Working Hours Calculator Canada 2024

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The number of hours worked is a key component of an employment contract and work in general. As such, it implies a certain remuneration and a certain status which are governed by the Canadian Labour Code. Keeping track of your hours of work can help you avoid unpleasant situations with your employer and know where you stand.

Need to calculate your hours of work in a simple, quick and accurate way?

HelloSafe offers you this free working hours calculation tool to help you keep track.

What is the work hour calculator?

Calculating hours of work in Canada means calculating the number of hours worked by a person over a certain period.

This lets you calculate if the number of hours worked corresponds to the employee's contract or if it deviates from it, which can be problematic.

Working hours are regulated by the employment contract and are often the subject of disputes between employer and employee. The employer has the duty and obligation not to make his employee work longer than the time determined in the employment contract, or to give him a contribution for the overtime worked. The employee, on the other hand, is required to work for a certain period before being able to claim compensation.

What are the labour regulations in Canada?

In Canada, the normal working hours for the average employee are :

  • 8 hours of work per day
  • 40 hours of work per week

These employees are all entitled to one full day off per week, usually Sunday. For weeks with public holidays, the number of hours is reduced by 8 hours for each public holiday.

Some industries use different regulations to control the number of hours worked to adapt to the specific constraints of their sector:

  • Drivers in the trucking industry;
  • Shipboard employees in the East Coast and Great Lakes shipping industry and the West Coast shipping industry
  • Rolling stock employees in the railroad industry
  • Commissioned salespeople in the broadcasting industry
  • Commissioned salespeople in the banking industry

Definition of full-time work regulations

Under Canadian law, a person who usually works 30 hours or more per week at his or her main or sole job is considered to be working full-time.

Work regulations for part-time hours

A person who works less than 30 hours per week at his or her main or sole job is considered to be working part-time.

In Canada, federal regulations do not require employers to pay part-time employees as much as full-time employees. However, two provinces do provide for some wage parity, notably Quebec. In Quebec, employers must pay all employees performing the same work the same wage, unless the wage is double the minimum wage. So, if you work part-time in Montreal or part-time in Laval, you are guaranteed the same rate of pay as someone doing the same job as you full-time.

Good to know

You can work part-time and receive EI benefits at the same time. However, your benefits will be reduced according to the working income you earn. 

3-hour minimum work standard

The minimum 3-hour work standard, or attendance pay, requires that any employee who reports working receive at least 3 hours of pay, whether or not they work. Therefore, if the employee does not work or works less than 3 hours, they will still receive 3 hours of pay at their regular rate. If the employee works more than 3 hours, they will be paid for each hour worked.

Work regulations for overtime

Hours worked in excess of normal working hours are considered overtime. This overtime must be paid at a rate of at least 1.5 times the normal wage. You can use the tool at the top of this page as an overtime calculator too.

Overtime legislation does not apply to certain occupations:

  • Managers
  • Professionals
  • Doctors
  • Lawyers
  • Dentists
  • Architects
  • Engineers

Good to know

Mandatory overtime is sometimes implemented in the healthcare sector. However, this is a situation that is increasingly being challenged.

Work regulations for break time

The Canada Labour Code provides for a minimum break within 5 consecutive hours of work. This break must be at least 30 minutes long.

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How to calculate your working hours?

To calculate your working hours, you can use our working time calculator above. It will allow you to calculate your working time:

  • in a day, based on your start time, end time, and break times
  • in a year, by multiplying your working hours and days and subtracting your vacations.

Just select the calculation option you want at the top of the tool.

Why use a work time calculator?

The purpose of using a work/time calculator is to know in which category you are (full-time or part-time) and to know your rights and obligations corresponding to your status. It also allows you to know how much overtime you have worked and to check that you are paid accordingly.

Here is an example of how to organize a time-sheet for a 40-hour-a-week contract that you can reproduce in Excel:

DateStart timeEnd timeNumber of hours workedDifference in number of hours in the contractTotal supplementary hours worked
01/12/2022
9h18h8h
(1-hour pause)
00
02/12/2022
9h19h9h11
Online timesheet calculator

Sample 12-hour work schedule

Our sample 12-hour work schedule below allows you to see where you are in comparison to a typical 12-hour day.

DayStartEnd
Monday
6h18h
Online work schedule

Why use a "how many hours am I working" calculator?

Our working hours calculator at the top of this page allows you to record your hours worked, and deduct the number of overtime hours worked against your contract. You can then calculate your income using our hourly wage to annual income calculator.

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Alexandre Desoutter
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Alexandre Desoutter has been working as editor-in-chief and head of press relations at HelloSafe since June 2020. A graduate of Sciences Po Grenoble, he worked as a journalist for several years in French media, and continues to collaborate as a as a contributor to several publications.