Alberta Statutory Holidays (2026): The 9 General Holidays, Who Qualifies and How Holiday Pay Works

Alberta calls them general holidays, and it has nine of them — fewer than British Columbia, and with a few days that many Albertans assume are holidays but legally aren't. The pay rules turn on two questions: has the employee worked 30 days for you in the past year, and does the holiday fall on a day they would normally work? This guide is for Alberta employers, payroll staff and employees in 2026. It lists the general and optional holidays with dates for 2026 and 2027, explains eligibility and the "5 of 9" rule for irregular schedules, shows how to calculate average daily wage, and walks through what to pay when someone works a holiday, with examples in Canadian dollars.

Quick answer

Alberta has 9 general holidays. An employee qualifies after 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday. If the holiday falls on their regular workday they get an average daily wage — four weeks' wages divided by days worked — and if they work it, either 1.5 times the regular wage rate plus that average, or regular pay plus a paid day off later. On a non-regular day, there's no pay unless they work, and then it's 1.5 times their rate.

• Optional (employer's choice): Easter Monday, Heritage Day, 30 September, Boxing Day

• Irregular schedules: the 5 of 9 rule decides whether the holiday is a regular workday

• Skipping the shift before or after without consent loses holiday pay

• Overtime is left out of the average daily wage

• Construction employees get 3.6% of wages instead of paid days off

Alberta general holidays: dates for 2026 and 2027

Both years' dates are published on the Government of Alberta's general holidays page. These nine days are compulsory for every provincially regulated employer covered by the Employment Standards Code. An employer can always recognize more days, and many do.

Optional holidays

Four more days are optional. The employer decides whether to recognize them:

The important point is what happens once you do recognize one. If an employer treats Heritage Day or Boxing Day as a general holiday — through a policy, a contract or a collective agreement — all of the general holiday pay rules apply to it, exactly as they would to Canada Day. Employers who close for Boxing Day "because everyone does" should decide deliberately whether it's a recognized holiday, write that down, and pay it consistently.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is the clearest provincial difference. It is a statutory holiday in British Columbia and for federally regulated employers, but optional in Alberta. So a bank branch in Calgary closes on 30 September under the Canada Labour Code, while the café next door can stay open at regular rates.

Is a change coming?

From 2 to 19 December 2025, Alberta's Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration ran a "general holiday flexibility" survey on making it easier for employees to observe cultural and religious holidays. It tested two approaches: amending the Employment Standards Code so that an existing general holiday could be swapped for a cultural holiday with the employer's consent, or simply promoting employers' existing ability to designate extra or substitute holidays through policies and agreements. As of October 2026, the government's page says the input will inform next steps and reports no decision or legislation. Until the Code changes, the nine holidays above stand.

Federally regulated employers in Alberta

Banks, airlines, railways, interprovincial pipelines and trucking firms, telecoms and other federally regulated employers in Alberta follow the Canada Labour Code. Its ten general holidays are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Alberta Family Day isn't on the federal list. Federal holiday pay is one-twentieth of the wages earned in the four weeks before the week of the holiday, excluding overtime.

Who qualifies: the 30-workday rule

To be entitled to general holiday pay, an employee must have worked for the same employer on at least 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday. Note that it counts workdays, not calendar days or months. A full-timer clears it in about six weeks. A casual employee who works one shift a week takes much longer — around 30 weeks — and someone who works only a few shifts a month may not reach it for most of a year.

Even after clearing the 30-workday threshold, an employee is not entitled to general holiday pay if they:

• were absent without the employer's consent on their last scheduled workday before the holiday, or their first scheduled workday after it, or
• were scheduled or required to work on the general holiday and didn't show up.

The test applies whether or not the business is open on the holiday. If a shop closes for Victoria Day, its eligible staff are still owed holiday pay for it — closing doesn't remove the entitlement.

