Employment standards · British Columbia
BC final pay deadline.
Enter how the job ended and the date, and see when British Columbia's Employment Standards Act says the last wages must be paid.
Under the BC Employment Standards Act, an employer must pay all wages owing within 48 hours after the employer terminates the employment (s.18(1)) and within 6 days after the employee terminates it (s.18(2)). Ordinary wages are due within 8 days after the end of the pay period (s.17(1)). British Columbia only.
How did the job end?
Wages due by
Enter a date and press Calculate.
What this does and does not cover
This calculator adds 48 hours, 6 days or 8 days to a date you enter, following the BC Employment Standards Act. It does not calculate how much is owed, and it does not decide whether wages are in dispute. The Act text does not say how to count the day of termination, so this tool treats that day as day 0 and does not count it, and it does not move a deadline that falls on a weekend or holiday. If you are close to the date, treat the earlier day as the deadline.
When the employer ends the job, s.18(1)
An employer must pay all wages owing to an employee within 48 hours after the employer terminates the employment. This tool counts that as two 24-hour periods from the moment of termination. Enter the time if you know it.
When the employee quits, s.18(2)
An employer must pay all wages owing to an employee within 6 days after the employee terminates the employment.
Regular pay, s.17(1)
At least semimonthly and within 8 days after the end of the pay period, an employer must pay all wages earned in that pay period. Section 17(2) says this does not apply to overtime wages credited to a time bank or to vacation pay.
If the employee cannot be found, s.19
If an employer cannot locate an employee to pay the wages, the employer must pay the wages to the director within 60 days after the wages became payable (s.19(1.1)). The result shows that date as well.
Source, read 30 September 2026: Employment Standards Act, RSBC 1996, c.113, sections 17, 18 and 19.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a BC employer have to pay final wages?
48 hours after the employer terminates the employment, or 6 days after the employee terminates it (Employment Standards Act s.18).
Does final pay include vacation pay?
Section 18 says all wages owing. Check the Act's definition of wages and section 58 on vacation pay, or ask the Employment Standards Branch, since this tool only calculates dates.
Do other provinces use the same deadlines?
Not necessarily. This page only cites British Columbia's Act, so it does not cover other provinces or federally regulated employers.
Not legal advice
This is general date arithmetic, not legal advice. It does not compute amounts owed or holiday extensions. Check with the BC Employment Standards Branch or a lawyer. This runs entirely in your browser: nothing you enter is transmitted, stored, or logged.