Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in Nova Scotia (2026)
Employees in Nova Scotia get at least 10 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (2 weeks). Sick leave: not paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
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10 days a year (80 hours)
Statutory minimum 10 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for Nova Scotia; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 10 days | 2 weeks |
| After 8 years | 15 days | 3 weeks |
2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 8 years.
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 10 days a year; after 8 years, 15 days.
What the rules mean in practice
In Nova Scotia, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 10 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 2 weeks, rising…
In Nova Scotia, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 10 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 2 weeks, rising to 15 days after 8 years of service. The legal wording: 2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 8 years.
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 4, the same as 11 and lower than 22. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 10 days is about 3.8% of a 260-day working year.
Length of service raises the floor once: 15 days after 8 years.
Statutory (general) holidays are set by each province or territory and are separate from vacation. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for Nova Scotia lists 7 holidays, 7 of them on working days. An employee who has all 7 weekday holidays off on top of the 10-day minimum is away from work on at least 17 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: Sick leave is an unpaid, job-protected leave. LeaveCalc rates this entry Medium confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Statutory (general) holidays are set by each province or territory and are separate from vacation. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for Nova Scotia, with .ics downloads.
Sources
- https://novascotia.ca/lae/employmentrights/vacation.asp
- https://novascotia.ca/lae/employmentrights/leaves.asp
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in Nova Scotia
The statutory minimum is 10 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (2 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Nova Scotia?
The statutory minimum is 10 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (2 weeks). 2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 8 years.
Does annual leave increase with length of service in Nova Scotia?
Yes. The minimum starts at 10 days a year and steps up with completed years of service: 15 days after 8 years.
Is sick leave paid in Nova Scotia?
No statutory paid sick days are recorded here. Sick leave is an unpaid, job-protected leave.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in Nova Scotia?
Statutory (general) holidays are set by each province or territory and are separate from vacation. In 2026 the calendar for Nova Scotia has 7 public holidays, 7 of them on working days.