Notice period

In Canada, notice period requirements for employee termination vary by province and length of service. Quebec's notice requirements are governed by the Quebec Labour Standards Act and apply to individual terminations initiated by employers. For employees with less than three months of service, no notice is required. Employees with three months or more but less than one year of service must receive one week's notice. Those employed for one year or more but less than five years require two weeks' notice. Employees with five years or more but less than ten years of service must be given four weeks' notice. For employees with ten years or more of continuous service, eight weeks' notice is mandatory.

These notice periods are minimum statutory requirements; employment contracts may specify longer notice periods. Notice must be provided in writing and clearly communicate the termination date. The notice period begins on the date the employee receives written notification and continues until the termination date takes effect.

Employers must ensure compliance with the applicable notice period based on the employee's tenure at the time of termination. Failure to provide adequate notice may result in liability for wages during the notice period or damages claims. Additionally, employers should be aware that Ontario introduced new employment law changes effective November 27, 2025, including job-seeking leave provisions and extended layoff rules, which may affect multi-provincial employers operating in Canada. Payroll and human resources teams should verify the specific provincial rules applicable to each employee's location and maintain clear documentation of notice provision dates.