Example — the long weekend absence. A warehouse picker in Edmonton has worked for her employer for two years. She's scheduled Friday and Tuesday around Victoria Day, phones in on Friday morning to say she's taking the day, and her supervisor hasn't approved it. Because she was absent without consent on her last scheduled workday before the holiday, she loses general holiday pay for Victoria Day. Had she asked for the Friday off in advance and been approved, the absence would have had the employer's consent and she would still qualify. Keep the approval in writing — a text or an email is enough — so there's no argument later.

Before paying an Alberta general holiday, confirm

0/5

• 30 or more workdays with you in the past 12 months
• Any absence on the shift before or after was approved (keep the text or email)
• The employee turned up if they were scheduled for the holiday
• Whether the day is a regular workday — use 5 of 9 for irregular schedules
• Whether the worker is in construction, farming or an excluded job

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Who is excluded or has special rules

Some workers are outside the general holiday rules or have their own. The Government of Alberta lists extras in film and video production, some automobile, real estate and commission insurance salespeople, and teachers among the exceptions. Construction and farm and ranch workers have different rules. Farm and ranch employers with five or fewer waged, non-family workers have been exempt since 31 January 2020, and owners and their family members aren't covered by employment standards at all.

Construction employees are the largest group with their own rule. Instead of paid days off, they receive general holiday pay of 3.6% of wages from the start of employment, and employers don't have to give them the holidays off. That pay must be paid by 31 December each year or at termination, although it can also be paid on each cheque. A carpenter who earns C$60,000 in wages in a year is owed C$2,160 of general holiday pay (C$60,000 × 3.6%).

Regular and non-regular workdays: the 5 of 9 rule

Whether an employee gets paid for a holiday they don't work depends on whether it falls on a regular workday — a day they would normally work.

For someone on a fixed Monday-to-Friday schedule, it's simple: Labour Day is a regular workday, so they're owed an average daily wage. For anyone with a schedule that changes week to week, Alberta uses the 5 of 9 rule: look back at the same day of the week in the 9 weeks before the holiday. If the employee worked that day at least 5 times, the holiday falls on a regular workday. If they worked it 4 times or fewer, it doesn't.

Deciding what a holiday is worth

Step 1

30 workdays in last 12 months?

Step 2

No unapproved absence before/after?

Step 3

Regular workday? (5 of 9 if irregular)

Step 4

Off → average daily wage

Regular day

Step 5

Works → 1.5× (+ average daily wage on a regular day)

Or regular pay + day off later

The test is redone for each holiday. A server who worked 6 of the 9 Mondays before Thanksgiving gets Thanksgiving as a regular workday; if she worked only 3 of the 9 Mondays before Family Day, Family Day is a non-regular day for her, even though she's the same employee.

How to calculate average daily wage

Average daily wage is the employee's wages divided by the number of days worked, over one of two periods:

• the 4 weeks immediately before the general holiday, or
• the 4 weeks ending on the last day of the pay period immediately before the holiday.

The second option lets payroll use completed pay periods, which is usually easier. Overtime pay doesn't count as wages for this calculation, but performance-related bonuses do.

Alberta's own example. An employee earns C$4,000 over 20 days in the four weeks before the holiday. Their average daily wage is C$4,000 ÷ 20 = C$200.

Part-time example. A retail clerk on C$17 an hour works 5-hour shifts. In the 4 weeks before Thanksgiving 2026 she worked 12 shifts and earned C$1,020. Her average daily wage is C$1,020 ÷ 12 = C$85. Because the divisor is days worked, not a fixed number, a part-timer gets roughly one normal shift's pay — similar to B.C.'s approach and more generous than Ontario's fixed divide-by-20.

Salaried employees can skip the arithmetic. If the holiday falls on a regular workday, the employee takes the day off and receives their full salary as usual. If it falls on a day they don't normally work and they don't work it, nothing extra is owed and no day off in lieu is due.

Commission and piece-rate employees are paid on the same formula, but the hourly rate used for holiday calculations can't be below minimum wage, and anyone paid entirely by incentive is deemed to earn minimum wage — currently C$15 an hour for most employees.

