Alberta calls stat holidays “general holidays”, and the Employment Standards Code guarantees 9 of them a year. The table below is copied from the official list on alberta.ca, which already shows 2027 and 2028, so the page stays useful for planning ahead. This page explains the rules; it is not legal advice, and a union contract or employment agreement can give more than the minimum described here.
How to read this table: dates are from the official Alberta general holidays table. The weekday next to each date was added from the calendar. Labour Day is the first Monday in September, as defined in federal law; the official table's date column prints it differently, but its dates match.
| General holiday | How the date is set | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 | Thursday, January 1 | Friday, January 1 | Saturday, January 1 |
| Alberta Family Day | Third Monday in February | Monday, February 16 | Monday, February 15 | Monday, February 21 |
| Good Friday | Friday before Easter | Friday, April 3 | Friday, March 26 | Friday, April 14 |
| Victoria Day | Monday before May 25 | Monday, May 18 | Monday, May 24 | Monday, May 22 |
| Canada Day | July 1 (July 2 when July 1 is a Sunday) | Wednesday, July 1 | Thursday, July 1 | Saturday, July 1 |
| Labour Day | First Monday in September | Monday, September 7 | Monday, September 6 | Monday, September 4 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Second Monday in October | Monday, October 12 | Monday, October 11 | Monday, October 9 |
| Remembrance Day | November 11 | Wednesday, November 11 | Thursday, November 11 | Saturday, November 11 |
| Christmas Day | December 25 | Friday, December 25 | Saturday, December 25 | Monday, December 25 |
Source: Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (general holidays table); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (optional holidays table); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (basic rules); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (part-time and casual); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (optional holidays); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not entitled); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (5 of 9 rule); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not working on a regular day of work); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (holiday during vacation); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (working on a regular day, option 1); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (working on a regular day, option 2); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (employment ends before the day off); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (employer ends employment before the day off); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (average daily wage); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not a regular day of work); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (salaried employees); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (incentive pay and bonuses); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (paid entirely by incentive pay); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (industry exceptions, salespersons); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (industry exceptions); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (who is covered); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (complaint window); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (legislation); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca; Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (online, no cost, no reprisal); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (talk to the employer first); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (unionized workplaces); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (Alberta.ca Account); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (phone numbers); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (translation); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (online question form); Federally regulated industries — alberta.ca; Federally regulated industries — alberta.ca (examples); Interpretation Act, s. 35(1) "holiday" — Justice Laws (Labour Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation); Holidays Act, s. 4 — Justice Laws (Victoria Day). In effect from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028; checked September 29, 2026.
What stat holidays are left in Alberta in 2026?
The last three general holidays of 2026 are Thanksgiving Day on Monday, October 12, Remembrance Day on Wednesday, November 11, and Christmas Day on Friday, December 25. Thanksgiving gives most Monday-to-Friday workers a long weekend. Remembrance Day lands mid-week, so it is a single day off rather than a long weekend, and Christmas on a Friday creates a three-day weekend, with Boxing Day on Saturday.
September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is not on the list. In Alberta it is an optional holiday, covered in the next section.
Which holidays are optional in Alberta?
Alberta lists four commonly recognized optional holidays. Employers do not have to give these days off or pay a premium for them. If an employer does choose to recognize one, Alberta says all employment standards rules related to holiday pay then apply to that day, exactly as they would to Canada Day or Christmas.
How to read this table: optional holidays are paid holidays only when an employer chooses to recognize them. Ask the employer, or check the contract or collective agreement.
| Optional holiday | How the date is set | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easter Monday | First Monday following Easter | Monday, April 6 | Monday, March 29 | Monday, April 17 |
| Heritage Day | First Monday in August | Monday, August 3 | Monday, August 2 | Monday, August 7 |
| National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | September 30 | Wednesday, September 30 | Thursday, September 30 | Saturday, September 30 |
| Boxing Day | December 26 | Saturday, December 26 | Sunday, December 26 | Tuesday, December 26 |
Source: Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (general holidays table); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (optional holidays table); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (basic rules); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (part-time and casual); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (optional holidays); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not entitled); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (5 of 9 rule); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not working on a regular day of work); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (holiday during vacation); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (working on a regular day, option 1); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (working on a regular day, option 2); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (employment ends before the day off); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (employer ends employment before the day off); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (average daily wage); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not a regular day of work); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (salaried employees); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (incentive pay and bonuses); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (paid entirely by incentive pay); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (industry exceptions, salespersons); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (industry exceptions); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (who is covered); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (complaint window); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (legislation); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca; Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (online, no cost, no reprisal); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (talk to the employer first); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (unionized workplaces); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (Alberta.ca Account); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (phone numbers); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (translation); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (online question form); Federally regulated industries — alberta.ca; Federally regulated industries — alberta.ca (examples); Interpretation Act, s. 35(1) "holiday" — Justice Laws (Labour Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation); Holidays Act, s. 4 — Justice Laws (Victoria Day). In effect from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028; checked September 29, 2026.
