Statutory holiday pay · the federal jurisdiction
the federal jurisdiction stat holiday pay.
What you are owed for a the federal jurisdiction statutory holiday, whether you take the day off or work it.
Federally regulated employees get 10 general holidays with no minimum service requirement at all.
Holiday pay is one twentieth of the wages, excluding overtime, earned in the four-week period immediately before the week of the holiday.
wages, excluding overtime, earned in the 4-week period immediately before the week of the holiday ÷ 20Inputs
What you are owed
Fill the form and press Calculate.
the federal jurisdiction statutory holidays in 2026
the federal jurisdiction recognises 10 general holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- Labour Day
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (30 September)
- Thanksgiving Day
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
The federal list is the only one that includes Boxing Day alongside the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the only one with no August civic holiday. Employees of federally regulated employers in Quebec therefore get 30 September and Remembrance Day, which their provincially regulated neighbours do not.
Who qualifies for holiday pay
There is no service requirement. The Canada Labour Code entitles federally regulated employees to a day off with pay for each of the ten general holidays, with no minimum period of continuous employment. Older material citing a 30-day rule is quoting repealed law; the only nearby threshold is the 12 weeks of continuous employment needed for the alternative calculation used by commission-paid employees. If your employer schedules you to work a general holiday and you do not report, it does not have to pay you for the day.
How the federal jurisdiction calculates the pay
Section 196(1) of the Canada Labour Code requires holiday pay of at least one twentieth of the wages, excluding overtime pay, that the employee earned with the employer in the four-week period immediately preceding the week in which the general holiday occurs. Commission employees with at least 12 weeks of continuous employment use an alternative under section 196(2): one sixtieth of wages over the preceding 12 weeks. Part-time employees get the same ten holidays with pay adjusted to hours worked.
Working the holiday: Working a general holiday pays your holiday pay plus no less than 1½ times your regular rate of wages for the time worked on that day.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: Government of Canada — Vacation and general holidays, federal labour standards.
Frequently asked questions
How many general holidays are there federally?
Ten: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
The federal list is the only one that includes Boxing Day alongside 30 September, and the only one with no August civic holiday.
Is there a 30-day qualifying rule for federal holiday pay?
No. There is no service requirement at all. The Canada Labour Code entitles federally regulated employees to a day off with pay for each general holiday with no minimum period of continuous employment.
The 30-day rule is repealed federal law that still circulates in older secondary material. The only nearby threshold is the 12 weeks of continuous employment needed for the alternative calculation used by commission-paid employees. Note that the 30-day rule is live in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, which is probably where the confusion comes from.
How is federal general holiday pay calculated?
At least one twentieth of the wages, excluding overtime pay, that you earned with the employer in the four-week period immediately before the week in which the holiday occurs — section 196(1) of the Canada Labour Code.
Commission employees with at least 12 weeks of continuous employment instead use one sixtieth of wages over the preceding 12 weeks.
What do I get for working a federal general holiday?
Your holiday pay plus no less than 1½ times your regular rate of wages for the time worked on that day.
If your employer schedules you to work the holiday and you do not report, it is not required to pay you for the day.
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. Statutory holiday entitlement in the federal jurisdiction is set by the Labour Program at Employment and Social Development Canada, and several occupations are exempt.
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.