Sick leave · Canada
Paid sick leave by province.
Which Canadian jurisdictions require paid sick days, how many days each gives and how long you must have worked to qualify.
Paid sick days are rare in provincial law: British Columbia (5 paid days), Quebec (2), Prince Edward Island (1 to 3 after the first year) and federally regulated employers (10). Everywhere else the statutory days are unpaid.
Choose your jurisdiction
Paid Sick Leave, jurisdiction by jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Ontario | 3 unpaid days a year |
| Quebec | 2 paid days a year |
| British Columbia | 5 paid and 3 unpaid days a year |
| Alberta | 5 unpaid days a year (personal and family responsibility leave) |
| Manitoba | 3 unpaid days a year (family leave) |
| Saskatchewan | Up to 12 days a year protected, unpaid |
| Nova Scotia | 5 unpaid days a year, plus 3 for family |
| New Brunswick | 5 unpaid days in 12 months |
| Prince Edward Island | 4 unpaid days, plus 1 to 3 paid days from the second year |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 7 unpaid days a year |
| Northwest Territories | 5 unpaid days in 12 months |
| Federal | 10 paid days a year |
Not covered on this page
- Nunavut: the Labour Standards Act consolidation published on gov.nu.ca (current to 13 June 2022) contains no sick-leave provision, so no entitlement is listed.
- Yukon: yukon.ca and laws.yukon.ca refused automated access on 19 October 2026 (a Cloudflare challenge on every request), so no Yukon figure is published here.
Sources: each jurisdiction’s own employment standards Act or government guide, read directly 19 October 2026. The exact pages are linked on each jurisdiction’s page.
Frequently asked questions
Which jurisdictions require paid sick days?
British Columbia requires 5 paid and 3 unpaid days after 90 days, Quebec 2 paid days after 3 months, Prince Edward Island 1 paid day in the second year of employment rising to 3 by the fourth, and the Canada Labour Code 10 paid days after 30 days of continuous employment. Everywhere else on this page the statutory days are unpaid.
Is Saskatchewan different?
Yes. Saskatchewan’s page states that paid sick leave is not provided for in The Saskatchewan Employment Act, and it frames its 12 days as protection from dismissal or discipline for an absence due to an illness or injury that is not serious, for employees with more than 13 consecutive weeks of service.
What about long illnesses?
Several jurisdictions also give a longer unpaid medical leave, for example up to 27 weeks in British Columbia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, and a long-term illness and injury leave of 27 weeks per year in Alberta. This hub covers the short sick-day entitlements only.
Reference only — not legal advice
This page states the statutory sick leave entitlement from the published employment-standards legislation or the government’s own guide, read on 19 October 2026. It is not legal advice, does not model a collective agreement or an individual contract, and rules change. For a binding answer, contact the employment standards office named in the source or a lawyer.