In 2026, four Canadian provinces — Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island — introduced or expanded job-protected leave entitlements for employees facing serious illness, injury, or other qualifying circumstances. Organizations with employees in these provinces should review the changes below and confirm that their leave policies, payroll systems, and employee communications remain current.
At a Glance
| Province | What Changed | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave increased from 16 to 27 weeks | January 1, 2026 |
| Saskatchewan | Long-term illness/injury leave increased from 12 to 27 weeks; new violence leave; bereavement and maternity leave updates | January 1, 2026 |
| New Brunswick | New Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave introduced, up to 27 weeks | June 12, 2026 |
| Prince Edward Island | New Medical Leave introduced, up to 27 weeks; revised Sick Leave | June 30, 2026 |
Alberta
What Changed
Alberta’s Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave increased from 16 weeks to 27 weeks per calendar year, effective January 1, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
- Employees must have been employed with the same employer for at least 90 days.
- A medical certificate issued by a physician or nurse practitioner is required, specifying the expected duration of the leave.
- Employees must provide written notice of their expected return date and inform the employer of any change to that date.
Source: Alberta.ca
Saskatchewan
What Changed
- Long-term illness or injury leave increased from 12 weeks to 27 weeks.
- A new Interpersonal and Sexual Violence Leave of up to 16 weeks unpaid was introduced, in addition to the existing 10-day leave (5 paid, 5 unpaid).
- Maternity leave eligibility was expanded to explicitly include employees experiencing pregnancy loss.
- Bereavement leave was made more flexible: the existing 5-day entitlement may now be used at any point within 6 months of the death, and eligibility was extended to include “like family” relationships.
Eligibility Requirements
- Both the extended illness/injury leave and the new Interpersonal and Sexual Violence Leave require at least 13 consecutive weeks of employment with the employer.
- For illness or injury leave, employers may request supporting documentation once an absence exceeds 5 consecutive working days, or after 2 or more non-consecutive absences within a 12-month period.
- For Interpersonal and Sexual Violence Leave, employees must provide written verification from an authorized source, such as a medical practitioner, registered social worker or psychologist, nurse, police service member, or an approved victim-support organization.
Source: Saskatchewan Employment Standards
New Brunswick
What Changed
New Brunswick introduced its first Long-Term Illness and Injury Leave, providing up to 27 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within a 52-week period. Previously, the province’s only comparable entitlement was a 5-day short-term sick and family-responsibility leave.
Eligibility Requirements
- Employees must have more than 90 days of continuous employment with the employer.
- Leave may be taken continuously or in separate periods, provided each period is at least one week long.
Source: Bill 26, legnb.ca
Prince Edward Island
What Changed
Prince Edward Island’s new Employment Standards Act introduced a Medical Leave of up to 27 weeks, covering illness or injury recovery, organ or tissue donation, and gender-affirming care — a broader scope than most other provinces’ equivalent leave. The province’s short-term Sick Leave also changed, increasing from 3 unpaid days to 4 unpaid days, and adding new paid sick days that scale with tenure (1 day after 12 months, 2 days after 24 months, and 3 days after 36 months).
Eligibility Requirements
- Employees become eligible for Medical Leave after 90 days of employment.
- Employers may only request medical documentation once an employee has been absent for 5 or more consecutive days, and that documentation may come from a broader range of licensed health professionals rather than a physician alone.
Source: Prince Edward Island — Changes to the Employment Standards Act
Recommended Next Steps
- Determine whether your organization has employees in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, or Prince Edward Island.
- Update leave-of-absence policies and employee handbooks to reflect the revised entitlements in each affected province.
- Review payroll and HRIS leave-type configurations for outdated caps (16 or 12 weeks) or leave types that do not yet exist for New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
- Brief people managers in affected provinces, since leave requests that previously reached a legal maximum of 12 to 16 weeks may now be valid for up to 27 weeks.
About Sparrow
Sparrow helps HR teams stay ahead of changes like these. We track job-protected leave requirements across every Canadian province and territory, so your policies, payroll configurations, and employees stay current as regulations evolve.
Learn how our end-to-end leave management service does the heavy lifting for People teams while creating a stress-free employee experience.