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What are my rights at work?

In Canada your minimum rights at work are set mostly by your province, not by the federal government. A few industries, such as banks, airlines and telecoms, follow federal rules instead. Your contract can give you more, never less.

Last checked 8 Oct 2026·Information, not advice

In 30 seconds

  • Find out first whether your job is provincial or federal: that decides which rules apply
  • Minimum holiday is 2 weeks in most places, rising to 3 weeks after 5 years in Ontario, BC and Alberta (3 years in Quebec)
  • Minimum wages in 2026 run from C$15.00 an hour in Alberta to C$18.25 in British Columbia
Federal minimum wageC$18.15 an hourFrom 1 Apr 2026, about £9.81
Ontario minimum wageC$17.95 an hourFrom 1 Oct 2026
Minimum holiday2 weeksAfter a year; more with service
Ontario overtimeAfter 44 hoursA week, at time and a half

Provincial or federal rules?

Unlike the UK, where one set of employment laws covers Great Britain, each Canadian province has its own employment standards law, such as Ontario’s Employment Standards Act (ESA) and British Columbia’s (BC’s) Employment Standards Act. Most jobs come under these.

The Canada Labour Code covers federally regulated industries instead. These include banks, air transport and airports, railways and road transport that cross provincial or international borders, telecoms, broadcasting, postal and courier services and most federal Crown corporations, such as Canada Post. If you work for a bank in Toronto, federal rules apply, not Ontario’s.

Minimum wages in 2026

WhereGeneral minimum wageSince
Federal industriesC$18.151 April 2026
British ColumbiaC$18.251 June 2026
OntarioC$17.951 October 2026
Prince Edward IslandC$17.30 (C$17.60 from 1 April 2027)1 October 2026
Nova ScotiaC$17.001 October 2026
QuebecC$16.601 May 2026
ManitobaC$16.401 October 2026
SaskatchewanC$15.701 October 2026
AlbertaC$15.001 October 2018
Check the live rate on your provincial government’s website

Where a provincial minimum is higher than the federal rate, federally regulated employers must pay the higher one. Most rates rise each year with inflation. There are separate rates for some groups, such as students and tipped workers.

Holiday and public holidays

WhereMinimum paid holidayHoliday pay
Ontario2 weeks; 3 weeks after 5 years4% of wages; 6% after 5 years
British Columbia2 weeks after 12 months; 3 weeks after 5 years4%; 6% after 5 years
Alberta2 weeks after a year; 3 weeks after 5 years4%; 6% after 5 years
Quebec2 weeks after a year; 3 weeks after 3 years4%; 6% after 3 years
Federal industries2 weeks; 3 after 5 years; 4 after 10 years4%, 6% or 8%

That is far less than the UK’s statutory minimum, so holiday is worth negotiating. Public holidays are also set by province. Ontario has 9: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. BC has 11, including BC Day, Remembrance Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Each province has rules on who qualifies for holiday pay. See Public holidays and school holidays.

Hours and overtime

WhereOvertime pay starts afterRate
Ontario44 hours a week (not daily). You can’t be made to work more than 48 hours a week without agreementTime and a half
British Columbia8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. Double time after 12 hours in a dayTime and a half
Alberta8 hours a day or 44 hours a week, whichever gives moreTime and a half, or banked time off by written agreement
Quebec40 hours a week for most workersTime and a half

Some jobs and industries have different rules or are exempt, and averaging agreements can change how overtime is counted. Check your province’s rules for your type of work.

Sick days

  • Ontario: 3 unpaid, job-protected sick days a year after 2 weeks in the job
  • British Columbia: 5 paid and 3 unpaid sick days a year after 90 days in the job. Your employer usually can’t ask for a doctor’s note for short absences
  • Federal industries: up to 10 paid sick days a year, built up month by month
  • Your employer’s own sick pay scheme may be more generous. Check your contract and benefits booklet for longer illness

Notice, severance and being let go

In Ontario and BC you aren’t owed statutory notice in your first 3 months. After that the minimum grows with service:

Time with employerOntario minimum noticeBC minimum notice or pay
3 months to 1 year1 week1 week
1 to 3 years2 weeks2 weeks
3 years and over1 week for each year, up to 8 weeks at 8 years3 weeks at 3 years, then 1 more week each year, up to 8 weeks

Employers can give working notice, pay in lieu, or a mix. In Ontario you also get severance pay if you’ve worked there 5 years or more and the employer’s payroll is at least C$2.5 million: 1 week’s pay per year of service, up to 26 weeks. These are minimums. Courts can award much longer “reasonable notice” under common law, unless your contract validly limits it, so get advice from an employment lawyer before signing a settlement.

Where to complain

  • Ontario: file a claim with the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, generally within 2 years
  • British Columbia: the Employment Standards Branch, 1-833-236-3700
  • Alberta: Alberta Employment Standards
  • Quebec: the CNESST
  • Federal industries: the federal Labour Program
On a work permit? Employment standards protect you in the same way as Canadian workers. Employers can’t charge you recruitment fees. If something goes wrong, contact your provincial employment standards office. See Changing jobs if you want to leave.

What to do next

  1. Check whether your employer is provincially or federally regulated
  2. Read your province’s employment standards guide
  3. Keep copies of your contract, payslips and hours

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SourcesLast checked 8 Oct 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the official source before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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