Hire An Employee In Alberta Through BridgewaterTI
Energy, Engineering, And Tech Talent. A Competitive Tax Environment.
Alberta is a key market for energy, engineering, technology, and professional services, with a business friendly tax environment that appeals to both employers and employees.
Calgary and Edmonton have growing technology sectors alongside the province’s established energy and industrial base. Alberta’s Employment Standards Code has its own distinct features, including overtime averaging agreements and at the time of writing, the lowest general minimum wage in Canada.
Why Alberta
Energy And Industrial Expertise
Alberta is the centre of Canada’s energy sector, with deep talent in engineering, operations, project management, and skilled trades. This expertise extends into adjacent sectors like clean energy and industrial technology.
Growing Technology Hubs
Calgary and Edmonton have invested heavily in diversifying into technology. Calgary’s tech sector has grown rapidly, supported by lower operating costs than Toronto or Vancouver.
Competitive Cost Base
Alberta has no provincial sales tax and a competitive personal tax environment, which can make total compensation go further.
Alberta Employment Standards. What You Need To Know
Minimum Wage
Currently, Alberta’s general minimum wage is $15.00 per hour, unchanged since October 2018. This is the lowest general minimum wage in Canada, with no scheduled increase. Alberta maintains a separate student minimum wage of $13.00 per hour for employees under 18 working 28 hours or less per week during the school year.
Overtime And Averaging Agreements
- Overtime is paid at 1.5x after 8 hours per day or 44 hours per week, whichever produces the greater number of overtime hours.
- Alberta allows overtime averaging agreements, which lets employers average hours over a period (up to 52 weeks) for overtime calculation purposes.
- These agreements must meet specific Employment Standards Code requirements to be valid. We draft them correctly where appropriate.
Statutory Holidays
Alberta recognises 9 general holidays. It also has Heritage Day (first Monday of August), which is an optional general holiday. Many employers provide it, but it is not mandatory under the code. Eligibility for holiday pay depends on the employee’s work pattern.
Vacation
Alberta employees are entitled to 2 weeks’ vacation (4% of wages) after 1 year, rising to 3 weeks (6%) after 5 years.
Workers’ Compensation (WCB Alberta)
Alberta’s workers’ compensation is administered by WCB Alberta. Registration and premiums are required for most employers. We handle registration, classification, and premiums.
Termination
Alberta requires 1 – 8 weeks termination notice (or pay in lieu) based on length of service. Termination provisions differ from other provinces, and common law entitlements may apply. We draft contracts that reflect Alberta’s specific rules.
How We Hire For You In Alberta
We employ your Alberta based hires through our Canadian entity.
Province specific contracts, payroll with correct deductions and WCB Alberta premiums, overtime averaging agreements where appropriate, and competitive benefits.
Onboarding in days following receipt of completed documentation. No entity is required.
Ready To Hire In Alberta?
Book a call.
We’ll get your Alberta team onboarded and compliant quickly after receiving completed documentation.