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Free tools › Annual leave by country

Annual leave: Canada vs Singapore

Statutory annual leave in Canada and Singapore, side by side, with the primary source for every figure.

How does annual leave compare between Canada and Singapore?

Canada: Ontario: 2 weeks' vacation (4% vacation pay), stepping to 3 weeks (6%) at 5 years, plus 9 public holidays. Quebec reaches 3 weeks at 3 years. Singapore: 7 days in year one, rising a day per year to 14 days from year eight, plus 11 paid public holidays. At five years' service that means 3 weeks (Ontario) in Canada and 11 days in Singapore.

Canada vs Singapore, side by side

CanadaSingapore
The ruleOntario: 2 weeks' vacation (4% vacation pay), stepping to 3 weeks (6%) at 5 years, plus 9 public holidays. Quebec reaches 3 weeks at 3 years.7 days in year one, rising a day per year to 14 days from year eight, plus 11 paid public holidays.
At 1 year2 weeks (Ontario)7 days
At 5 years3 weeks (Ontario)11 days
At 10 years3 weeks (Ontario; 4 weeks federally regulated)14 days
Key numbersOntario: 2 weeks / 4%, then 3 weeks / 6% at 5 years; Quebec: 3 weeks / 6% from 3 years; Federal: 2 / 3 / 4 weeks at 1 / 5 / 10 yearsYear one: 7 days; From year eight: 14 days; Public holidays: 11

Canada

Ontario pairs vacation time with vacation pay as a percentage of gross wages: 2 weeks and 4% until the fifth anniversary, then 3 weeks and 6%. Quebec gets to the 3-week tier two years sooner, at 3 years' service, and Saskatchewan starts everyone at 3 weeks. Federally regulated employees add a third step, 4 weeks and 8% at 10 years, and observe 10 general holidays to Ontario's 9.

  • Ontario2 weeks / 4%, then 3 weeks / 6% at 5 years
  • Quebec3 weeks / 6% from 3 years
  • Federal2 / 3 / 4 weeks at 1 / 5 / 10 years
  • Public holidaysOntario 9; federal 10
Length of serviceEntitlement
Ontario, under 5 years2 weeks (4% of gross wages)
Ontario, 5 years or more3 weeks (6% of gross wages)
  • Vacation pay doubles as a payroll on-cost (4% to 6%), which the employer-costs page accounts for.
  • Province variation is real: quote Ontario and say so, never 'Canada gets 2 weeks'.

Source: Ontario ESA guide (3-week tier since 2018; Quebec per CNESST). Checked July 2026.

Singapore

Singapore has the leanest statutory leave scale of the six markets: the Employment Act minimum starts at 7 days and adds one per year of service, capping at 14 from the eighth year. Contracts commonly provide more. All Employment Act employees are covered, managers and executives included, after 3 months' service. Public holidays add 11 paid days.

  • Year one7 days
  • From year eight14 days
  • Public holidays11
  • Qualifying service3 months
Length of serviceEntitlement
1st year7 days
2nd year8 days
3rd year9 days
4th year10 days
5th year11 days
6th year12 days
7th year13 days
8th year onwards14 days
  • Don't tie leave to the S$2,600 salary threshold; that gates hours-of-work protections, not leave.

Source: Ministry of Manpower (Employment Act s.88A). Checked July 2026.

Hiring in both markets?

Put a full number on each side with the true-cost calculators: True cost of an employee (Canada) and True cost of an employee (Singapore). The complete six-market picture is on the Annual leave by country page.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from the government source for its market.

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
CanadaOntario ESA guide3-week tier since 2018; Quebec per CNESSTChecked July 2026
SingaporeMinistry of ManpowerEmployment Act s.88AChecked July 2026
Where Compono fits

Comparing entitlements is the easy half of hiring across markets. The hard half is whether the person you hire in Sydney, Singapore or Seattle will actually work out, and that risk looks the same in every jurisdiction. Compono matches candidates on how they work, not just what the CV claims, so the hires behind these numbers hold up wherever you make them.

See how it works

Common questions

What is the rule on annual leave in Canada?

Ontario: 2 weeks' vacation (4% vacation pay), stepping to 3 weeks (6%) at 5 years, plus 9 public holidays. Quebec reaches 3 weeks at 3 years. Ontario pairs vacation time with vacation pay as a percentage of gross wages: 2 weeks and 4% until the fifth anniversary, then 3 weeks and 6%.

What is the rule on annual leave in Singapore?

7 days in year one, rising a day per year to 14 days from year eight, plus 11 paid public holidays. Singapore has the leanest statutory leave scale of the six markets: the Employment Act minimum starts at 7 days and adds one per year of service, capping at 14 from the eighth year.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the Canada and Singapore government pages every figure on this page was verified against in July 2026.

This page is general information, not legal advice. We check figures annually and update them on a best-efforts basis, but employment rules change and we cannot promise everything here is current or complete. Before you act on it, confirm the detail with your provincial employment standards office, the Ministry of Manpower or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.