed on your final pay, everywhere in Canada, whether you quit or were let go. If your employer paid it on every cheque, only the unpaid part is owed.

Vacation Pay and Statutory Holiday Pay Calculator by Province

Check the holiday pay you are owed for a statutory holiday in your province, and whether you qualify. If you worked that day, it shows what you should get. It also works out the vacation pay your employer owes on your wages, and what is still owed if some was already paid on your cheques.

Your holiday pay is$176.00$176.00 of public holiday pay (about 8 hours at your rate), calculated in Ontario as wages in the 4 weeks before the holiday ÷ 20.

Holiday pay $176

Wages in the 4 weeks before	$3,520.00
Public holiday pay (wages in the 4 weeks before the holiday ÷ 20)	$176.00

Do you qualify in Ontario? Work all of your last regularly scheduled shift before the holiday and your first one after it, unless you have reasonable cause. No minimum length of service. If you were paid less than this, your province's employment standards office takes complaints for free.

Show the math

Vacation pay is a minimum share of gross wages set by each province's employment standards law (Ontario: 4.00%, 6.00% after 5 years). Many employers pay more. Salaried staff usually get it as paid time off. Public holiday pay uses the provincial formula (wages in the 4 weeks before the holiday ÷ 20). When you work the holiday, most provinces add 1.5× for the hours worked. The 4-week wages default to rate × shift hours × shifts. You can enter them directly instead. Overtime and tips differ by province and are not modelled. Managers, some professionals and some industries are exempt.

What you need to know for 2026

Minimum vacation pay starts at 4% of wages everywhere. It rises to 6% after 3 years in Quebec, 5 years in Ontario, BC, Alberta, Manitoba, PEI and the territories, 8 years in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and 15 years in Newfoundland and Labrador. Saskatchewan pays 3/52 then 4/52. Federally regulated workers reach 8% after 10 years.
Statutory holiday pay formulas differ. Ontario, Quebec and federal use wages in the previous 4 weeks ÷ 20. BC, Alberta and the territories use an average day's pay. Saskatchewan and PEI use 5% of the previous 4 weeks.
Vacation pay is owed on termination for any vacation earned but not taken, and is subject to income tax, CPP and EI like regular wages.
PEI's new Employment Standards Act took effect June 30, 2026, moving the 6% tier from 8 years to 5 and holiday pay to 5% of 4 weeks' wages.

How this calculator works

Vacation pay is a percentage of gross wages set by each jurisdiction’s employment standards law, rising with years of service. The calculator picks the tier for your years with the employer.

Statutory holiday pay uses each jurisdiction’s own formula, which is why the inputs change when you switch provinces. Some average recent wages over four weeks or 30 days. Some pay 5% of four weeks’ wages. Some pay a regular day.

Vacation pay minimums by jurisdiction

Jurisdiction	Starting rate	Higher tiers
British Columbia	4%	6% after 5 years
Alberta	4%	6% after 5 years
Saskatchewan	5.77%	7.69% after 10 years
Manitoba	4%	6% after 5 years
Ontario	4%	6% after 5 years
Quebec	4%	6% after 3 years
New Brunswick	4%	6% after 8 years
Nova Scotia	4%	6% after 8 years
Prince Edward Island	4%	6% after 5 years
Newfoundland and Labrador	4%	6% after 15 years
Yukon	4%	none
Northwest Territories	4%	6% after 5 years
Nunavut	4%	6% after 5 years
Federally regulated (Canada Labour Code)	4%	6% after 5 years; 8% after 10 years

Worked example: Ontario, 6 years of service, $60,000 wages

Vacation pay: 6% × $60,000 = $3,600.00 (three weeks). Statutory holiday pay: $4,600 earned in the four weeks before the holiday ÷ 20 = $230.00.

Assumptions

Statutory minimums only. Your contract or collective agreement may be better.
Exempt occupations and part-time eligibility rules are not checked.

If you were not paid what you are owed

Vacation and holiday pay are enforced by your province’s employment standards office, free of charge, usually within two years of the pay period.

Ask your employer in writing first, quoting the calculation. Most underpayments are fixed at this step.
Ontario: file a claim with the Ministry of Labour online. Other provinces have the same process under their employment standards act.Ontario: filing an employment standards claim ↗
Federally regulated employers (banks, airlines, telecoms, rail): complain to the federal Labour Program instead.Federal labour standards ↗

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

How much vacation pay am I entitled to?: At least 4% of your gross wages, which is two weeks, everywhere in Canada. It rises to 6%, three weeks, after 3 years in Quebec, 5 years in Ontario, BC, Alberta, Manitoba, PEI, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, 8 years in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and 15 years in Newfoundland and Labrador. Saskatchewan pays 3/52 of wages (5.77%), rising to 4/52 after 10 years. Federally regulated employees get 8% after 10 years.
Is vacation pay paid on top of my salary?: For salaried employees it is usually built into your regular pay while you are on vacation. For hourly and commission employees it is a separate percentage of wages, paid each pay period or before the vacation.
How is statutory holiday pay calculated?: It depends on where you work. Ontario, Quebec and federal employers pay the wages earned in the four weeks before the holiday divided by 20. BC pays the average day's wages over the previous 30 days. Alberta and the territories pay the average daily wage over four weeks. Saskatchewan and PEI pay 5% of the previous four weeks' wages. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Yukon pay a regular day's pay.
Are managers covered?: Vacation pay generally applies to managers too, but statutory holiday and overtime rules often exclude them. Some jobs, such as farm workers, some professionals and commission salespeople, have exemptions that vary by province.
What do I get if I work on a statutory holiday?: In most provinces, holiday pay plus 1.5 times your regular rate for the hours worked, or regular pay plus a substitute day off. BC pays time and a half for the first 12 hours and double time after that, plus an average day's pay. Quebec pays regular wages plus the holiday indemnity or a day off in lieu, with no premium. Newfoundland and Labrador pays double or an extra day.
Do I qualify for holiday pay if I just started?: It depends on the province. Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have no minimum service, as long as you work your scheduled shifts before and after. BC requires 30 days of employment and 15 days worked in the previous 30, Alberta 30 days worked in the last 12 months, and New Brunswick 90 days.
Do I get vacation pay when I quit or am let go?: Yes. Any vacation pay earned but not yet paid is owed on your final pay, everywhere in Canada, whether you quit or were let go. If your employer paid it on every cheque, only the unpaid part is owed.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of these primary sources. Data last verified September 7, 2026.

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Data verified for tax year 2026: September 7, 2026 Updated September 7, 2026 By Nishant Malik, founder of GlassLayer