Is my Canadian job offer a good one?

A Canadian offer is usually a gross annual salary plus a benefits package. The salary is only part of the picture: health and dental cover, pension matching and holiday can add up to a lot. Here’s how to read the numbers and what to ask before you sign.

Salary and what comes off it

Offers are almost always written as a gross salary per year, for example C$90,000. As in the UK, income tax comes off at source, but there are two layers: federal and provincial. Two payroll contributions also come off, a bit like National Insurance.

On a C$90,000 salary, CPP, CPP2 and EI together take about C$5,770 a year (about £3,120), before income tax. Quebec has its own pension plan (QPP) in place of CPP. The pay calculator works out your take-home pay, and How much tax will I pay? explains income tax.

Benefits: the part of the offer you can’t see in the salary

Unlike the UK, Canada has no NHS-style cover for prescriptions, dentists or eye tests for most working adults. Your provincial health plan covers doctors and hospitals, but many employers add a package of “benefits”. Ask for the benefits booklet, not just a summary. Things to look for:

• Extended health: prescriptions, physiotherapy, counselling, glasses. Check the percentage covered and any yearly limits
• Dental: check what share of check-ups and bigger work is paid, and whether your family is covered
• Pension: some employers match what you pay into a group RRSP or pension plan, up to a set percentage. This is on top of CPP. See Pensions and savings
• Life and disability insurance
• When cover starts. Some plans have a waiting period, so check whether you need cover to bridge the gap

Holiday and hours

The legal minimum holiday is much lower than in the UK. In Ontario, British Columbia (BC) and Alberta it is 2 weeks a year, rising to 3 weeks after 5 years with the same employer. In Quebec it rises to 3 weeks after 3 years. On top of this you get paid public holidays. Many professional offers give 3 or 4 weeks from the start, and some employers will negotiate. Get any extra in writing.

Overtime rules vary by province: in Ontario overtime pay starts after 44 hours a week. Some salaried jobs are exempt or set different rules, so ask how overtime works. More in Your rights at work.

Probation and notice

Probation is a contract term, not a legal status. What the law does say is that in Ontario and BC, an employer doesn’t have to give statutory notice or pay in lieu in your first 3 months. After that, minimum notice grows with your time in the job. Your contract can give more, never less. Read the termination clause carefully: it often decides what you’d get if you were let go.

If your employer sponsors your work permit

Many Brits come on an employer-specific work permit. Some need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), where the employer shows that no Canadian or permanent resident is available. Others are LMIA-exempt.

An employer-specific permit ties you to that employer, so changing jobs means a new permit. See Which visa do I need? and Changing jobs.

Relocation help

There is no legal rule about relocation help. It is down to what you negotiate. Common items to ask about:

• Flights for you and your family
• Temporary accommodation for the first few weeks
• Shipping your belongings
• Work permit fees for you, your partner and children
• Whether any of it must be repaid if you leave within a year or two

Questions to ask before you sign

1. What benefits do I get, from which date, and do they cover my family?
2. Is there a pension or RRSP match, and how much?
3. How many weeks of holiday, and does it rise with service?
4. How does overtime work in this role?
5. How long is probation, and what does the termination clause say?
6. If I need a work permit, who handles and pays for it?
7. What relocation help is there, and is any of it repayable?
8. When is pay reviewed?