HR glossary · Leave, health and benefits

Reservist leave

Reservist leave is unpaid, job-protected time off for a Canadian Armed Forces reservist to deploy, train or help in an emergency. Rules vary.

Also called: reserve force leave, military leave, reserve force service leave

What reservist leave means

Reservist leave protects the civilian job of an employee who is a member of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Force when they are away for military service. That can mean deployment on an operation outside Canada, helping during an emergency inside Canada, or training.

Every jurisdiction we checked has some form of this leave. It is unpaid by the employer. The point is that the employee can serve without losing their job, seniority or the chance to come back.

Lengths vary a lot, from about two weeks a year for training to many months for a deployment, so read your province's rule before you reply to a request.

How it works

The employee tells you about the service and the expected dates, usually in writing and as early as they can. Saskatchewan, for example, requires four weeks' written notice, but not when the dates cannot reasonably be known, as in an emergency deployment. Expect short notice for emergencies.

Check eligibility. Many jurisdictions require a minimum time with you before the leave applies: 3 consecutive months under the Canada Labour Code and in Manitoba, 12 months of uninterrupted service for a deployment abroad in Quebec. Some provinces drop the requirement for domestic emergencies.

Check the length. Some provinces cap training leave per year and allow as long as needed for a deployment. Alberta allows up to 20 days a calendar year for annual training, or as long as necessary for a deployment. Federally regulated employers must allow up to 24 months in any 60-month period, except during a national emergency.

Plan the return. In Ontario, reinstatement after reservist leave can sometimes be postponed, and benefit plan participation does not continue automatically the way it does for most other leaves. Talk with the employee before they leave about benefits, the expected return date, and how they will let you know if plans change.

Do not penalize the employee. The Canada Labour Code expressly protects reservists from dismissal, layoff, suspension, demotion or discipline because of their reservist activities.

Reservist leave by province

Reservist leave rules differ in length, eligibility and notice. These are the ones we confirmed.

Where the work is done	The rule
Federal	Unpaid leave of up to 24 months in any 60-month period, except during a national emergency, for employees with 3 consecutive months of continuous employment.
Alberta	Unpaid leave of up to 20 days each calendar year for annual training, or as long as necessary for a deployment outside Canada or to help with an emergency in Canada.
Saskatchewan	Job-protected reserve force service leave. Four weeks' written notice is required, except where the dates cannot reasonably be known, such as an emergency deployment.
Manitoba	Unpaid leave for the period of service, for reservists with at least 3 consecutive months of civilian employment with the same employer.
Ontario	Unpaid leave for deployment to a Canadian Forces operation outside Canada, certain domestic operations, or military skills training. Benefit plan participation does not continue automatically.
Quebec	Up to 18 months for a Canadian Forces operation abroad, after 12 months of uninterrupted service, and up to 15 days for annual training.

British Columbia's official pages gave different lengths, and we could not confirm the Atlantic provinces or the territories. Check with that office.

Example: A summer training course at a Red Deer welding shop

Brett runs a 9-person welding shop in Red Deer, Alberta. His apprentice Cole is an army reservist and has worked at the shop for two years. In April, Cole gives Brett a written request for 12 working days off in July for annual training.

Alberta allows up to 20 days a calendar year for annual training, so the request fits. Brett confirms it in writing, checks with his benefits provider about Cole's coverage while he is away, and schedules a big job for after Cole's return.

Hollis tracks the dates

Hollis, part of the Staffkin HR Suite, tracks leave return dates, so you can see when a reservist is due back from training or deployment.

Try Hollis live

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about reservist leave

Do I have to pay a reservist while they are on leave?

No. Reservist leave is unpaid by the employer in every jurisdiction we checked. You can choose to top up pay under your own policy.

How long can a federally regulated employee take reservist leave?

Up to 24 months in any 60-month period, except during a national emergency, after 3 consecutive months of continuous employment.

Can I refuse reservist leave because we are busy?

Not if the employee qualifies and gives the notice the law requires. Talk about timing, but the decision to take the leave is theirs.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.