Overtime pay · Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island overtime pay.
When overtime starts in Prince Edward Island, what it is worth, and what a week of long shifts actually pays.
Overtime in Prince Edward Island starts after 44 hours in a week and is paid at 1½ times your own regular rate.
The threshold was 48 hours under the old Act, which has been repealed. Anything still quoting 48 for PEI is out of date.
Inputs
Your week
Fill the form and press Calculate.
Prince Edward Island overtime rules
- Weekly threshold: overtime starts after 44 hours in a week.
- No daily threshold: a long single shift is not overtime on its own — only the weekly total counts.
- Overtime rate: 1.5× the regular rate.
This number changed. Under the repealed Employment Standards Act the standard work week was 48 hours; the new Act, Chapter E-6.3, sets it at 44 hours in section 15(1). Guidance and posters still circulating that say 48 are out of date. Overtime is 1½ times your own regular rate, unlike New Brunswick and Newfoundland. Banking is permitted on your written notice at 1.5 hours off per overtime hour, taken within three months. Averaging agreements must be written and signed before they start, run two to four weeks, and cannot schedule an average above 44 hours a week; you must also get at least 36 consecutive hours of rest each week or be paid overtime instead.
Who is exempt
A Standard Work Week Exemption Order sets longer thresholds for highway construction and maintenance, seafood processing and the trucking industry at 55 hours, and for community care facility employees at 96 hours over two weeks. That Order dates from 2019, when the statutory standard was still 48 hours, and whether the Board has re-issued it under the new Act is not confirmed on the province’s pages — check with the Employment Standards Branch before relying on it.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: Government of PEI — Overtime and averaging agreements.
Frequently asked questions
When does overtime start in PEI?
After 44 hours in a week, at 1½ times your own regular rate. There is no daily threshold.
Section 15(1) of the new Employment Standards Act sets the standard work week at 44 hours.
Is PEI overtime still 48 hours?
No, and this is the single most commonly wrong figure about PEI employment standards. The old Act that set 48 hours has been repealed; the current standard work week is 44 hours.
Posters and third-party guides still quoting 48 are working from the repealed statute.
Can I bank overtime in PEI?
Yes, on your own written notice — the employer cannot impose it. You bank 1.5 hours of paid time off at your regular rate per overtime hour worked.
The time off must be taken within three months of the work week the overtime was earned in, and any unused balance is paid out at 1.5 times your regular wage when employment ends.
What is a PEI averaging agreement?
A written agreement, signed by both parties before it begins, that averages hours over two to four weeks and must specify the period, start and end dates, the daily schedule and renewal terms.
You cannot be scheduled to average more than 44 hours a week, overtime is still owed at 1.5 times if the average is exceeded, and you must get at least 36 consecutive hours of rest each week or be paid overtime instead.
Estimate only — not legal advice
This calculator produces an estimate from the published employment-standards minimums. It is not legal advice and it is not a determination of what you are owed. Overtime rules in Prince Edward Island are set by PEI Employment Standards, and a long list of occupations is exempt or subject to a different threshold.
Collective agreements, employment contracts, exemptions for your occupation, averaging agreements and permits can all change the answer. For a binding answer, contact the employment-standards office named above or a lawyer.