Canadian EI Benefits Calculator
Estimate your weekly Employment Insurance benefit for regular, sickness, maternity, or parental claims. Includes the family supplement, regional unemployment rate, and Quebec QPIP routing. 2026 rates supported.
2026 EI Maximums at a Glance
Standard Rate
55%
Max Weekly Benefit
$729
Max Insurable Earnings
$68,900
Waiting Period
1 week
Your Situation
Lost your job through no fault of your own — 14–45 weeks depending on regional unemployment.
≈ $1,154/week
35 hrs/week × 52 = 1,820 max counted
Determines minimum hours required and weeks payable. Look up your region at canada.ca/EI-rates.
For family supplement ($25,921 or less)
Your Estimated EI Benefits
Weekly Benefit
$635
55% of insurable earnings
Weeks Payable
38
max 38 weeks
Total Benefit
$24,130
over 38 weeks
Continue with your EI task
Turn the estimate into the two checks that usually come next after a job interruption.
How it works: EI benefits pay 55% of your average insurable earnings (33% for the extended parental option), capped at the annual Maximum Insurable Earnings ceiling — $729 per week for 2026. For regular benefits, both the hours of insurable employment required and the number of weeks payable depend on your regional unemployment rate. Special benefits (sickness, maternity, parental) all require 600 insurable hours regardless of region. If your net family income is $25,921 or less and you receive the Canada Child Benefit, the family supplement adds a fixed weekly dollar amount on top of the rate — from the EI Regulations s.34(5) table, by family income, child count and how many children are under 7 — capped at 25% of your weekly insurable earnings. A 1-week unpaid waiting period applies before benefits begin.
Looking for the 2026 "EI maximum"? It means two different things
Both numbers come from the same $68,900 maximum insurable earnings ceiling, but they sit on opposite sides of the program — one is what EI pays you, the other is what comes off your paycheque.
Maximum EI benefit — what you receive
$729/week
55% of average weekly insurable earnings, capped once your earnings reach the ceiling. That is what this page's calculator works out.
Maximum EI premium — what you pay
$1,123.07/year
$895.70 in Quebec, where QPIP covers parental benefits and the EI rate is lower. See the 2026 CPP & EI maximums reference or work it out on the CPP & EI premium calculator.
Weekly regular EI by annual earnings (2026)
Regular EI pays 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, capped at the 2026 maximum of $729/week once earnings reach the $68,900 maximum insurable earnings ceiling.
| Annual insurable earnings | Average weekly earnings | Weekly EI (55%, max $729) |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $577 | $317 |
| $45,000 | $865 | $476 |
| $60,000 | $1,154 | $635 |
| $68,900 | $1,325 | $729 |
| $80,000 | $1,538 | $729 |
Earnings at or above the $68,900 ceiling all produce the same $729 weekly maximum. A claimant whose net family income is $25,921 or less and who receives the Canada Child Benefit is paid more than this: the Family Supplement adds a fixed weekly dollar amount from the EI Regulations table on top of the rate, so it lifts the payment above the published maximum rather than raising the percentage.
EI Benefit Types Explained
- Regular benefits — For workers who lose their job through no fault of their own (layoff, shortage of work, seasonal end). Pays 55% for 14–45 weeks depending on regional unemployment and hours worked. Requires 420–700 insurable hours.
- Sickness benefits — For workers unable to work due to illness, injury, or quarantine. Up to 26 weeks (extended from 15 weeks in December 2022). Requires 600 insurable hours and a medical certificate.
- Maternity benefits — For the birth parent (people who are pregnant or have recently given birth). Up to 15 weeks at 55%. Can start as early as 12 weeks before the due date. Requires 600 insurable hours.
- Parental — Standard option — For caring for a newborn or newly adopted child. Up to 35 weeks per parent at 55%, 40 weeks combined per family if shared between two parents.
- Parental — Extended option — Same total dollars spread over more time at a lower rate. Up to 61 weeks per parent at 33%, 69 weeks combined per family. Better if you want a longer leave; once chosen, the option is locked in for both parents.
How the Family Supplement Works
The Family Supplement is a dollar amount added to your weekly payment, not a higher benefit rate. EI Regulations s.34(3) says the rate of weekly benefits “shall be increased by the amount of a family supplement”, and s.34(5) sets that amount in a table read off three things: your net family income, the number of children you or your cohabiting spouse or common-law partner receive the Canada Child Benefit for, and how many of them are under 7.
At a net family income under $20,921 the table pays $31.30 a week for one child, $58.70 for two and $86.10 for three, plus $27.45 for each additional child and $4.15 for each child under 7. It does not taper smoothly: there are 21 income bands, each paying a lower flat amount than the one below it, and the last of them is $25,751 to $25,921, which pays $0.70 a week for one child. Above $25,921 there is no supplement at all.
One cap applies. Under s.34(6)(d), for any benefit period established in 2000 or later the supplement cannot exceed 25% of your weekly insurable earnings. That cap on top of the 55% rate in EI Act s.14(1) is where the familiar “up to 80%” figure comes from — but it only binds when weekly insurable earnings are very low, because the table amounts are small in absolute terms. For most claimants the supplement is worth tens of dollars a week, not 25 points of pay.