Working on a general holiday

When the holiday is a regular workday

The employer chooses one of two options:

• Option 1: pay 1.5 times the regular wage rate for the hours worked, plus the average daily wage. Hours worked on the holiday under this option don't count toward weekly overtime.
• Option 2: pay the employee's regular rate for the hours worked, plus give a future day off paid at the average daily wage. The holiday is treated as a normal workday, so overtime rules apply as usual.

Using Alberta's numbers — an average daily wage of C$200 and an employee who works 8 hours at C$25 an hour — option 1 costs 8 × C$25 × 1.5 + C$200 = C$500. Option 2 pays C$200 for the hours worked on the day, plus a future day off paid at C$200.

What if the employee leaves before taking that future day off? If the employer ended the employment, the employee is owed the average daily wage plus 1.5 times their regular rate for the hours worked on the holiday, minus what was already paid for that holiday — effectively converting option 2 back into option 1. If the employee quit, they're owed the average daily wage for the day off they didn't get.

When the holiday is not a regular workday

If the employee doesn't work, no holiday pay is owed. If they do work, they're paid at least 1.5 times their wage rate for the hours worked, with no average daily wage on top. Those hours don't count toward weekly overtime. Alberta's example: 8 hours × C$25 × 1.5 = C$300.

What an eligible employee is paid (C$25/hour, average daily wage C$200)

Situation	Pay for the day
Regular workday, day off	C$200 (average daily wage)
Regular workday, works 8 hours — option 1	8 × C$37.50 + C$200 = C$500
Regular workday, works 8 hours — option 2	8 × C$25 = C$200, plus a future day off paid C$200
Non-regular day, off	Nothing
Non-regular day, works 8 hours	8 × C$37.50 = C$300
Not eligible (under 30 workdays), works 8 hours	Regular wages: 8 × C$25 = C$200

Regular workday, day off

Pay for the day

C$200 (average daily wage)

Regular workday, works 8 hours — option 1

Pay for the day

8 × C$37.50 + C$200 = C$500

Regular workday, works 8 hours — option 2

Pay for the day

8 × C$25 = C$200, plus a future day off paid C$200

Non-regular day, off

Pay for the day

Nothing

Non-regular day, works 8 hours

Pay for the day

8 × C$37.50 = C$300

Not eligible (under 30 workdays), works 8 hours

Pay for the day

Regular wages: 8 × C$25 = C$200

Minimum wage example. A cook on C$15 an hour with an average daily wage of C$120 works an 8-hour shift on Canada Day, a regular workday. Under option 1 she earns 8 × C$22.50 = C$180, plus C$120, for C$300. For her employer, option 2 costs C$120 for the hours plus a C$120 paid day off later — the same total, but spread over two pay periods and with a lost day of work.

Holidays during vacation, and overtime

If a general holiday falls during an employee's annual vacation, they don't lose it. They take a paid day off on the first scheduled workday after the vacation, or on another workday agreed with the employer before their next annual vacation, and are paid their average daily wage for it.

Alberta's overtime threshold is 8 hours a day or 44 hours a week, whichever is greater. Hours worked on a holiday paid at 1.5 times under option 1, or on a non-regular day, are left out of the weekly overtime count — the premium already covers them. Hours worked under option 2 count normally, which is one reason employers with busy holiday shifts sometimes prefer option 1. See our overtime pay guide for averaging and banked time.

Running Alberta holiday pay each time

1. 1

   Check the 30-workday rule

   Count the employee's workdays with you in the 12 months before the holiday.

2. 2

   Decide regular or non-regular

   Fixed schedule — check the roster. Irregular — apply the 5 of 9 rule for this holiday.

3. 3

   Calculate average daily wage

   Wages (no overtime) ÷ days worked over the last 4 weeks or the 4 weeks to the last pay period end.

4. 4

   Choose option 1 or 2 for anyone working a regular day

   Record the choice and, for option 2, the date of the future day off.

5. 5

   Check attendance

   An unapproved absence on the shift before or after, or a no-show on the holiday, removes holiday pay.

