---
title: "Canada Hiring Guide 2026 | No Notice in First 3 Months"
description: "Hire in Canada 2026: no notice in the first 3 months, then notice scales with tenure. Work permits, written contract, payroll. Teamed handles it."
canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/canada/hiring-guide
---

Canada · Hiring guide child

Served by Teamed vetted partner-entity network in Canada

# How do you *hire a Canadian employee* in 2026?

Canada's federal law requires no statutory notice in the first 3 months of employment. The moment that window closes, notice obligations kick in immediately. Getting the hire sequence right from day one is what keeps you clean.

Last reviewed 13 Jun 2026 · Canada guide

![A modern downtown street in Toronto with glass towers and a clear blue sky.](/images/country-guides/canada-hiring-guide.webp)

Illustration · Toronto, Canada

Answer.cite this

The Canada hire process has five steps. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, payroll registration, first payday.

The federal Canada Labour Code governs only about 6% of the workforce. Most employees fall under provincial employment standards law. The rules are similar in structure but differ on notice, leave, and minimum wage.

No statutory notice applies in the first 3 months of employment at the federal level. After that, employer notice starts at 2 weeks and rises with tenure. An unjust dismissal complaint becomes available after 12 months of service.

![Two people reviewing a printed employment contract at a bright office desk.](/images/country-guides/canada-hiring-guide-polaroid-1.webp)

Day one paperwork

## What does the end-to-end Canada hire process look like?

Five steps take you from accepted offer to first payslip. Offer letter, work-authorisation check, written employment contract, payroll registration, first payday.

The most important early step is confirming the employee's right to work in Canada before day one.

| Step | What happens | Owner | Timing |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Offer letter | Written offer with role, salary, start date, and key terms | Client / Teamed drafts | Same day after verbal accept |
| 2. Work-authorisation check | Confirm the employee is a citizen, permanent resident, or holds a valid work permit before they start | Teamed | Before the employee starts |
| 3. Written employment contract | Signed employment agreement covering all required terms under the applicable provincial or federal law | Teamed (legal employer) | On or before day one |
| 4. Payroll registration | CRA payroll account registration, CPP and EI deduction setup, tax withholding configuration, direct deposit details | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| 5. First payday | First payslip issued, source deductions remitted to the CRA | Teamed | End of first pay period |

1. Issue the offer letter Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, work location province, and any conditions such as work authorisation or references. State the applicable employment standards law for the province.
2. Complete the work-authorisation check Confirm the employee is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or holds a valid work permit before they start. Copy and retain the document. This step cannot happen after day one.
3. Issue the written employment contract Provide a signed province-specific employment contract on or before day one. The contract must clearly state notice and termination provisions. Teamed's standard template is province-aware; clients choose commercial terms.
4. Complete payroll registration Register the employee on the CRA payroll account, collect their Social Insurance Number and TD1 form, set up CPP and EI deductions, and configure direct deposit. Register for any applicable provincial payroll levies.
5. Issue the first payslip and remit source deductions Run the first payroll at the end of the first pay period. Remit CPP, EI, and income tax to the CRA by the deadline for the applicable remitter category. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record.

## What must a Canada offer letter include?

The offer letter is not the employment contract. It is the document the candidate decides against.

Include role title, reporting line, start date, base salary, pay frequency, work location or remote arrangement, the initial employment period before statutory notice applies, and any conditions such as work authorisation or reference checks.

Three traps to avoid in Canadian offer letters:

- **Capping notice at the minimum.** Referencing only the provincial employment standards minimum can, in some provinces, be interpreted as an attempt to contract out of common-law reasonable notice, which courts may not enforce. Teamed uses carefully drafted language that is clear and enforceable.
- **Quoting a fixed bonus without conditions.** If the offer letter says the bonus is paid without stating it is discretionary or subject to active employment on the payment date, that commitment can become contractually binding even after the employee leaves.
- **Ignoring provincial variation.** Canada has ten provinces and three territories, each with its own employment standards. An offer letter that works for Ontario may not reflect the correct terms for British Columbia or Quebec. Teamed applies the correct provincial standard for the employee's work location.

