Hire in Canada, without a local entity
Hiring in Canada? Stop right here! New Horizons Global Partners is more than just yet another Global PEO.
We offer a full suite of business solutions for hiring and expansion into Canada. Our professional employer organization (Canada PEO & Canada Employer of Record) means outsourcing payroll and employer compliance to a trusted partner, giving you the space to focus on business expansion — without the legal and tax headaches.
📱Questions about hiring in Canada? Call our Toronto Office: +1 (437) 747-7746
"Being able to hire people in Canada without worrying about compliance is a true game changer. We focus on talent and look for the right people, and know that New Horizons will take care of the rest for us."
"With our headquarters based in Belgium, we searched for an experienced Employer of Record with an actual local presence in Canada. The New Horizons team in Toronto has been outstanding with facilitating the onboarding of our onsite staff. We have previously used Deel prior this new hire in Canada and can only say: New Horizons has gone above and beyond."
"We can really recommend New Horizons as a PEO in Canada. They take care of everything related to payroll services so that we can focus on growing our business".
You're in good company
Join hundreds of companies already hiring in Canada with New Horizons.
Our Canada PEO simplifies hiring.
Experienced. Secure. Compliant.
Fastest setup
We onboard your Canadian staff in a matter of days. Hiring via New Horizons is as easy as signing up for a new SaaS tool.
Cost-Effective Expansion
Our Canada PEO solution can enable you cost savings of up to 85%, as there is no need to establish a Canadian entity.
We're in Toronto!
We believe that a PEO/EOR is more than just having a fancy platform. It's a people's job and that's why we're present onsite.
Fast Onboarding
We onboard your Canadian staff in a matter of days. Hiring via New Horizons is as easy as signing up for a new SaaS tool.
100% Compliance
We ensure that employment adheres to Canadian laws, and ensure all necessary registrations are lodged with the authorities.
End-to-end hiring
New Horizons ensures accurate and on-time, payroll processing, tax withholding, expense management, and statutory benefits administration for all Canada-based employees.
🇨🇦 Hiring in Canada
🍁 Our Regional Presence in Canada
Our Canada PEO solution enables your business expansion from within Canada.
From our office in downtown Toronto (stop by for a coffee ☕️ in case you’re around!), we manage staff recruitment and hiring across Canada, ensuring compliance with all federal and provincial laws.
Canada - Regional Office
111 Peter Street, Suite 700
M5V 2H1, Toronto – Canada
📱Questions about hiring in Canada? Call our Toronto Office: +1 (437) 747-7746
📝 Canada employment contracts
Employment law in Canada is governed by both federal and provincial employment laws in Canada, so you will need to be familiar with everything that is relevant to your location.
A written contract is not a statutory requirement of employment in Canada, but using a written contract is strongly recommended. Using a written labor contract ensures that there is explicit agreement on key terms of employment, such as benefits, salary/wages, paid vacation, and so on, reducing the likelihood of dispute at a later point. Furthermore, if there is no written contract in place, the court will read certain ‘implied terms’ into the contract, which may not favor the employer.
Canada is bilingual, with both English and French being used widely. In every province except Quebec (where French is the official language), English is the most common language for employment contracts and would generally be expected.
The indefinite-term is the standard type that we use at New Horizons. Very similar to the popular concept of “at-will” contracts in the USA.
By partnering with our Canada PEO & Employer of Record, New Horizons can provide draft employment contracts compliant with the applicable federal and provincial regulations.
⏰ Working hours in Canada
In general, most employees work a standard five-day week from Monday to Friday. Provincial legislation determines the rules around working hours in each location. For example, in Ontario, the most populous province, the maximum working hours are 48 per week, and 8 hours per day (or the standard workday). Note, however, that this can be extended by agreement between the employer and employee. The other provinces operate similarly (e.g., 40 hours is expected in British Columbia, with any more requiring overtime pay), but it is essential to understand the law in the industry and geographical area you are employing.
For overtime, the rules (which are set provincially), generally require around 1.5-2.0x normal pay.
📅 Public holidays in Canada
Canada has a number of public holidays for employees. The following holidays are celebrated in Canada, although some only provincially:
- New Year – Friday, January 1, 2021
- Good Friday – Friday, April 2, 2021
- Easter Monday – Monday, April 5, 2021
- Victoria Day – Monday, May 24, 2021
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day – Thursday, June 24, 2021 (Quebec only)
- Canada Day – Thursday, July 1, 2021
- Civic Holiday – Monday, August 2, 2021
- Labour Day – Monday, September 6, 2021
- Thanksgiving Day – Monday, October 11, 2021
- Remembrance Day – Thursday, November 11, 2021
- Christmas Day – Saturday, December 25, 2021
- Boxing Day – Sunday, December 26, 2021
🌟 Employment benefits in Canada
It’s important to understand what benefits your employees in Canada are legally entitled to or will expect to receive. We set out some of the most important benefits below.
🏖 Vacation in Canada
Almost every employee in Canada has the legal right to paid vacation under the federal law known as the Canada Labour Code. Most provinces apply the federal minimum of two weeks minimum paid leave, while a few (e.g., Saskatchewan) offer three weeks.
After six consecutive years with the same employer the minimum increases to three weeks of annual paid leave.
