Stat holiday pay in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has 6 paid holidays under the Labour Standards Code. If you qualify, you get a regular day's pay for each one.

Next stat holiday in Nova Scotia: Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2026.

Nova Scotia stat holidays in 2026 and 2027

Statutory holidays in Nova Scotia, 2026 and 2027
Holiday	2026	2027
New Year's Day	Thu, Jan 1	Fri, Jan 1
Nova Scotia Heritage Day	Mon, Feb 16	Mon, Feb 15
Good Friday	Fri, Apr 3	Fri, Mar 26
Canada Day	Wed, Jul 1	Thu, Jul 1
Labour Day	Mon, Sep 7	Mon, Sep 6
Christmas Day	Fri, Dec 25	Sat, Dec 25

Remembrance Day is covered by its own law: if you work on November 11 you get another day off with regular pay, but no premium.
Victoria Day, Natal Day, Thanksgiving, Boxing Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are not paid holidays under the Labour Standards Code.

If a holiday falls on your day off, you get a paid day off on your next work day, the day after your vacation, or another day you agree on.

How holiday pay is calculated

Nova Scotia holiday pay is a regular day's pay. If your hours vary, it is your average day's pay over the 30 days before the holiday.

Who qualifies: You must have been paid for at least 15 of the 30 days before the holiday, and work your last scheduled shift before and first after it.

If you work on a stat holiday

If you work a paid holiday in Nova Scotia, you get 1.5 times your regular wage for the hours worked, plus a regular day's pay if you qualify.

In continuous operations, your employer can pay regular wages for the hours worked and give you another paid day off instead.

Calculate a holiday week

Enter your shifts for a week with a stat holiday and see your holiday pay, premium pay and any overtime.

Calculate pay for the week of Christmas Day

Official examples

Holiday pay with varying hours

An employee who worked 170 hours over 20 of the 30 days before the holiday averages 8.5 hours, so holiday pay is 8.5 hours at their regular rate. Source

When these rules may not apply

This app uses each province's or territory's employment standards law, which sets the minimum your employer must pay. Your pay can differ if:

Your job is federally regulated, such as banks, airlines, trucking across provinces, railways, telecom and federal Crown corporations. Choose Federal instead.
You have a union collective agreement or a contract that pays more.
You have an averaging agreement, a compressed work week or a flexible schedule approved under the law.
Your job is exempt or has special rules, such as many managers, farm workers, some professionals, truck drivers, and oil and gas workers.

Common questions

How many paid holidays are there in Nova Scotia?

Six under the Labour Standards Code: New Year's Day, Heritage Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, Labour Day and Christmas Day. Remembrance Day has its own rules.

How is holiday pay calculated in Nova Scotia?

A regular day's pay. If your hours vary, your average day's pay over the 30 days before the holiday.

What do I get for working a holiday in Nova Scotia?

1.5 times your regular wage for the hours worked, plus a regular day's pay if you qualify.

Sources

Official government pages and laws, checked November 14, 2026. Rules change, so confirm details on the source before you act.