There is no single maximum number of hours that every employee can work in Canada. Hours-of-work rules depend on where you work and whether your job is provincially or federally regulated.

Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia each have different rules for daily hours, weekly hours and time off between shifts. Your employment contract and workplace schedule can also set your normal working hours.

Samfiru Tumarkin LLP helps non-unionized employees in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia understand their working-hours rights and respond when employers make major changes to their schedules or working conditions.

⚠️ Your employer suddenly increased your hours?
A major change to your regular working hours or schedule can affect your employment rights. Don’t resign or accept a significant permanent change before getting legal advice.

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How Many Hours Can You Work in Canada?

The answer depends on your province and the type of workplace you work in. Canada doesn’t use one hours-of-work rule for every employee.

For most employees, the key rules deal with:

  • how many hours you can be required to work in a day
  • how many hours you can work in a week
  • time off between shifts
  • weekly rest periods
  • meal breaks
  • when overtime pay starts
Jurisdiction Key hours-of-work rule
Ontario Most employees can be required to work up to 8 hours a day, or their established regular workday if it is longer, and 48 hours a week. Written or electronic agreements can allow longer hours.
Alberta An employee’s work must normally be confined within 12 consecutive hours a day.
British Columbia Working more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week triggers overtime rules for eligible employees.
Federally regulated Standard hours are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. The maximum is 48 hours a week for most employees, subject to exceptions.

These aren’t all overtime thresholds. Maximum or standard working hours and the point at which overtime pay begins can be different.

Hours of Work in Ontario

Most Ontario employees can be required to work up to eight hours a day or the length of their established regular workday if it is longer than eight hours.

The weekly limit is 48 hours.

An employee and employer can make a written or electronic agreement allowing the employee to work more than the daily or weekly limit.

? Example: If your established regular workday is 10 hours, Ontario law doesn’t automatically limit you to eight hours. Your established 10-hour workday becomes relevant to the daily limit.

How much time do you get off between shifts in Ontario?

Most Ontario employees must receive:

  • 11 consecutive hours off each day
  • at least eight hours between shifts in most situations
  • 24 consecutive hours off each work week or 48 consecutive hours off during every two consecutive work weeks

For a deeper Ontario guide, see our pages on full-time hours in Ontario and break times in Ontario.

Hours of Work in Alberta

In Alberta, an employee’s work must be confined within a period of 12 consecutive hours each day unless an exception applies.

Employees are also entitled to at least one day of rest in each work week.

Alberta’s rules don’t use Ontario’s 48-hour weekly limit. Instead, the province regulates daily working periods, breaks, days of rest and overtime.

Can you work a 12-hour shift in Alberta?

Yes. Twelve-hour shifts are permitted. The employee must still receive the breaks and rest required by Alberta employment standards.

Can you work more than 12 hours in Alberta?

Only when an exception to the 12-hour rule applies. Certain occupations and industries also have different employment standards rules.

Hours of Work in British Columbia

In BC, eight hours a day and 40 hours a week are important because eligible employees earn overtime when they work beyond those thresholds.

Working more than eight hours in a day isn’t automatically prohibited. Instead, BC’s Employment Standards Act requires overtime pay when the applicable thresholds are crossed, unless an exemption or different rule applies.

How much time do you get between shifts in BC?

Employees must receive at least eight consecutive hours free from work between shifts, except in an emergency.

Employees must also receive at least 32 consecutive hours free from work each week. If an employee works during that period, special pay rules apply.

What Are the Hours of Work for Federally Regulated Employees?

Federally regulated workplaces follow the Canada Labour Code instead of provincial employment standards for hours of work.

Standard hours are:

  • 8 hours in a day
  • 40 hours in a week

For most federally regulated employees, the maximum is 48 hours per week, although averaging, modified schedules, permits, emergencies and industry-specific rules can change how the limit applies.

Federally regulated employees are also entitled to at least eight consecutive hours of rest between shifts, subject to specific exceptions.

