Canadian Overtime Calculator
Calculate overtime pay with BC/Alberta "whichever is greater" rule, federal employee rules, stat holiday pay, banked time, and vacation pay accrual.
Banks, airlines, telecom - follow Canada Labour Code (8h/day, 40h/week)
Vacation pay is mandatory by law but can be disabled for calculations
Vacation Pay: 4% of gross pay
Canadian overtime laws vary significantly by province. While the federal Canada Labour Code applies to banks, airlines, and telecom companies, each province has its own employment standards legislation.
British Columbia, Alberta & Manitoba: "Whichever is Greater"
These provinces use a unique "whichever is greater" rule that compares daily overtime vs weekly overtime and uses whichever pays more:
- BC: Daily OT (1.5x after 8h, 2x after 12h), Weekly OT (1.5x after 40h) - whichever is greater
- Alberta: Daily OT (1.5x after 8h), Weekly OT (1.5x after 44h) - whichever is greater
- Manitoba: Daily OT (1.5x after 8h), Weekly OT (1.5x after 40h) - whichever is greater
This ensures employees always receive the maximum overtime pay, whether it comes from daily or weekly calculations.
Ontario: 44-Hour Threshold
Ontario has a 44-hour weekly threshold (compared to 40 hours federally). However, federal employees in Ontario still use the 40-hour threshold under the Canada Labour Code.
Federal Employees (Canada Labour Code)
If you work for a federally regulated industry (banks, airlines, telecom, shipping, railways), you follow the Canada Labour Code regardless of your province:
- Daily OT: 1.5x pay after 8 hours in a day
- Weekly OT: 1.5x pay after 40 hours in a week
Statutory holiday pay in Canada is complex and varies by province, but generally includes:
- Average Day's Pay: If you don't work the holiday, you receive your average day's pay
- Premium Rate: If you work the holiday, you receive your average day's pay PLUS 1.5x premium for hours worked
Ontario/Quebec: Calculate 1/20th of wages from the last 4 weeks (simplified: weekly pay ÷ 5)
BC/Alberta: Use average day formula (total wages ÷ days worked in last 30 days, simplified: weekly pay ÷ days worked)
Canadians often "bank" overtime hours instead of taking cash pay. Banked time allows you to take paid time off later at a premium rate.
- Standard Ratio: 1:1.5 (1 hour of OT = 1.5 hours of paid time off)
- Alberta 2026: Default ratio is 1:1 (1 hour OT = 1 hour PTO) unless a special agreement is in place
- Federal Employees: Use standard 1:1.5 ratio
Example: If you work 6 hours of overtime, you can bank 9 hours of paid time off (6 × 1.5 = 9) under standard rules, or 6 hours under Alberta's default 1:1 ratio.
In Canada, vacation pay is calculated on top of your gross earnings, including overtime:
- Less than 5 years of service: 4% vacation pay
- 5 years or more of service: 6% vacation pay
This calculator automatically adds vacation pay to your total gross pay before pushing it to the tax calculator, ensuring accurate tax calculations that include vacation pay.