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Free tools › Sick pay by country

Sick pay: Canada vs United Kingdom

Statutory sick pay in Canada and the UK, side by side, with the primary source for every figure.

How does sick pay compare between Canada and UK?

Canada: Ontario mandates 3 job-protected sick days a year, and they are unpaid. Federally regulated employees get 10 paid days; Quebec pays the first 2. United Kingdom: Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks.

Canada vs United Kingdom, side by side

CanadaUnited Kingdom
The ruleOntario mandates 3 job-protected sick days a year, and they are unpaid. Federally regulated employees get 10 paid days; Quebec pays the first 2.Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks.
Key numbersOntario: 3 days a year, unpaid, job-protected; Federally regulated: 10 paid days, accruing 1 per month; Quebec: 2 paid days after 3 monthsRate: Lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week; Payable from: Day one (waiting days abolished 6 Apr 2026); Duration: Up to 28 weeks

Canada

This is the market where generalising goes wrong fastest. Ontario's ESA gives 3 unpaid, job-protected sick days a year (the paid pandemic-era days ended in 2023). Federally regulated employers owe up to 10 paid medical days, accruing monthly. Quebec pays 2 days after 3 months' service, BC mandates 5 paid days, and the rest of the provinces write their own rules.

  • Ontario3 days a year, unpaid, job-protected
  • Federally regulated10 paid days, accruing 1 per month
  • Quebec2 paid days after 3 months
  • Province variationSubstantial (BC 5 paid days)
  • Any copy implying Ontario has statutory paid sick days is wrong as of July 2026.
  • Federal paid days accrue monthly, so a new hire does not start with 10.

Source: Ontario ESA guide (Unpaid regime since 2019). Checked July 2026.

United Kingdom

Since 6 April 2026 SSP runs from the first full day off sick: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the three waiting days and the minimum-earnings test. The rate is the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25, so low earners receive less than the flat figure. Employers carry the full cost, with no state reimbursement.

  • RateLower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week
  • Payable fromDay one (waiting days abolished 6 Apr 2026)
  • DurationUp to 28 weeks
  • Employer reimbursementNone
  • Any guidance still describing SSP as 'flat rate from day 4' is out of date twice over.
  • Below about £154 a week in average earnings, the 80% formula pays less than £123.25.

Source: GOV.UK / HMRC (2026-27 rates, ERA 2025 changes from 6 Apr 2026). 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 (UK). The complete six-market picture is on the Sick pay by country page.

Sources

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

MarketSourceRule / effectiveVerified
CanadaOntario ESA guideUnpaid regime since 2019Checked July 2026
United KingdomGOV.UK / HMRC2026-27 rates, ERA 2025 changes from 6 Apr 2026Checked 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 sick pay in Canada?

Ontario mandates 3 job-protected sick days a year, and they are unpaid. Federally regulated employees get 10 paid days; Quebec pays the first 2. This is the market where generalising goes wrong fastest.

What is the rule on sick pay in the UK?

Statutory Sick Pay of the lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25 a week, from day one, employer-funded, up to 28 weeks. Since 6 April 2026 SSP runs from the first full day off sick: the Employment Rights Act 2025 removed both the three waiting days and the minimum-earnings test.

Where can I check the source figures?

The sources section below links the Canada and the UK 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, GOV.UK or your own adviser. Last reviewed July 2026.