Work out your vacation pay and how much paid time off you are owed under the employment standards of your province, territory or the federal Canada Labour Code. Most workers get 4% of gross wages and two weeks off, rising to 6% and three weeks after a set number of years, which ranges from 3 years in Quebec to 15 in Newfoundland and Labrador. An Ontario employee with 3 years of service and $52,000 of wages is owed $2,080 of vacation pay and 2 weeks off; after 5 years it becomes $3,120 and 3 weeks.
Vacation Pay Calculator Canada
Vacation pay and weeks off in every province, territory and federal job · Updated October 13, 2026
- Vacation pay rate
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- Paid vacation time
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- Vacation pay per week off
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- Next increase
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Minimum standards as of October 13, 2026. Your contract or collective agreement can give more. Near a milestone year, see the notes below on when the higher rate starts.
Vacation pay rules by province and territory
| Jurisdiction | Vacation pay | Vacation time |
|---|---|---|
| Federal (Canada Labour Code) | 4%; 6% after 5 years; 8% after 10 years | 2 weeks after 1 year; 3 after 5; 4 after 10 |
| Alberta | 4%; 6% after 5 years | 2 weeks after 1 year; 3 after 5 |
| British Columbia | 4%; 6% after 5 years | 2 weeks after 1 year; 3 after 5 |
| Manitoba | 4%; 6% after 5 years | 2 weeks after 1 year; 3 after 5 |
| New Brunswick | 4%; 6% after 8 years | 2 weeks (or 1 day per month); 3 after 8 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 4%; 6% after 15 years | 2 weeks; 3 after 15 |
| Nova Scotia | 4%; 6% from the start of the 8th year | 2 weeks; 3 after 8 years |
| Northwest Territories | 4%; 6% after 5 years | 2 weeks; 3 from the 6th year |
| Nunavut | 4%; 6% from the 6th year | 2 weeks; 3 after 5 years |
| Ontario | 4%; 6% with 5 or more years | 2 weeks; 3 with 5 or more years |
| Prince Edward Island | 4%; 6% after 5 years | 2 weeks; 3 after 5 years |
| Quebec | 4%; 6% after 3 years | 1 day per month in year 1; 2 weeks after 1 year; 3 after 3 |
| Saskatchewan | 3/52 (5.77%); 4/52 (7.69%) after 10 years | 3 weeks; 4 after 10 years |
| Yukon | 4% | 2 weeks |
Prince Edward Island’s new Employment Standards Act, in force since June 30, 2026, lowered the third week from 8 years of service to 5. Federally regulated workplaces include banks, airlines, interprovincial trucking, telecommunications and federal Crown corporations.
How vacation pay is calculated
Vacation pay is a percentage of the gross wages you earned in the vacation year, usually including overtime, commissions and statutory holiday pay. Ontario excludes vacation pay itself from the base. The percentage matches the weeks off: 4% is roughly two weeks’ pay, 6% three weeks and 8% four weeks. Saskatchewan states its rates as 3/52 and 4/52 of wages, exactly three or four weeks.
Depending on the province, your employer pays it before you go on vacation, on each pay cheque if you agree in writing (common for part-time and hourly workers), or in another way the rules allow. If you leave, any vacation pay not yet paid must be included in your final pay.
When the higher rate starts
The calculator applies the higher rate once you have completed the number of years shown. In some provinces the higher rate covers the whole year in which you reach the milestone. Ontario gives 6% on the wages of the vacation year at the end of which you have five years of service. Manitoba and British Columbia pay 6% on the fifth year’s wages once you complete five years, so a Manitoba employer must top up that year from 4% to 6%. Nova Scotia’s 6% starts at the beginning of the eighth year, one year before the third week of vacation.
Examples
| Situation | Gross wages | Rate | Vacation pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario, 3 years | $52,000 | 4% | $2,080.00 |
| Ontario, 6 years | $52,000 | 6% | $3,120.00 |
| Federal job, 12 years | $70,000 | 8% | $5,600.00 |
| Quebec, 3 years | $48,000 | 6% | $2,880.00 |
| Saskatchewan, 2 years | $45,000 | 3/52 | $2,596.15 |
| Nova Scotia, 7 years | $50,000 | 6% | $3,000.00 |
Good to know
- Part-time, casual and seasonal employees earn vacation pay on their wages too, in most provinces from the first day or after a short qualifying period (5 calendar days in B.C., 14 days in Yukon).
- Vacation pay is taxable employment income, so income tax, CPP or QPP and EI are deducted from it like regular pay.
- A few jobs have special rules or are exempt from the vacation standards, and these vary by province. Check with your province’s employment standards office if you are unsure.
- Vacation time and vacation pay are separate rights: being paid 4% on each cheque does not take away your right to time off.
FAQ
Is vacation pay calculated on gross or net pay?
On gross pay, before income tax, CPP and EI are taken off.
How much vacation pay do I get on $40,000 a year?
$1,600 at 4%, $2,400 at 6% and $3,200 at 8%. In Saskatchewan it is $2,307.69 (3/52) or $3,076.92 (4/52) after 10 years.
Do I get vacation pay if I quit in my first year?
Yes. You earn vacation pay as you earn wages, so it is owed on the wages you earned even if you leave before a full year.
Does the federal 8% apply to me?
Only if your employer is federally regulated. Most private-sector employees, such as those in retail, restaurants, construction and offices, fall under their province’s rules.
Related calculators
- Ontario Stat Holiday Pay CalculatorPublic holiday pay and premium pay
- Salary to Hourly Calculator CanadaWeekly, biweekly and monthly pay
- Canada Income Tax Calculator 2026Take-home pay by province
- CPP and EI Calculator 2026Payroll deductions
Sources
- Government of Canada: Annual vacations and general holidays (federal)
- Canada Labour Code, sections 184 and 184.01
- Alberta: Vacations and vacation pay
- British Columbia: Annual vacation
- Manitoba: Vacations and vacation pay
- Saskatchewan: Calculating and paying vacation pay
- Ontario: Your guide to the Employment Standards Act, Vacation
- CNESST (Quebec): Annual vacation
- New Brunswick: Paid public holidays, vacation time and pay
- Nova Scotia: Vacation time and vacation pay
- Prince Edward Island: Vacation and vacation pay
- Prince Edward Island: Changes to the Employment Standards Act · in force June 30, 2026
- Newfoundland and Labrador: Labour Standards Act, section 8
- Yukon: Annual vacation pay and vacation time
- Northwest Territories: Employment standards fact sheet
- Nunavut: Labour and employment standards
Figures current as of October 13, 2026
Each formula is checked against a separate test sheet with at least three worked examples. Results are estimates based on the numbers you enter and the published rules; your actual figures may differ. This is general information, not financial or tax advice.
Spotted a mistake? Contact us and we will fix it and update the date above.