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Payroll Basics in Canada: CPP, EI and Deductions
Learn how payroll works in Canada: gross and net pay, CPP and EI with 2026 figures, income tax withholding, Alberta employment standards for pay, remitting and T4 slips. Five short lessons and a quiz, with a certificate of completion.
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The short version
Free, no payment details
Sign up with your name and e-mail and confirm it with a 6-digit code. There is nothing to buy.
About 60 minutes
5 short lessons and one final quiz. Your progress is saved, so you can stop and come back on any device.
Certificate of completion
Finish every lesson and score 70% or more on the final quiz. Retakes are unlimited.
Not a program
This free short course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program and gives no program credit.
What you will learn
- Explain gross pay, net pay, deductions and remittances, and set up the paperwork for a new employee
- Calculate CPP and EI for a pay period using the 2026 CRA rates and limits
- Use the CRA Payroll Deductions Online Calculator to check income tax withholding
- Calculate overtime and vacation pay under Alberta employment standards
- Work out a remittance and describe deadlines, penalties, T4 slips and the Record of Employment
- Know where to confirm current rates and rules each year
Who it is for
Adults who are starting out in office or administrative work, small-business owners who pay staff, and anyone who wants to read a Canadian pay statement with confidence. No payroll experience is needed.
What you need
- A computer or tablet with an internet connection
- A calculator or a spreadsheet program for the practice examples
- About 60 minutes in total, which you can split across several days
Lessons
- 1Payroll terms and hiring paperwork12 min
- 2CPP and EI: rates, limits and calculations12 min
- 3Income tax withholding and net pay12 min
- 4Alberta employment standards for pay12 min
- 5Remitting, T4 slips and records12 min
- ✓Payroll Basics in Canada: final quizfinal quiz
Where this course can lead
Administrative Assistant Diploma
This course is a short, practical introduction. The full program goes much further: 806 hours online plus an 86-hour internship: Microsoft Office, business communication, bookkeeping basics and office procedures.
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See the course →Frequently asked questions
Yes. You create a free account, take the five lessons and the quiz, and pay nothing.
Yes. When you finish the lessons and pass the quiz you receive a certificate of completion from Ucademy. The course is not part of a diploma or certificate program.
About 60 minutes in total across five lessons. It is online and self-paced, so you can stop and continue later.
It uses the 2026 figures published by the CRA and names the year each time, because rates change every year. You should always confirm current rates on canada.ca.
No. It is a free short course, not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program, and it does not give program credit.
Start Payroll Basics in Canada: CPP, EI and Deductions today
Free, online and at your own pace, with a certificate of completion.