Vacation pay in Québec
Under Québec employment standards, employees get 2 weeks of vacation and 4% vacation pay; after 3 years, 3 weeks of vacation and 6% vacation pay. Vacation pay is calculated on your gross wages for the vacation year. On $50,000 of wages, 4% is $2,000.
How vacation pay works in Canada
Every province and territory requires employers to give workers paid vacation, and the money for that time off is called vacation pay. It is calculated as a percentage of your gross wages for the year: 4% when you get two weeks of vacation, 6% for three weeks and 8% for four weeks. The percentages come from the number of weeks in a year — two weeks out of 52 is about 3.85%, rounded up to 4% — so vacation pay works the same way whether you're salaried, hourly, full-time or part-time.
Your employer can pay it in different ways depending on the province and your agreement: as your regular salary while you're on vacation (common for salaried staff), as a lump sum before you leave, or added to every paycheque (common for part-time, casual and temporary workers). If you leave your job, any vacation pay you haven't received must be paid out with your final pay.
Minimum vacation by province
| Jurisdiction | Starting entitlement | After more service |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario, B.C., Alberta, Manitoba | 2 weeks, 4% | 3 weeks, 6% after 5 years |
| Québec | 2 weeks, 4% | 3 weeks, 6% after 3 years |
| Saskatchewan | 3 weeks, 3/52 (5.77%) | 4 weeks, 4/52 (7.69%) after 10 years |
| New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. | 2 weeks, 4% | 3 weeks, 6% after 8 years |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 2 weeks, 4% | 3 weeks, 6% after 15 years |
| Northwest Territories, Nunavut | 2 weeks, 4% | 3 weeks, 6% after 6 years |
| Yukon | 2 weeks, 4% | — |
| Federal (banks, airlines, telecom, etc.) | 2 weeks, 4% | 3 weeks, 6% after 5 years; 4 weeks, 8% after 10 years |
These are legal minimums. Many employment contracts and collective agreements give more, and some provinces have special rules for particular industries. If you work for a federally regulated employer, such as a bank, airline, railway or telecom company, the Canada Labour Code applies instead of provincial law.
What counts as "wages"
Vacation pay is calculated on the gross wages you earned in the vacation entitlement year. In most provinces that includes regular pay, overtime, commissions, non-discretionary bonuses and public holiday pay. Alberta is an exception: overtime, general holiday pay and vacation pay itself are left out. Discretionary bonuses, tips and expense reimbursements are usually excluded everywhere. Check your province's rules if your pay includes these extras.
Is vacation pay taxable?
Yes. Vacation pay is employment income, so income tax, CPP (or QPP) and EI premiums are deducted from it just like your regular pay. If it is added to each paycheque, you'll see it as a separate line on your pay stub.
Worked examples
An Ontario employee who earned $52,000 in the year with two years of service is entitled to two weeks of vacation and 4% vacation pay: $2,080. If it is added to every bi-weekly paycheque, that is $80 a cheque. After five years, the rate rises to 6%, or $3,120 on the same earnings.
In Saskatchewan, where the minimum is three weeks from the start, $48,000 of wages earns 3/52 of pay: $2,769.60. In Québec, an employee with three years of service on $45,000 already gets three weeks and 6%: $2,700.
To see what you take home after tax, use our Canada income tax calculator, or convert an hourly rate to a yearly salary with the salary to hourly calculator.
By location
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nova Scotia
- Northwest Territories
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon
Frequently asked questions
Is vacation pay 4% or 6%?
How do I calculate 4% vacation pay?
Do part-time workers get vacation pay?
Do I get vacation pay when I quit?
Sources & methodology
This calculator was last reviewed on November 2, 2026. Figures are based on the following official and primary sources:
- Government of Canada – Annual vacations (federal jurisdiction)
- Ontario – Your guide to the Employment Standards Act: Vacation
- B.C. Employment Standards – Annual vacation
- CNESST (Québec) – Annual vacation
- Provincial and federal employment standards legislation
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