Newfoundland and Labrador

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Newfoundland and Labrador

Employ in Newfoundland and Labrador

Updated on: October 1, 2025

Currency

Canadian Dollar (CAD)

Employer Taxes

There are no specific employer tax requirements.

Payroll Frequency

Bi-weekly or semi-monthly

Employee Taxes

N/A

Language

English, French

Date Format

YYYY/MM/DD

Newfoundland and Labrador by the Numbers

Population

520,000

GDP

$30 billion

Weekly Working Hours

40 hours, overtime > 40 hours/week

National Holidays

12

Hiring Difficulty Score

N/A

Province Information

Navigate the complexities of employment in Newfoundland and Labrador with our comprehensive resources.

Hiring

Title

Title

Title

Leave

Paid Time Off

Sick Days

Maternity Days

Weekly Working Hours

40 hours, overtime > 40 hours/week

National Holidays

  • New Year’s Day
  • Good Friday
  • Easter Monday (not a statutory holiday in all provinces)
  • Victoria Day
  • Canada Day
  • Civic Holiday (not a statutory holiday in all provinces)
  • Labour Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Remembrance Day (statutory in some provinces)
  • Christmas Day
  • Boxing Day (not a statutory holiday in all provinces)

Leave

Paid general holidays include 7 days – such as New Year’s Day and Canada Day – while vacation benefits consist of 2 weeks after 1 year of employment (equivalent to 4% of wages) and 3 weeks after 15 years (equivalent to 6% of wages).

Employment Contracts

No federal or provincial law mandates written employment contracts but they are highly recommended to address locally mandated issues.

Types of Employment

There are two types of employment: Employees and Independent Contractors.

Employment Costs

Employers in Newfoundland and Labrador incur several mandatory costs beyond an employee’s gross salary. These include:

  1. Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Contributions: Employers match the employee’s contribution rate. For 2024, the employer’s contribution rate is 5.95% of the employee’s pensionable earnings, up to the maximum annual pensionable earnings limit.
  2. Employment Insurance (EI) Premiums: Employers contribute at a rate of 2.296% of the employee’s insurable earnings, up to the annual maximum insurable earnings limit.
  3. WorkplaceNL Assessments: Employers are required to pay assessments to WorkplaceNL to cover the costs of work-related injuries and illnesses. As of January 1, 2022, the average assessment rate is $1.69 per $100 of payroll.
  4. Health and Post-Secondary Education Tax (Payroll Tax): Employers whose annual remuneration exceeds $2 million are subject to a payroll tax at a rate of 2% on the amount exceeding this threshold.

Additionally, employers should account for other costs such as vacation pay, statutory holiday pay, and any additional benefits provided to employees. These mandatory costs typically range between 10-20% of an employee’s gross salary.

IC Class Factors

Independent Contractor (IC) classification factors include the following:  Degree of control of worker; Provision of own tools; Financial risk in own business; Responsibility for hired workers; Chance for profit; Degree of integration into the client’s work flow; Intent of the parties; Written contract

Labor Leasing

While there are no specific rules for labour leasing, labour leasing agencies must adhere to employment standards and ensure that workers’ rights are protected.

Minimum Wage Requirements

The minimum wage is $16.00 as of April 1, 2025.

Medical Benefits

Medical plans are managed by each province.  There is no requirement for medical benefits, but employers must adhere to employment contract terms if provided.

Probationary Periods

The probationary period lasts for 3 months, during which no termination notice is required.

Termination Notice

The period of notice to be given by either the employer or employee is based on continuous years of service:
Less than 3 months/ none
3 months up to 2 years/ 1 week notice
2 years but less than 5 years/ 2 weeks notice
5 years but less than 10 years/ 3 weeks notice
10 years but less than 15 years/ 4 weeks notice
15 or more years/ 6 weeks notice

Severance

After one year of continuous services, the worker is entitled to one week’s pay for each year of service, up to twelve weeks.

 

Pre-hire Checks

Pre-hire checks are permitted with consent and must be relevant to the job.

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