Alberta stat holiday and overtime rules at a glance
Alberta has 9 general holidays in 2026. Eligible employees get holiday pay equal to their average daily wage — but only if the holiday falls on a day they would normally work. Overtime is paid at 1.5× after 8 hours in a day or 44 hours in a week, whichever gives more overtime.
Alberta's minimum wage is $15.00 an hour, the lowest in Canada, and hasn't changed since 2018.
Alberta general holidays 2026
| Holiday | 2026 date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 |
| Alberta Family Day | Mon, Feb 16 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 3 |
| Victoria Day | Mon, May 18 |
| Canada Day | Wed, Jul 1 |
| Labour Day | Mon, Sep 7 |
| Thanksgiving | Mon, Oct 12 |
| Remembrance Day | Wed, Nov 11 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 |
Easter Monday, Heritage Day (August) and Boxing Day are optional holidays in Alberta — employers can choose to give them, but don't have to. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation isn't a general holiday in Alberta.
How Alberta holiday pay works
Eligibility: you must have worked for the same employer for at least 30 work days in the 12 months before the holiday. You must also work your scheduled shifts before and after the holiday.
The normal work day rule: holiday pay is only owed if the holiday falls on a day that's normally a work day for you — or if you work it anyway. Someone who only works weekends gets no holiday pay for a Monday holiday. This is the biggest difference from Ontario.
Average daily wage: your wages from the 4 weeks before the holiday (or the 4 weeks ending on your last pay period) divided by the number of days you worked.
| Regular rate (8-hr days) | Holiday pay (day off) | If you work 8 hrs | Overtime rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15.00 | $120.00 | $300.00 | $22.50 |
| $20.00 | $160.00 | $400.00 | $30.00 |
| $25.00 | $200.00 | $500.00 | $37.50 |
| $30.00 | $240.00 | $600.00 | $45.00 |
If you work a general holiday that's a normal work day, you get either 1.5× for the hours worked plus your average daily wage, or your regular rate plus another paid day off later. Our stat holiday pay calculator shows both for Alberta.
Alberta overtime rules
- Daily: hours over 8 in a day.
- Weekly: hours over 44 in a week.
- You're paid on whichever calculation gives more overtime hours — they aren't added together.
- Rate: at least 1.5× your regular wage.
- Banked overtime: with an overtime agreement, overtime can be banked as paid time off at one hour off for each overtime hour — not 1.5 hours, as in Ontario.
Example: working four 11-hour days (44 hours) gives 12 daily overtime hours (3 a day) but 0 weekly overtime hours, so you're paid 12 hours of overtime.
Alberta minimum wage
The general minimum wage is $15.00 an hour. Students under 18 can be paid $13.00 an hour for their first 28 hours a week during the school year; hours beyond that must be paid at $15.00. See how Alberta compares in our minimum wage by province guide.