Vacation Pay Calculator: 4% or 6% (Quebec)
In Quebec, vacation pay is 4% of the gross wages earned during the reference year, or 6% once an employee has 3 years of continuous service with the same employer. Enter the gross wages and the length of service below to get the exact amount along with the matching vacation entitlement.
The reference year usually runs from May 1 to April 30.
- Applicable rate
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- Length of vacation
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- Vacation indemnity
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This tool is provided for information purposes only. A collective agreement or an employment contract may provide better terms than the minimum standard.
Frequently asked questions
When does the rate go from 4% to 6%?
As soon as the employee has 3 years of continuous service with the same employer at the end of the reference year. Below that, the indemnity is 4% of gross wages; at or above it, the indemnity is 6%. The threshold has been 3 years since January 1, 2019 — many pages online still say 5 years.
What is the reference year?
It is the 12-month period over which an employee earns their vacation entitlement. Unless stated otherwise, it runs from May 1 to April 30. The vacation must then be taken within the 12 months following the end of that period.
Are the indemnity and the length of the vacation the same thing?
No, and this is the most common confusion. The length is the number of weeks off you are entitled to (2 or 3 depending on seniority). The indemnity is the money paid out, calculated as a percentage of gross wages for the reference year. An employee at 6% gets 3 weeks; an employee at 4% with at least one year of service gets 2 weeks.
When must the indemnity be paid?
In a single payment, before the vacation starts. It cannot be spread over subsequent pay periods unless the law allows it.
What happens when an employee leaves?
The employer must pay out any accrued but unpaid indemnity with the final pay. This covers the current reference year as well as any remaining indemnity from the previous one.
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