Leave and Benefits Guide · Canada

🇨🇦 Leave and Benefits in
Canada

Statutory leave entitlements and mandatory benefits for employers in Canada — annual leave, sick leave, maternity, paternity and public holidays.

\u2190 Canada Overview

Leave Entitlements at a Glance — Canada

Annual Leave

10 days

Sick Leave

3 days

Maternity Leave

15 weeks

Paternity Leave

5 weeks

Public Holidays

10 days

13th Month Pay

Not required

Statutory Leave Types

Leave TypeEntitlementPaidNotes
annual10 daysYes100% pay
sick10 daysYes55% pay
maternity15 daysYes55% pay
paternity5 daysYes55% pay
parental35 daysYes55% pay
bereavement3 daysYes100% pay

Public Holidays — Canada 2026

HolidayDate
New Year's Day1 Jan 2026
Good Friday3 Apr 2026
Easter Monday6 Apr 2026
Victoria Day18 May 2026
Canada Day1 Jul 2026
Labour Day7 Sept 2026
Thanksgiving Day12 Oct 2026
Remembrance Day11 Nov 2026
Christmas Day25 Dec 2026
Boxing Day26 Dec 2026

Mandatory Employer Benefits — Canada

Legally required employer contributions and benefits under Canada law.

BenefitTypeEmployer CostFrequencyTax Treatment

Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

Employer matches employee CPP at 5.95% of pensionable earnings between the basic exemption ($3,500) and maximum ($68,500 for 2024).

Cash5.95%monthlyExempt

Employment Insurance (EI)

Employer EI rate is 1.4x the employee premium rate (~2.32% in 2024) on insurable earnings up to the annual maximum of $63,200.

Cash2.21%monthlyExempt

Workers Compensation (WCB/WSIB)

Administered by provincial/territorial workers compensation boards. Rates vary by province and industry. Employer pays the full premium with no employee deduction.

CashVariesquarterlyExempt

EOR Intelligence

Manage leave compliance in Canada via EOR.

An Employer of Record administers all statutory leave and benefits on your behalf.

Explore EOR

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Leave entitlements in Canada are subject to change. Always consult a qualified local employment lawyer.

About This Guide

  • \u2713 Sourced from official government publications
  • \u2713 Updated monthly — always current rules
  • \u2713 For guidance only — not legal advice

Free Tool

Compare leave entitlements across countries.

Side-by-side leave and benefits analysis across all active countries.

Compare countries