QPIP (Quebec Parental Insurance Plan)
QPIP is Quebec's parental insurance plan providing maternity, paternity, parental, and adoption benefits to eligible Quebec workers. It replaces the maternity and parental benefits that EI provides in other provinces, offering higher benefit rates and more flexible options.
QPIP offers two plans: the Basic Plan (longer duration at lower replacement rate — typically 70% of average weekly earnings for maternity and 55% for parental) and the Special Plan (shorter duration at higher replacement rate — 75% for maternity and 75% for parental). Paternity benefits are unique to QPIP and not available through EI.
QPIP is funded through separate premiums paid by Quebec employees and employers — Revenu Québec publishes current-year rates and the Maximum Insurable Earnings annually (see the /t4-box/55/ page for this year's values). Because QPIP covers parental benefits, Quebec workers pay reduced EI premiums. Self-employed Quebec workers also contribute to QPIP and are eligible for benefits, unlike the EI system where self-employed opt-in is voluntary.
How it works
QPIP premiums are paid by both employees and employers, and Revenu Québec sets the premium rates and the Maximum Insurable Earnings ceiling each year. Unlike the EI system, self-employed Quebec workers are required to contribute to QPIP rather than being able to opt in voluntarily, and in exchange they receive full access to QPIP's maternity, paternity, parental, and adoption benefits.
When you apply for QPIP benefits, you choose between the Basic Plan and the Special Plan, and that choice locks in for your entire benefit period — you can't switch partway through a claim. The trade-off is duration versus weekly amount: the Basic Plan pays a lower percentage of your earnings over a longer period, while the Special Plan pays a higher percentage over a shorter period.
Because QPIP entirely replaces the maternity and parental coverage that EI provides everywhere else in Canada, Quebec's EI premium rate is set lower than the general rate to avoid Quebec workers paying twice for the same category of coverage. Quebec workers still pay EI and remain covered by it for every other benefit type, such as regular unemployment and sickness benefits.
Example: Basic Plan versus Special Plan
Suppose your average weekly insurable earnings are $1,000. Under the Basic Plan, maternity benefits pay 70% of that, or $700 per week, over a longer benefit period.
Under the Special Plan, maternity benefits pay 75%, or $750 per week, but for a shorter duration than the Basic Plan — so the right choice depends on whether you value a higher weekly amount or a longer payment period.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch between the Basic Plan and Special Plan partway through my QPIP claim?
No — you select one plan when you first apply, and that choice applies for your entire benefit period; it cannot be changed mid-claim.
Are self-employed Quebec workers required to contribute to QPIP?
Yes — unlike EI, where self-employed opt-in for special benefits is voluntary, QPIP contributions are mandatory for self-employed Quebec residents, who then gain full benefit eligibility.
Why do Quebec workers pay a lower EI premium rate than the rest of Canada?
Because QPIP already covers maternity and parental benefits for Quebec workers, EI premiums there exclude that coverage and are set at a reduced rate to avoid duplicate charges.
Related Terms
EI (Employment Insurance)
Employment Insurance provides temporary income support to Canadian workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, are sick, are pregnant, or are caring for a newborn or adopted child.
CPP (Canada Pension Plan)
CPP is a contributory, earnings-related social insurance program that provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits.
Revenu Québec
Revenu Québec is the provincial government agency that administers Quebec's tax laws, including the provincial income tax return (TP-1), Quebec Sales Tax (QST), and the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP).