Vacation pay · Quebec
Quebec vacation pay.
How much vacation pay you are owed in Quebec, and how many weeks of vacation time your years of service entitle you to.
Quebec pays a vacation indemnity of 4% of gross wages with two weeks of vacation, rising to 6% and three consecutive weeks at three years of uninterrupted service.
Quebec’s three-year step is the earliest in Canada — most provinces make you wait five. It is measured at the end of the reference year, which normally runs 1 May to 30 April.
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Your vacation entitlement
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How Quebec vacation entitlement steps up
| Length of service | Vacation time | Vacation pay |
|---|---|---|
| From the first year up to 1 years | 2 weeks | 4% |
| 1 years up to 3 years | 2 weeks | 4% |
| 3 years and over | 3 weeks | 6% |
The step at three years is measured at the end of the reference year, and this matters more than it looks: reach three years part-way through a reference year and you get 6% on that whole year’s gross wages, including the months earned before the anniversary. Under one year of service you earn one day of vacation per full month, capped at two weeks, with the 4% indemnity.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: CNESST — Annual vacation.
Frequently asked questions
How much vacation pay do I get in Quebec?
4% of your gross wages for the reference year with two weeks of vacation, rising to 6% and three consecutive weeks once you are credited with three years of uninterrupted service at the end of a reference year.
Under one year of service you earn one day per full month worked, capped at two weeks, with the 4% indemnity.
When do I get three weeks of vacation in Quebec?
At three years of uninterrupted service — the earliest threshold in Canada. Most provinces make you wait five, and Newfoundland and Labrador makes you wait longer still.
It is measured at the end of the reference year, not on the anniversary itself.
What is a reference year in Quebec?
A 12-month period over which vacation is earned. In most workplaces it runs from 1 May to 30 April, though an employer, a decree or a collective agreement can set a different one.
The vacation earned in a reference year must be taken within the 12 months following the end of that year.
I hit three years part-way through the year — do I get 6% on everything?
Yes. Because the entitlement is assessed at the end of the reference year, reaching three years part-way through means the 6% applies to the whole reference year’s gross wages.
CNESST's own worked example makes exactly this point: the higher rate applies to earnings from months in which the employee had not yet reached three years of service.
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. Vacation entitlement in Quebec is set by the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST).
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.