Teamed's standard Canadian offer letter template is province-aware. Clients choose commercial elements. Teamed holds the legal-employer position and signs the contract.

## Canada work-authorisation checks

Every Canadian employer must confirm that a new hire has the legal right to work in Canada before employment starts.

Canadian citizens and permanent residents have unrestricted work rights. All others must hold a valid work permit issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

### Citizens and permanent residents

A Canadian citizen confirms their status with a Canadian passport, birth certificate, or citizenship certificate. A permanent resident uses their Permanent Resident Card. No additional permit is required, and there is no government portal to run a check through. The employer reviews and retains a copy of the document.

### Foreign nationals with work permits

A foreign national must hold a valid work permit before starting work. The employer checks the permit document, records the permit number, type, and expiry date, and retains a copy. Most work permits are employer-specific (closed permits), meaning the employee can only work for the named employer. An open work permit (such as a Post-Graduation Work Permit or a spousal open work permit) allows work with any employer.

The employer should verify the permit is valid, covers the province and type of work, and has not expired. A follow-up check is needed before any time-limited permit expires.

IRCC · Find out if you can hire a foreign worker

Before you hire a foreign national, you must make sure they are legally allowed to work in Canada. Hiring someone who does not have the right to work in Canada is against the law and can result in fines and penalties for the employer.

Source: [Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada: Hire a foreign worker](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/hire-foreign-worker.html)

### Ongoing monitoring

For employees on time-limited work permits, Teamed tracks the expiry date and alerts both the employer and employee ahead of the renewal deadline. An expired permit means the employee cannot legally continue working. Teamed manages the calendar so no renewal is missed.

## The Canada written employment contract: what must it contain?

Canada does not have a single federal written-contract requirement equivalent to the UK's Section 1 statement. Most employees are covered by their province's employment standards law.

A written contract is not always required by law, but it is strongly recommended. A well-drafted contract defines the terms of the employment relationship and limits exposure to common-law reasonable notice claims.

What a well-drafted Canadian employment contract should cover:

- Names and addresses of both employer and employee
- Start date and job title or description of duties
- Base salary or hourly rate and pay frequency
- Standard working hours per week
- Annual paid vacation entitlement (at least 2 weeks per year under the federal Canada Labour Code after one year, though most provincial standards match or exceed this)
- The initial employment period before statutory notice obligations apply
- Notice of termination provisions that are clear, lawful, and expressly stated as the full entitlement
- Confidentiality and intellectual property assignment provisions
- Any applicable benefits: group health, dental, and retirement savings plan
- Governing law clause naming the applicable province

The governing law clause matters because provincial employment standards vary. The contract should name the province where the employee performs their work, not the province where the employer is incorporated.

Teamed's standard Canadian employment contract is province-specific. It is reviewed regularly against current employment standards legislation. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer.

Key source: [Canada Labour Code RSC 1985 c L-2](https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-2/) via Justice Laws Website.

## Onboarding admin in the first week

Days 1 to 7: employment contract signed, CRA payroll account configured, CPP and EI deductions set up, direct deposit details collected, and any benefits enrolment completed.

Teamed handles the payroll and compliance side. The client handles the cultural and operational side.

| Onboarding task | Who does it | Day |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Employment contract signed | Employee and Teamed | Day 0 or 1 |
| Work-authorisation check completed | Teamed | Day 0 (before start) |
| Social Insurance Number (SIN) collected | Employee submits to Teamed | Day 1 |
| CRA payroll account registration and TD1 form | Teamed | Days 1 to 3 |
| CPP and EI deduction setup | Teamed | Days 1 to 3 |
| Province-specific health tax or payroll levy registration (where applicable) | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Direct deposit (Canadian bank account details) collected | Teamed | Days 1 to 7 |
| Group health and dental benefits enrolment | Teamed (admin) and Client (plan decision) | Days 1 to 7 |
| Equipment and system access | Client | Days 0 to 1 |
| Manager introduction and first-week plan | Client | Days 0 to 7 |
| 30-60-90 day plan documented | Client (manager) | Days 1 to 14 |

## How does Teamed handle Canadian employment for you?

Teamed becomes your legal [employer of record](/lp/employer-of-record) in Canada for [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX mark-up** in any currency.