Most employers across the entire country will offer between two and four weeks in addition to any public holidays, with the amount of available paid leave increasing with time spent in the job. Employees can also carry unused vacation days into following years upon negotiation with employers.
😷 Sick leave in Canada
Under the Canada Labour Code, employees have a minimum of five days of sick leave, including three days paid leave after three months of employment. Additional days may may be provided under provincial laws.
👶 Maternity and paternity leave in Canada
Women who have worked for at least six months continuously can access paid maternity leave of up to 17 weeks upon submission of a medical note for proof. This period of leave can start up to 12 weeks before the birth date. Additionally, both parents can access unpaid parental leave of 37 weeks, or unpaid standard leave of 61 to 63 weeks (depending on province).
💰 Employee severance and terminations in Canada
When terminating employees in Canada, employers are required to adhere to a ‘reasonable’ notice period, or a payment in place of notice. The minimum notice period varies by location, and may be stipulated in an employment contract. Several factors may be considered when determining a ‘reasonable’ notice period, such as the age of the employee, the nature of their role, and so on.
Additionally, employees who are terminated without proper cause can be entitled to severance pay. At a federal level, employees who have worked for more than one year continuously are entitled to either two days of wages per year of employment, or five days wages (whichever is greater).
Navigating employee terminations and handling severance packages can be complicated for companies expanding overseas for the first time. New Horizons’ Canada PEO can mitigate risk for foreign companies and provide guidance through this process.
🏦 Taxation in Canada
Taxation in Canada is complex and it is another area where both federal and provincial laws apply
Canada operates a progressive tax model, with higher earners paying a significantly higher proportion of their income in income tax. There is a federal rate, which varies from 0% to 33% as of 2020, which includes a portion for pension plans and employment insurance, and an additional provincial rate, which can vary significantly depending on income level and location.
In addition to the federal pension and employment insurance, other tax-funded social programs are run on a provincial basis, with funding taken from income tax and varying by location.
🏥 Health insurance in Canada
Canada has a social healthcare system which covers residents and workers with most of their necessary healthcare. While the system is primarily funded by federal taxes, a different approach to funding and delivery is taken in each province/territory. For example, Ontario requires specific contributions from both employers and employees: Employees with a taxable income higher than $20,000 pay an annual healthcare premium ranging from $60 to $900. Employees pay a special payroll tax called the ‘Employer Health Tax (EHT)’ ranging from 0.98 percent to 1.95 percent of employer payroll.
The level of coverage varies by province, and some offer more comprehensive cover (such as drug cost and dental), but core medical expenses are covered nationwide by taxes.
It is relatively common, but not necessary, for employers in Canada to provide extra health-related benefits, such as dental, life insurance, and so on.
💳 Canada compensations & benefits
Compensation laws in Canada
The minimum wage in Canada varies by province and territory, and is subject to regular change. The latest rates are:
- Alberta: $15 per hour
- British Columbia: $15.20 per hour
- Manitoba: $11.95 per hour (as of October 21, 2021)
- New Brunswick: $11.75 per hour
- Newfoundland & Labrador: $12.75 per hour (as of October 1, 2021)
- Northwest Territories: $15.20 per hour
- Nova Scotia: $12.95 per hour
- Nunavut: $16.00 per hour
- Ontario: $14.35 per hour (as of October 1, 2021)
- Prince Edward Island: $13.00 per hour
- Quebec: $13.50 per hour
- Saskatchewan: $11.81 per hour (as of October 1, 2021)
- Yukon: $15.20 per hour.
Benefits management in Canada
Setting up your Canadian benefits and social contribution system, as a foreign employer, is a complicated process. The laws are complex, federal and provincial differences need to be taken into account, and it may be expected that you have representatives on the ground. All of this can make it a lengthy and expensive process.
Outsourcing your Canada benefits management is a fast, simple, and effective way to get everything up and running in full compliance with federal and provincial laws.
Read more about benefits management and administration at Doing Business in Canada.
New Horizons Canada Employer of Record & PEO can provide expert guidance to help simplify the process of expanding into Canada.
Supplemental benefits package
New Horizons Global Partners Canada recognizes how important peace of mind is. We value the health and well-being of our employees. That’s why we’re providing our locally hired staff with access to a quality employee benefits program to support the long-term health and wellness.
Our plan coverage includes:
- Health care
- Prescription drug coverage
- Vision & dental care
- Basic group life
- Accidental death & dismemberment
- Long-term disability
Canada PEO & Employer of Record
Canada Compensation & Benefits
Canada Payroll
Canada Hiring
Canada Work Visa
Canada Solutions Overview
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How can New Horizons help you expand with our Canada PEO & Employer of Record?
New Horizons’ Canada PEO, Canada Employer of Record, and payroll solutions, provide you with everything you need to start trading in Canada. With our help, you can commence operations in Canada in as little as 48 hours. As there is no need to establish a registered entity in Canada, a New Horizons Employer of Record solution can save you over 80% in expansion costs.
Our Canada experts will manage your company’s payroll, benefits, and expenses, as well as taking responsibility for HR and tax compliance. As the only Canada PEO with an in-house recruitment team, New Horizons can also source, hire, and onboard your local workforce.
Contact us today to discover how our Canada Employer of Record & PEO services can facilitate your successful expansion.
