Business · Employer of record
Employer of record in Canada
Employing someone in Canada through an employer of record: CPP and EI on top of salary, provincial health taxes, minimum wage, vacation, notice and severance in Ontario and British Columbia, and why there's no at-will employment.
Checked on 16 October 2026. The headline rules for a standard employee, from official sources where they opened and law firm, PwC or specialist publisher guides where they didn't; each line names its source. Sectors, collective agreements and contracts can change them. This is general information, not legal advice.
Know this first
- There's no employment at will in Canada: courts can award far more notice than the statutory minimum unless the contract has an enforceable termination clause.
- Rules here are for Ontario and British Columbia; other provinces, Quebec above all, differ.
- Ontario notice, severance and sick leave are from a 2022 law firm guide, and its minimum wage from a law firm note; the Ontario government pages didn't open for us.
Employing someone in Canada
- Employer costs on top of salary
- CPP of 5.95% on earnings between $3,500 and $74,600, plus 4% between $74,600 and $85,000; EI of $2.28 per $100 up to $68,900. About 8.2% on low to middle earnings (our sum), less above the caps. Ontario and BC also charge employer health tax; the exemptions apply to the employer of record's whole payroll, so they rarely help. ESDC, CPP figures 2026, ESDC, 2026 EI premium rate, Ontario, employer health tax, BC Government, employer health tax
- Minimum wage
- Set by each province: Ontario $17.95 an hour from 1 October 2026; British Columbia $18.25 from 1 June 2026. Hicks Morley, Ontario minimum wage, April 2026, BC Government, minimum wage
- Vacation
- In both provinces, 2 weeks with 4% vacation pay, rising to 3 weeks and 6% after 5 years. Ontario has 9 public holidays; BC lists 11 for 2026. Ontario, Employment Standards Act guide, BC Government, ESA s.58, BC Government, statutory holidays
- Working hours
- Ontario: 8 hours a day and 48 a week unless agreed in writing. BC: overtime after 8 hours a day or 40 a week. Ontario, hours of work, BC Government, ESA s.35
- Probation
- No statutory probation, but no statutory notice is owed in the first 3 months in either province. McMillan LLP, employment law in Ontario, 2022, BC Government, Employment Standards Act s.63
- Notice from the employer
- Ontario: 1 week after 3 months, rising to 8 weeks after 8 years. BC: 1 week after 3 months, 2 after a year, 3 after 3 years, then one more a year up to 8. On top of this, the courts imply "reasonable notice", often far more, unless a valid written clause limits it. McMillan LLP, employment law in Ontario, 2022, BC Government, Employment Standards Act s.63
- Severance
- Ontario only, on top of notice: one week's pay per year of service, up to 26 weeks, after 5 years, if the employer's payroll is $2.5 million or more or 50 or more people lose their jobs within 6 months. McMillan LLP, employment law in Ontario, 2022
- Extra pay the law requires
- None beyond vacation pay.
- Contract
- Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must give certain information in writing before the first day. Termination clauses must be written to be enforceable. Ontario, mandatory information, McMillan LLP, employment law in Ontario, 2022
- Payroll and tax
- The employer withholds income tax, CPP and EI and sends them to the CRA, including employers based outside Canada. BC: pay at least twice a month. CRA, employers' guide T4001, BC Government, ESA s.17
- Sick leave
- Ontario: 3 unpaid job-protected days. BC: 5 paid days a year after 90 days, plus 3 unpaid. McMillan LLP, employment law in Ontario, 2022, BC Government, paid sick leave
Providers and what they say about Canada
What each provider's own website says about Canada, in order of its published starting price. None of them publishes a separate price for Canada; the starting prices are worldwide or regional (Papaya quotes EUR 650 in Europe), and what you pay is set by quote.
| Provider | Covers Canada? | What it says | Starting price a month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skuad | Yes, on its own site | Listed in its coverage list | From USD 199 | Go to Skuad |
| Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) | Implied on its own site | - | USD 399 | Go to Pebl (formerly Velocity Global) |
| Multiplier | Yes, on its own site | Says it uses its own entities everywhere | From USD 459 (annual), USD 499 monthly | Go to Multiplier |
| Deel | Yes, on its own site | Says it has its own entity | From USD 599 | Go to Deel |
| Remote | Yes, on its own site | - | From USD 599 | Go to Remote |
| G-P (Globalization Partners) | Has its own page for it | - | From USD 599 | Go to G-P (Globalization Partners) |
| Atlas HXM | Yes, on its own site | - | From USD 599 | Go to Atlas HXM |
| Papaya Global | Yes, on its own site | Says it uses in-country partners | From USD 650 (EUR 650 in Europe) | Go to Papaya Global |
| Oyster | Yes, on its own site | - | From USD 699 | Go to Oyster |
| Rippling | Not stated | Says 80 countries, with no list | Quote only | Go to Rippling |
Coverage is each company's own claim, from its country pages and coverage lists; we haven't checked how each one employs there. Ask whether it uses its own company or a partner in Canada.
Other countries
Employer costs, leave, notice, severance and the catches, with the providers that cover each one.
United KingdomIrelandGermanyFranceNetherlandsSwedenSwitzerlandBelgiumSpainPortugalItalyPolandRomaniaAustraliaSingaporeJapanIndiaPhilippinesSouth AfricaMexicoBrazilColombiaChileArgentina
All 25 countries side by side: employer cost at your salary, holiday, notice and redundancy pay