Canadian legislation changes frequently, from federal updates from the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) and other groups to province-specific changes. Keeping tabs on every update is a lot of work, especially when you’ve already got a lengthy to-do list. How much time do you have in your day to catch up on Canadian payroll updates?
We know you’ve got a lot on your plate, so why not slide some onto ours? To help you stay up-to-date with the latest Canadian legislation and understand how it impacts the way you run payroll and pay your employees, we’ve created a new series: Canadian Payroll Updates. Every month we’ll share a roundup of the latest federal and provincial updates so you have what you need for some payroll peace of mind.
Canadian payroll updates for August 2023
As summer winds down and we get closer to year-end, it’s more important than ever to be keeping an eye on legislative updates that may impact your year-end processing or the first pay of 2024.
There have been several federal and provincial changes this month that impact how you pay your employees. We’ve summarized them below so you have everything you need to make sure your employees are paid correctly and on time.
This month’s roundup includes:
- Updated 2024 XML specifications for T4s and T4As
- New Standards on Employment from Accessibility Standards Canada are open for public review
- 2024 QPIP rates to remain unchanged
Read on for more detail on this month’s Canadian payroll updates.
Filing information returns electronically
FEDERAL
The CRA has released the 2024 XML specifications and schema for the T4 and T4A information returns. Read more here.
Internet filing is convenient, free, and secure. With Avanti, you can easily generate XML files for T4, T4A, RL-1, RL-2, and NR4, so all you have to do is upload them to the government site.
Learn more about tax slip processing and creating tax slip transmission files for CRA and Revenu Québec (RQ) here.
Accessibility Standard on Employment
FEDERAL
Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) published a draft of their Standards on Employment as part of its mandate under the Accessible Canada Act (ACA). The goal of this standard is to address work-related barriers caused by both individual actions and systems. It envisions a work environment that is accessible, inclusive, barrier-free, and discrimination-free to all workers, regardless of their lived experience with disabilities.
The Standards on Employment are intended to guide employers in identifying, preventing, and removing barriers to employment according to the guiding principles and legislative requirements of the ACA and the Accessible Canada Regulations.
The Standard sets out employment-related accessibility requirements including, but not limited to, the following:
- Structural support, policy, and leadership (systems policies and practices): Developing an accessibility strategy with measurable objectives, supporting policies, and clear roles and responsibilities of key workplace parties.
- Culture, engagement, and education: Supporting workers with healthy and disability-inclusive workplace culture, leadership, communication, worker participation, training, and education.
- Recruitment, hiring, and onboarding: Developing a fully accessible recruitment process to support workers or prospective workers with disabilities.
- Retention and career development: Implementing policies and practices to strengthen job retention and career advancement for all workers, focusing on workers with disabilities by fostering the continued employment of workers, providing equitable opportunities for training and promotion, and ensuring compensation is based on merit.
- Work disability management, accommodations, stay at work and return to work: Developing policies, processes, and programs for disability management in the workplace.
This Standard is currently open for public review. You can submit your feedback until 3:00 PM EST, on October 17, 2023.
Publication of the standard is expected in the summer of 2024.
2024 QPIP rates
QUÉBEC
The Québec government has announced that the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) premium rates for 2024 will remain at the same level as in 2023.
The premium rate (as a percentage of insurable income) is:
- 0.494% for salaried workers
- 0.692% for employers
- 0.878% for self-employed workers
Stay up to date on employment insurance (EI) program changes with our Canadian Payroll Guide. Find the latest EI and QPIP rates, maximums, and reduction rates here.
Stay in the know
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Additional Reading Links
- How to simplify payroll remittances with Avanti
- How to do payroll reconciliation: the 6-step process
- How to avoid errors when running payroll
Payroll compliance made easy
Keep up with changing legislation and avoid common compliance issues with our Canadian Payroll Guide.
It has all your Canadian payroll legislation in one place. Click and bookmark for future reference—it’s that easy.