Common mistakes Alberta employers make

Treating Heritage Day or Boxing Day as compulsory — or not. They're optional, but once recognized they are full general holidays. Mixed practice across staff causes complaints.

Ignoring the 5 of 9 rule. Paying every part-timer for every holiday overpays; paying none underpays the regulars. Check each holiday separately.

Counting calendar days for the 30-day rule. It's 30 workdays, which takes casual staff much longer than a month.

Promising a day off and never giving it. Under option 2, if employment ends first, the employer must still settle up — and if the employer ended it, at the option 1 rate.

Paying construction staff for days off. The 3.6% of wages rule replaces paid days off; employers who pay both, or neither, need to fix it before year-end.

Employees can file a complaint with Alberta Employment Standards while they are employed or within 6 months after their last day of work.

Official links

• Alberta — general holidays and general holiday payHoliday list, eligibility, calculations
• Alberta — Easy Check: general holidaysSelf-check questionnaire
• Alberta — construction exceptions3.6% holiday pay
• Alberta — general holiday flexibility engagementDecember 2025 consultation
• Federal — vacations and general holidaysFor federally regulated employers

What to do next

Put the 2026 and 2027 general holidays into your payroll calendar, decide in writing which optional holidays you recognize, and set up a 5 of 9 check for anyone on a variable roster. If you also employ people in other provinces, compare the rules in our guides to statutory holidays in B.C. and statutory holidays in Ontario, and check your vacation pay setup. Use our salary slip generator to show holiday pay and premium pay as separate lines.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice — confirm on the official source or with a professional.

Frequently asked questions

How many statutory holidays are there in Alberta?

Alberta's Employment Standards Code has 9 general holidays: New Year's Day, Alberta Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Christmas Day. Easter Monday, Heritage Day in August, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Boxing Day are optional — employers may recognize them, and if they do, the holiday pay rules apply.

Who qualifies for general holiday pay in Alberta?

An employee qualifies once they have worked 30 workdays in the 12 months before the holiday for the same employer. They lose holiday pay if they're absent without the employer's consent on their last scheduled workday before or first scheduled workday after the holiday, or if they don't show up for a holiday shift they were scheduled or required to work.

What is the 5 of 9 rule in Alberta?

For employees without a fixed schedule, a holiday falls on a regular workday if the employee worked that day of the week at least 5 times in the 9 weeks before the holiday. If they did, they get an average daily wage when they're off. If not, the holiday is a non-regular day: no pay if they're off, and 1.5 times their rate if they work.

How is average daily wage calculated in Alberta?

Divide the employee's wages by the number of days worked over the 4 weeks immediately before the holiday, or the 4 weeks ending on the last day of the pay period before it. Overtime pay is left out. Alberta's example: C$4,000 earned over 20 days gives an average daily wage of C$200.

What do you get paid for working a stat holiday in Alberta?

On a regular workday, the employer either pays 1.5 times the regular wage rate for hours worked plus the average daily wage, or regular pay plus a future paid day off at the average daily wage. On a non-regular workday, the employee gets 1.5 times their rate for hours worked, with no average daily wage.

Is Boxing Day a stat holiday in Alberta?

No. Boxing Day is an optional holiday in Alberta, along with Easter Monday, Heritage Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Provincially regulated employers don't have to give it off or pay holiday pay unless they choose to recognize it. Federally regulated employers in Alberta, such as banks and airlines, must treat Boxing Day as a general holiday.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 12 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1. 1.General holidays and general holiday pay (Alberta employment standards) — Government of Alberta · accessed 12 October 2026
2. 2.Construction — employment standards exceptions — Government of Alberta · accessed 12 October 2026
3. 3.General holiday flexibility engagement — Government of Alberta · accessed 12 October 2026
4. 4.Easy Check: General holidays — Government of Alberta · accessed 12 October 2026
5. 5.Minimum wage (Alberta) — Government of Alberta · accessed 12 October 2026
6. 6.Annual vacations and general holidays (federally regulated employers) — Employment and Social Development Canada · accessed 12 October 2026