Service Canada applies it automatically based on your most recent tax return — you do not need to apply separately. It does not change how long you can collect benefits, only the weekly amount. Under s.34(4) it is not paid if your spouse or common-law partner is already receiving EI at a supplemented rate for the same week.
The supplement is not available to Quebec residents claiming maternity or parental benefits, since those are paid through QPIP rather than EI.
Regional Unemployment & Variable Best Weeks
For regular EI benefits, both the minimum hours required and the maximum weeks payable depend on the unemployment rate in your EI economic region. Service Canada also calculates your weekly benefit using your "best weeks" — the highest-earning 14 to 22 weeks of insurable income from the qualifying period (last 52 weeks). The number of best weeks used depends on the regional rate:
- ≤ 6.0% unemployment: 22 best weeks, 700 hours, 14–36 weeks payable
- 6.1–8.0%: 20–21 best weeks, 630–665 hours, 15–40 weeks payable
- 8.1–10.0%: 18–19 best weeks, 560–595 hours, 18–44 weeks payable
- 10.1–12.0%: 16–17 best weeks, 490–525 hours, 21–45 weeks payable
- 12.1–13.0%: 15 best weeks, 455 hours, 24–45 weeks payable
- ≥ 13.1%: 14 best weeks, 420 hours, 26–45 weeks payable
Look up the current rate for your region on the Service Canada website (link in sources below).
Frequently asked questions
How much will I get on EI?
EI benefits pay 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, up to a maximum of $729 per week for 2026 ($695 for 2025, $668 for 2024). If your net family income is $25,921 or less and you or your spouse receive the Canada Child Benefit, the Family Supplement is added on top of that. It is a dollar amount from a table in the EI Regulations, not a higher percentage: for one child it ranges from $31.30 a week down to $0.70 a week as family income rises, and more for larger families.
How long do EI benefits last?
Regular EI benefits last from 14 to 45 weeks depending on your regional unemployment rate and the number of insurable hours you worked. Sickness benefits pay for up to 26 weeks. Maternity benefits pay for up to 15 weeks. Parental Standard benefits pay up to 35 weeks per parent (40 weeks total per family). Parental Extended benefits pay up to 61 weeks per parent (69 weeks total per family) at the lower 33% rate.
How many hours do I need to qualify for EI?
Regular EI requires between 420 and 700 insurable hours in the last 52 weeks, depending on the unemployment rate where you live. High-unemployment regions (≥13.1%) require 420 hours; low-unemployment regions (≤6.0%) require 700 hours. Special benefits (sickness, maternity, parental, compassionate care) all require a flat 600 insurable hours regardless of region.
How does the EI Family Supplement work?
It is a dollar amount added to your weekly EI payment, not a higher benefit rate. EI Regulations s.34(5) sets the amount in a table, by net family income, the number of children you or your spouse receive the Canada Child Benefit for, and their ages. At a family income under $20,921 it is $31.30 a week for one child, $58.70 for two and $86.10 for three, plus $27.45 for each further child and $4.15 for each child under 7. The amounts step down band by band as family income rises, and the table ends at $25,921 — its last band is $25,751 to $25,921, paying $0.70 a week for one child. The supplement can never exceed 25% of your weekly insurable earnings; that cap on top of the 55% rate is where the familiar 80% figure comes from, but it only bites on very low insurable earnings. Service Canada calculates it automatically from your most recent tax return — you do not apply separately. It is not available for Quebec residents claiming QPIP maternity or parental benefits.
Standard or Extended parental — which should I choose?
Standard parental pays 55% for up to 35 weeks per parent (40 total per family). Extended parental pays 33% for up to 61 weeks per parent (69 total per family). The total dollar amount is roughly the same — Extended just spreads the same money over more weeks at a lower rate. Choose Standard if you want a higher weekly amount and plan to return to work sooner. Choose Extended if you want a longer leave at a lower weekly rate. Once you choose, both parents must use the same option, and the choice is irrevocable after benefits start.
Do Quebec residents get EI maternity and parental benefits?
No. Quebec residents receive maternity, paternity, and parental benefits through the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP), not federal EI. QPIP is funded by separate Quebec payroll deductions and offers different rates and durations: 18 weeks maternity at 70%, 5 weeks paternity at 70%, and 32 weeks parental (7 at 70% then 25 at 55%) under the basic plan. Quebec residents can still claim regular EI for job loss and sickness benefits through Service Canada.
Is there a waiting period before EI benefits start?
Yes — there is a 1-week unpaid waiting period before your EI benefits begin. This was reduced from 2 weeks in 2017. The waiting period acts like a deductible: you must serve it before any payments are issued. Apply for EI as soon as you stop working, even if you receive vacation pay or severance, because delays in applying can cost you weeks of benefits.
Sources
- Canada.ca — Employment Insurance Benefits Overview
- Canada.ca — Maximum Insurable Earnings & Weekly Maximums
- Canada.ca — EI Regular Benefits Eligibility
- Canada.ca — EI Maternity and Parental Benefits
- Canada.ca — EI Sickness Benefits (26-week)
- Canada.ca — EI Family Supplement
- RQAP — Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP)
Related Calculators
Last updated April 2026. Reflects 2026 maximum insurable earnings and EI rates published by Service Canada.