Heritage Day is the one that confuses people most. The first Monday in August feels like a province-wide long weekend, but in Alberta it is not a general holiday under the Code. The same goes for Easter Monday and Boxing Day. Employers can also recognize days that are not on either list. The rule is simple: if the employer treats the day as a holiday, the holiday pay rules follow.
Who qualifies for general holiday pay in Alberta?
Most employees in Alberta are covered, but three conditions come first. The work must be performed in Alberta, the employer must be provincially regulated, and the worker must be an employee rather than a contractor or self-employed. Alberta says 90% of employees in the province are provincially regulated.
On top of that, holiday pay requires:
- At least 30 workdays with the same employer in the 12 months before the holiday.
- Either the holiday falls on a regular day of work, or the employee works on the holiday.
- No unapproved absence on the last scheduled day before the holiday or the first scheduled day after it.
- Showing up if scheduled. An employee who is required or scheduled to work on the holiday and does not come in loses the holiday pay.
Alberta also says the rules are the same whether the business is open or closed on the holiday, and that part-time and casual employees are calculated the same way as full-time staff. A new job therefore matters: someone who started in mid-September 2026 will likely not have 30 workdays in time for Thanksgiving but may qualify by Christmas.
What counts as a regular day of work?
A regular day of work is a day the employee normally works. For a Monday-to-Friday schedule, every weekday holiday is a regular day of work and weekend holidays are not.
Irregular schedules use the “5 of 9 rule”. Look back at the previous 9 weeks: if the employee worked on that same weekday at least 5 times, the holiday counts as a regular day of work. For Thanksgiving 2026, that means counting the Mondays worked in the 9 weeks before October 12. The test is repeated for every holiday, so the same person can pass it for one Monday holiday and fail it for the next if the schedule changed.
How is Alberta holiday pay calculated?
The result depends on two questions: is the holiday a regular day of work, and does the employee work it? The table sets out every combination Alberta describes.
How to read this table: for a holiday worked on a regular day of work, the employer picks option 1 or option 2. Under option 1, and when the holiday is not a regular day of work, hours worked on the holiday do not count toward overtime for that week; under option 2, the holiday is treated as a normal workday and overtime is calculated as usual.
| Situation | What is owed |
|---|---|
| Holiday is a regular day of work, employee does not work | Average daily wage |
| Regular day of work, employee works (employer option 1) | 1.5 times the wage rate for hours worked, plus average daily wage |
| Regular day of work, employee works (employer option 2) | Regular wage for hours worked, plus a future day off paid at average daily wage |
| Holiday is not a regular day of work, employee does not work | No holiday pay and no paid day off |
| Not a regular day of work, employee works | 1.5 times the wage rate for hours worked |
| Holiday falls during the employee's vacation | A day off paid at average daily wage (first scheduled working day after the vacation, or another agreed day) |
| Salaried employee, holiday on a regular workday | The day off with full salary for the day |
Source: Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (general holidays table); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (optional holidays table); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (basic rules); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (part-time and casual); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (optional holidays); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not entitled); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (5 of 9 rule); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not working on a regular day of work); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (holiday during vacation); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (working on a regular day, option 1); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (working on a regular day, option 2); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (employment ends before the day off); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (employer ends employment before the day off); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (average daily wage); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (not a regular day of work); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (salaried employees); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (incentive pay and bonuses); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (paid entirely by incentive pay); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (industry exceptions, salespersons); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (industry exceptions); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (who is covered); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (complaint window); Employment standards – Alberta general holidays — alberta.ca (legislation); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca; Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (online, no cost, no reprisal); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (talk to the employer first); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (unionized workplaces); Make an employment standards complaint — alberta.ca (Alberta.ca Account); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (phone numbers); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (translation); Contact Employment Standards — alberta.ca (online question form); Federally regulated industries — alberta.ca; Federally regulated industries — alberta.ca (examples); Interpretation Act, s. 35(1) "holiday" — Justice Laws (Labour Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation); Holidays Act, s. 4 — Justice Laws (Victoria Day). In effect from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028; checked September 29, 2026.
Salaried employees get a simpler version: when the holiday falls on a regular workday, the day off with full salary for that day satisfies the rule. Employees paid by commission or other incentive pay use the same average daily wage calculation, and performance-related bonuses count as wages. For the time-and-a-half portion, someone paid entirely by incentive pay has their wage rate deemed to be the minimum wage.
What is average daily wage?
Average daily wage is the employee’s wages divided by the number of days worked over a 4-week period. The employer chooses which 4 weeks: either the 4 weeks immediately before the holiday, or the 4 weeks ending on the last day of the pay period before the holiday. Overtime pay is not counted as wages, so it is left out.
Here is a hypothetical example for Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 12, 2026. An employee earns $22 an hour, works 8 hours a day, Monday to Friday, and worked 19 days in the 4 weeks before the holiday.