Payroll, CPP and EI registration, the province-specific employment contract, and the full Canadian employment law stack run on **one platform**.

**Real HR and legal experts** handle your Canadian hires, from the first province-specific offer letter through every source-deduction remittance and T4 at year end. **An actual person**, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is **no setup fee** and **no exit fee**. Employer cost **passes through at cost, itemised** on every invoice.

EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on **one platform**. A Canadian contractor who converts to full employment keeps their record. Run the [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator) to see the month your Canadian hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Canada hiring overview. Each guide here takes one layer of Canadian employment law.

Key sources: [Canada Labour Code](https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-2/), [CRA Payroll](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/payroll.html), and [IRCC: Hire a foreign worker](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/hire-foreign-worker.html).

## Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to hire someone in Canada through Teamed?

Teamed can onboard a Canadian citizen or permanent resident within a few business days. The main steps are the work-authorisation check, the province-specific employment contract, and CRA payroll registration. Hiring a foreign national on a work permit takes longer because the permit must be valid before the start date. Teamed checks permit status before the offer goes out.

What is the probation period and notice rule in Canada?

Under the federal Canada Labour Code, no statutory notice is required during the first 3 months of employment. After that window closes, minimum employer notice starts at 2 weeks for employees with between three months and three years of service. Notice rises with tenure, reaching 8 weeks at eight or more years. Most employees are covered by provincial standards, which follow a similar structure with some variation.

What must a Canadian employment contract include?

A well-drafted Canadian employment contract should include role and duties, base salary or rate, pay frequency, vacation entitlement of at least 2 weeks per year after one year of service, notice and termination provisions, and a governing-law clause naming the employee's work province. The notice clause is the most legally sensitive section. Courts will look to common-law reasonable notice if the contractual provision is unclear or unenforceable.

When can an employee in Canada file an unjust dismissal complaint?

Under the federal Canada Labour Code, an employee can file an unjust dismissal complaint after 12 months of continuous employment. This applies to federally regulated employees only. Provincially regulated employees have access to equivalent protections under their province's employment standards legislation, typically with similar or shorter qualifying periods.

What is the federal minimum wage in Canada?

The federal minimum wage is CA$ 18.15/hour as of 1 April 2026. This rate applies to employees covered by the Canada Labour Code. Provincial minimum wages apply to all other employees and vary by province. Where the provincial rate is higher than the federal rate, the provincial rate governs.

Teamed Legal Operations

Canada's ten provinces and three territories each have their own employment standards. The federal Canada Labour Code covers only a small portion of the workforce. Getting the jurisdiction right before the contract is drafted is the step most companies miss. We do that before the offer goes out.

A note from Tom Price-Daniel

In Canada, the first 3 months carry no statutory notice obligation. After that, the clock starts.  
Ten provinces, three territories, and one federal code: the governing law clause in the contract determines which applies.  
Getting jurisdiction and contract terms right from the offer stage is what keeps the hire clean.

Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed

## Related Canada guides

- Hiring in Canada, overviewparent
- [Canada termination and severance](/country-hiring-guides/canada/termination-and-severance)sibling
- [Canada employer cost breakdown](/country-hiring-guides/canada/cost-breakdown)sibling
- [Canada tax and payroll](/country-hiring-guides/canada/tax-and-payroll)sibling
- [UK hiring guide](/country-hiring-guides/united-kingdom/hiring-guide)sibling
- [Employer of Record overview](/lp/employer-of-record)core
- [Zero-FX fixed pricing](/pricing)core
- [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator)tool
- [Talk to an expert](https://www.teamed.global/contact)CTA

A note on this page.

This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and vary by jurisdiction. Most Canadian employees are covered by provincial employment standards law, not the federal Canada Labour Code. Verify current requirements with Employment and Social Development Canada and the relevant provincial ministry, or speak to a qualified professional, before relying on any specific framework.