Offshore rotation schedules
Newfoundland's offshore industry runs on hitch-based rotations rather than a standard work week -- here's how 21/21 and 28/28 actually work.
Key facts
- Common rotation patterns
- 21 days on/21 off, or 28 days on/28 off
- Helicopter commute
- Cougar Helicopters, roughly 1.5-2 hours each way from St. John's
- Busiest hiring season
- Spring turnaround, once ice management winds down
- Source: industry research, 2025 estimate, unconfirmed
The two common patterns are 21 days on / 21 days off (21/21) and 28 days on / 28 days off (28/28), though the exact schedule depends on your employer and role. 21/21 is the more widely used pattern; 28/28 tends to suit workers commuting from outside the province, since it means fewer helicopter round trips and fewer fog-delay risks per year.
What does an "on" day actually mean?
On a hitch, "on" days are 12-hour shifts, seven days a week, with no days off until you fly home -- there is no equivalent of a weekend on the platform. See our platform life guide for what that actually feels like day to day.
How does the helicopter commute affect a rotation?
Every hitch starts and ends with a Cougar Helicopters flight from St. John's, roughly 1.5-2 hours each way. Fog at St. John's airport (YYT) is a real and recurring factor -- delays can run from hours to several days, most often in fall and winter, less so in summer. A delayed flight generally means unpaid time off the platform while you wait, though companies typically cover a hotel and daily allowance in St. John's during the delay (2025 estimate, unconfirmed).
A cyclical industry
Offshore hiring is not steady year-round. Spring turnaround season, once ice management winds down, brings the biggest hiring push -- 2025 estimate, unconfirmed, with hiring blocks historically cited in the hundreds of roles for a major turnaround. Oil-price swings and maintenance schedules can also mean a platform is cold-stacked (temporarily shut down) for a period, which pauses hiring on that platform entirely. See /jobs/ for which platforms are currently producing.
Planning around a hitch
Because pay is a day rate for days actually worked (see /pay/), a fog delay or a cold-stacked platform can directly affect your income for that period -- most experienced workers plan finances around a conservative number of hitches per year rather than assuming every hitch runs on schedule.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between 21/21 and 28/28?
21/21 means 21 days on the platform followed by 21 days off; 28/28 means 28 days on, 28 off. 21/21 is the more common pattern; 28/28 tends to suit workers commuting from outside Newfoundland since it means fewer round trips per year.
Do fog delays cut into my days off?
A fog delay at St. John's airport (YYT) can push back your flight home or out to the platform. Time spent waiting on a delayed flight is generally unpaid time off the platform, though companies typically cover a hotel and daily allowance while you wait (2025 estimate, unconfirmed).
Is offshore work steady year-round?
No -- it's a cyclical industry. Platforms can be cold-stacked (temporarily shut down) when oil prices or maintenance needs dictate, and hiring blocks are tied to specific turnarounds or campaigns rather than running continuously (2025 estimate, unconfirmed).
Related guides
Off-shift entertainment
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