Carefully book your vacation days around statutory holidays in Canada to maximise your travel opportunities.
2025 is approaching which means new vacation days and statutory holidays to book off and trips to plan. By planning your travel early and combining Canadian bank holidays with booked time off work, you can maximise your vacation days in 2025.
How many vacation days do you get in Canada?
Paid vacation days and statutory holidays
Whether you’re a civil servant or a private employee in Canada, you’re entitled to 10 paid vacation days every year. Don’t just treat these as one-off holidays, though – make the most of these vacation days by combining them with statutory holidays and weekends to create longer breaks that come with multiple travel opportunities.
In this guide, we share how to pack trips and holidays into 2025 by booking vacation days next to Canadian bank holidays. Plus, we’ve got some ideas for where to go at various times of the year and top tips for getting the most out of your vacations.
• Use Skyscanner price alerts to secure the best flight deals.
• Book time off work early for efficient trip planning.
• Read our 2025 travel trends for vacation inspiration.
Statutory holidays in Canada 2025
Nationally observed days off
In Canada, there are nine statutory holidays throughout the year where employees can enjoy a day off if they are meant to work on that day. While many of these days are observed across the country, including New Year’s Day and Christmas Day, some aren’t observed in certain regions, such as Victoria Day and Thanksgiving which aren’t statutory holidays in Nova Scotia (NS) or Newfoundland and Labrador (NL).
Throughout 2025, there are many opportunities to book your allocated vacation days next to statutory holidays which will give you a longer break and the chance to travel to somewhere on your must-visit list. By planning your vacations carefully, you can enjoy trips to some of our top locations for 2025, including Mexico, Portugal, and Greece, all of which are perfect to visit at different times of the year.
Holiday | Date in 2025 | Observance |
|---|---|---|
New Year's Day | January 1, Wednesday | National |
Good Friday | April 18, Friday | National except QC |
Victoria Day | May 19, Monday | National except NS, NL |
Canada Day | July 1, Tuesday | National |
Labour Day | September 1, Monday | National |
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | September 30, Tuesday | National, federally regulated workplaces only |
Thanksgiving | October 13, Monday | National except NS, NL |
Remembrance Day | November 11, Tuesday | National except MB, ON, QC, NS |
Christmas Day | December 25, Thursday | National |
Top places to visit in 2025
Where to visit and when
Once you’ve booked your vacation days to make the most of Canadian statutory holidays and your allocated time off, you can start thinking about where you’d like to visit in 2025. Here, we share top recommendations for various times of the year.
April
Make the most of the long weekend
Book off the four days before Good Friday and you can have nine days off thanks to the statutory holiday. Puerto Vallarta is a great destination at this time of year thanks to warm weather, delicious cuisine, friendly locals, and vibrant nightlife.
May
Take 4 vacation days, stay away for 9
In May, book off the four days before Victoria Day and you can have a nine-day break. This is a wonderful time to visit Porto in Portugal. The weather is perfect for exploring the city and enjoying meals and drinks on picturesque terraces. Don’t miss a stroll along the river and a wine-tasting experience.
July
Take 4 vacation days, stay away 9
Take four vacation days around Canada Day and have a nine-day holiday, perhaps in the country that gives this July statutory holiday its name! Staying at home in Canada gives you the perfect opportunity to celebrate in cities or towns you haven’t visited before. How about a cultural tour of Quebec or beach time on Vancouver Island?
September
Take 4 days off, stay away for 9
Labour Day provides another opportunity to book four vacation days for a nine-day break. Head to Greece where you can enjoy fewer crowds as peak season will be over. Spend time indulging in local food and relaxing on stunning beaches. Athens, Santorini, and Zakynthos are some of our top picks.
October
Take 9 days off, stay away for 16
If you’ve been saving your vacation days, now’s the time to use them. Stack nine days in combination with Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and enjoy a whopping 16 days off in October. Visit Egypt for hot weather and impressive cultural experiences. Head to Luxor in the Nile Valley for history, Giza for pyramids and the Red Sea for diving.
December
Take 5 vacation days off, stay away for 12
Book December 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 29th, and 30th as vacation days and enjoy 12 days off over Christmas 2025. Escape to warm and welcoming Curaçao where you can see rainbow-hued homes, pig-populated beaches, and fields of pink flamingos.
FAQs
With so many great opportunities to plan your vacation days and create some lengthy holidays in 2025, it’s time to start thinking about where you want to go and the best time to visit your chosen destinations.