? Federally regulated doesn’t mean every employee who works for a national company.
Federal labour standards cover specific industries and workplaces, including banks, airlines, telecommunications and certain interprovincial transportation businesses.

Do Extra Hours Mean You Get Overtime?

Not every hour beyond your normal schedule is automatically overtime. Overtime thresholds depend on your province, industry and whether an exemption applies.

For example, an Ontario employee whose normal schedule is 37.5 hours a week doesn’t automatically earn overtime simply because they work 40 hours. For most Ontario employees, overtime starts after 44 hours in a work week.

BC uses daily and weekly overtime thresholds, while Alberta has its own overtime rules.

Being paid a salary also doesn’t automatically remove your right to overtime. Your job duties and any applicable exemption matter.

⚠️ Working extra hours without being paid?
Keep your own record of when you start and finish work, including work performed before or after your scheduled shift. Your job title alone doesn’t determine whether you’re entitled to overtime.

Can Your Employer Change Your Hours of Work?

An employer can make reasonable scheduling changes, but a major change to your regular hours can become an employment-law issue.

For example, concerns can arise if your employer suddenly:

  • moves you from days to permanent nights
  • significantly increases or reduces your regular hours
  • changes a stable schedule you have worked for years
  • changes your schedule in a way that substantially reduces your income
  • imposes a major schedule change that conflicts with an established term of your employment

A substantial unilateral change to an essential term of employment can amount to constructive dismissal. If that happens, you could be entitled to treat the employment relationship as terminated and pursue severance.

⚠️ Don’t resign because your schedule changed.
A change can be significant without automatically amounting to constructive dismissal. Get advice before leaving your job or accepting a permanent change you disagree with.

Hours of Work in Canada: FAQs

Is eight hours the maximum workday in Canada?

No. Hours-of-work rules vary by jurisdiction. Ontario uses eight hours or an established longer regular workday as its daily limit before an agreement is required. Alberta permits work within a 12-hour daily period. BC uses eight hours as an important overtime threshold rather than a flat maximum for every employee.

Can you work more than 40 hours a week in Canada?

Yes. Forty hours isn’t a national maximum. The rules and overtime consequences depend on where you work.

Can you work more than 48 hours a week?

In Ontario, most employees can exceed 48 hours when they have a valid written or electronic agreement with their employer. Federally regulated employees are subject to a 48-hour weekly maximum in most cases, with specific exceptions.

Can your employer make you work a 12-hour shift?

It depends on your province, employment agreement and occupation. Twelve-hour shifts are permitted in many workplaces, but minimum rest, break and overtime rules still apply.

Is 40 hours a week considered full-time?

Forty hours is commonly used as a full-time schedule, but employment standards legislation doesn’t create one Canada-wide definition of full-time employment. Ontario employees can read our guide to how many hours count as full-time.

Can your employer make you stay late?

Your employer can require additional work when it complies with applicable hours-of-work rules, your employment terms and any required agreements. Overtime pay may also be owed.

Do meal breaks count as hours worked?

An unpaid meal break doesn’t count as working time when you’re free from work. If your employer requires you to continue performing duties during the break, different pay rules can apply.

What if you’re unionized?

Your collective agreement can contain detailed rules about scheduling, shifts, overtime and hours of work. Contact your union about those rights and any grievance. Samfiru Tumarkin LLP’s employment law team does not assist with unionized workplace disputes.

Your Work Hours Changed? Understand Your Rights.

A longer shift or occasional schedule change isn’t automatically a legal problem. A major permanent change to your hours, schedule or income can be.

If your employer has significantly changed your working hours, reduced your shifts or imposed a schedule you never agreed to, get advice before resigning or accepting the change.

The employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP help non-unionized employees across Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia understand their rights and pursue the compensation they are owed.

Before you sign, always check first.

➡️ Get Legal Advice or call 1-855-821-5900.

Your Work Hours Changed?

If your employer significantly increased, reduced or changed your regular hours or schedule, understand your rights before accepting the change or resigning.

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