- Wages in those 4 weeks: $3,344
- Average daily wage: $176
Monday is a regular day of work for this employee, so there are three possible outcomes:
| Scenario (hypothetical $22/hour employee) | Pay for Thanksgiving |
|---|---|
| Takes the day off | $176 |
| Works 8 hours, employer uses option 1 | $440 |
| Works 8 hours, employer uses option 2 | $176 now, plus a future day off paid at $176 |
If the same person did not normally work Mondays and picked up an 8-hour shift on the holiday, the pay would be $264, with no average daily wage on top. These numbers are illustrations only; the actual amount depends on real wages and days worked in the chosen 4-week window.
What if a holiday falls on a weekend or during vacation?
Alberta’s official table keeps each holiday on its calendar date. Christmas Day 2027 is Saturday, December 25, and New Year’s Day 2028 is a Saturday too. Alberta does not publish a rule moving those days to a Monday. Instead, the regular-day-of-work test decides the outcome: a retail worker who normally works Saturdays is owed holiday pay, while an office worker who never works Saturdays and does not work that day is owed nothing extra unless the employer chooses to give it.
Vacation is different. When a general holiday lands during an employee’s vacation, the employee gets a paid day off on the first scheduled working day after the vacation, or another agreed working day before the next annual vacation. Either way the day is paid at average daily wage.
Who is not covered by Alberta’s holiday rules?
Some occupations are excluded from general holidays and holiday pay altogether. Alberta’s list includes salespersons of vehicles, manufactured homes, farm machinery and heavy equipment; registered or licensed investment salespersons; licensed insurance salespersons paid entirely by commission; real estate and new-home salespersons; commission salespersons (other than route salespersons) who mainly take orders outside the employer’s premises; film and video extras; counsellors and instructors at charitable or not-for-profit camps; direct sellers; and teachers. Construction workers and farm and ranch workers have their own, different holiday rules.
Workers in federally regulated industries follow federal labour rules instead. Alberta’s examples include banks, airlines and airports, marine shipping, interprovincial trucking and rail, pipelines that cross borders, telephone and cable companies, and broadcasting. For these workers, federal rules decide which days are paid holidays, and the federal list is not the same as Alberta’s. September 30, for example, is a holiday under federal law but only an optional holiday for provincially regulated workplaces in Alberta. Federally regulated workers should check the Government of Canada’s labour standards pages or their employer.
Contractors and self-employed people are not covered by employment standards at all.
What should you do if holiday pay is missing or wrong?
Alberta Employment Standards sets out a clear order:
- Check the next pay statement. Alberta suggests waiting one pay period, because many wage errors are fixed on the next cheque.
- Talk to the employer. Alberta calls this the first step before any complaint. Bring the dates worked, the hours, and the regular-day-of-work reasoning above.
- Ask Employment Standards a question. The online question form on alberta.ca promises an answer within 3 business days. The phone line is 780-427-3731 in the Edmonton area or 1-877-427-3731 toll-free in Alberta, with translation available on request.
- File a complaint online. It costs nothing, needs an Alberta.ca Account, and can be filed while still employed or up to 6 months after the last day of employment. An employer cannot fire someone for making or planning to make a complaint. Workers covered by a union collective agreement use the grievance process instead of an Employment Standards complaint.
- Keep records. Timesheets, pay stubs and schedules for the 9 weeks before the holiday make both the 5 of 9 test and the average daily wage easy to check.
Will Alberta’s stat holidays change in 2027?
Alberta has already published the 2027 and 2028 dates, shown in the tables above, and the list of 9 general holidays has not changed. Any change to the list would be made by the Alberta government and would show up on the alberta.ca general holidays page. Other provinces set their own lists, so a move to another province can change which days are paid; the Ontario stat holidays guide covers Ontario’s rules. This page is checked against that page each January and whenever the Code changes. The next full refresh is due before Family Day, Monday, February 15, 2027.
Common mistakes with Alberta stat holidays
- Treating Heritage Day, Boxing Day or Easter Monday as guaranteed. They are optional in Alberta; the employer decides.
- Assuming September 30 is a provincial holiday. It is optional for provincially regulated workplaces, even though it is a federal holiday.
- Forgetting the 30-workday rule. New hires can miss out on the first holiday or two.
- Calling in sick the day after without consent. An unapproved absence on the scheduled day before or after the holiday can cancel holiday pay.
- Counting overtime in average daily wage. Overtime pay is excluded from the calculation.
- Expecting time and a half on every holiday worked. Under option 2, the employer can pay regular wages and give a paid day off later instead.
How can you plan money around Alberta’s long weekends?
Long weekends mean fewer paid hours for hourly workers who are not eligible, and bigger paycheques for those who work them at time and a half. An irregular month is easier with a small cash buffer; the emergency fund calculator shows how long it takes to build one. People new to the province can find housing, transit and benefit details in the Alberta money and living guide, along with city guides for Calgary and Edmonton. Newcomers should also apply early for an Alberta health card, and workers with low employment income can check whether they qualify for the Canada Workers Benefit when filing taxes.