Hire in Canada

Typical time to hire

2-4 weeks for contractor, 3-6 weeks for full-time

Entity requirement

Federal or provincial incorporation. Must register for payroll deductions (CPP, EI, income tax) with CRA.

EOR available

Yes — from $399/employee/month through a Corpshore entity

Contractor of record

Yes — from $39/worker/month

Standard workweek

40 hours (federal); varies by province (37.5-44 hours)

Maximum weekly hours

48 hours

Minimum annual leave

2 weeks (federal); 3 weeks after 5 years. Saskatchewan starts at 3 weeks.

Public holidays

9 per year

Maternity leave

15 weeks (maternity) + 35 weeks (parental) through EI

Paternity leave

35 weeks shared parental, or 5 weeks exclusive paternity in Quebec

Notice period

1-8 weeks depending on tenure (federal); provinces vary. Common law reasonable notice can exceed statutory.

Severance

Federal: 5 days per year of service after 12 months. Ontario: 1 week per year after 5 years (up to 26 weeks).

Probation

Typically 3 months (no statutory limit federally); some provinces set 3-6 months.

Overtime rules

1.5x after standard hours. Some provinces have daily overtime thresholds (e.g., BC: 8 hours/day).

Income tax range

15% to 33% federal, plus provincial (4-25.75%)

Corporate tax

15% federal + provincial (generally 8-16%); combined ~26.5% average

Social contributions

CPP: 5.95% employee + 5.95% employer (2024). EI: 1.63% employee + 2.28% employer.

VAT / GST

5% federal GST + provincial sales tax (0-10%); HST combines both in some provinces (13-15%)

Tax year

Calendar year (Jan-Dec)

Treaty network

Over 90 tax treaties, one of the widest networks globally

Worker classification

CRA uses a multi-factor test examining control, ownership of tools, chance of profit/risk of loss, and integration. Provincial employment standards may apply a separate test.

Data protection

PIPEDA (federal) and provincial equivalents in Alberta, BC, and Quebec. Quebec's Law 25 (effective 2023-2024) adds GDPR-like requirements including privacy impact assessments.

Right to work

Work permit required for non-citizens/PRs. Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) needed for most employer-sponsored permits.

Non-compete

Ontario banned non-competes for most employees effective October 2021. Other provinces assess enforceability case-by-case; courts favour narrow scope.

Collective bargaining

Protected under federal and provincial labour codes. Union density ~30%, higher than the US. Strong in public sector, resources, and manufacturing.

EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) through the Canadian Payments Association is the standard payroll method. Interac e-Transfer widely used for smaller amounts. Stripe Connect supports CAD payouts.

• Bilingual requirements in Quebec (French is the official business language under Bill 96)
• Common law reasonable notice often exceeds statutory minimums, sometimes by months
• Provincial employment standards vary meaningfully: Ontario, BC, Alberta, and Quebec each have distinct regimes
• Remote work has created nexus questions for employers with workers in multiple provinces