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EI Benefits Calculator Canada 2026

Estimate your Employment Insurance weekly benefit when unemployed. Based on 55% of insurable earnings, max $729/week (2026 MIE: $68,900). Instant estimate — apply at Service Canada for your actual entitlement.

$729/week

2026 maximum benefit

$68,900

Max insurable earnings

14–45 weeks

Benefit duration range

420–700 hrs

Eligibility threshold

EI Benefits Canada

Estimate Employment Insurance regular benefits when unemployed. Based on 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to the maximum.

Annual insurable earnings (CAD)

Use your total employment income (up to the maximum insurable amount). Typically your salary from the qualifying period.

Benefit year

Benefit weeks (14–45)

Depends on regional unemployment & hours worked

Estimated EI benefits

Based on $1,058/week average insurable earnings. Max weekly: $729.

Weekly benefit

$582

Total over 26 weeks: $15,132

Duration

26 weeks

Max weekly (2026)

$729

EI eligibility requires 420–700+ insurable hours (depending on regional unemployment). This calculator estimates the benefit amount only. Apply at Service Canada for your actual entitlement.

EI Benefits Guide 2026

Official rates, eligibility rules, and what most Canadians miss

EI 2026 Rate Changes: What Went Up, What Went Down

Maximum insurable earnings increased 4.9% — the largest jump since 2022 — while the premium rate dropped 1 cent

Max weekly benefit

$729

↑ from $695 in 2025 (+4.9%)

Max insurable earnings

$68,900

↑ from $65,700 in 2025 (+4.9%)

Employee premium rate

$1.63

↓ from $1.64 in 2025 (rare decrease)

The 2026 EI maximum insurable earnings (MIE) jumped to $68,900 — a $3,200 increase from 2025, driven by wage growth in the Canadian economy. The MIE is set by the Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) based on average weekly earnings tracked by Statistics Canada. When MIE rises, both the maximum premium and maximum weekly benefit rise proportionally, since the weekly benefit cap is MIE ÷ 52 × 55%.

Unusually, the 2026 premium rate decreased by 1 cent ($1.64 → $1.63 per $100 for workers outside Quebec). This is the third consecutive decrease since 2024 ($1.66 → $1.64 → $1.63). The CEIC sets the rate based on the 7-year forecast break-even actuarial model — meaning the EI fund is currently in surplus, allowing a small rate reduction.

Year	MIE	Rate	Max Employee Premium	Max Employer Premium	Max Weekly Benefit
2026Current	$68,900	1.63%	$1,123	$1,572	$729
2025	$65,700	1.64%	$1,077	$1,508	$695
2024	$63,200	1.66%	$1,049	$1,469	$668
2023	$61,500	1.63%	$1,002	$1,403	$650
2022	$60,300	1.58%	$953	$1,334	$638
2021	$56,300	1.58%	$890	$1,245	$595

Quebec workers: reduced rate

Workers residing in Quebec pay $1.30/$100 (max $895.70/year) in 2026 — lower because the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) covers maternity/parental benefits separately. Employers in Quebec pay $1.82/$100. If you live in Quebec and work in another province (or vice versa), your residence province determines the rate.

Sources: ESDC — 2026 Maximum Insurable Earnings (canada.ca); CRA — EI premium rates and maximums 2016–2026; CEIC press release September 2025.

Variable Entrance Requirements: How Many Hours You Need by Region (2026)

The hours required to qualify for EI vary by your regional unemployment rate — Canada has 62 EI economic regions

One of the least-understood features of EI is the Variable Entrance Requirement (VER) — the hours needed to qualify depend entirely on the unemployment rate in your EI economic region at the time you file. Canada is divided into 62 EI economic regions, each assigned a 3-month rolling average unemployment rate by Statistics Canada (Table 14-10-0354-01). The rate is updated every 4 weeks and determines both the hours required AND the number of benefit weeks you receive.

Regional Unemployment Rate	Hours Required	Min Weeks	Max Weeks	Example Regions (current)
6% and under	700 hours	14 wks	36 wks	Quebec City (3.5%), Halifax (6.0%)
6.1% – 7.0%	665 hours	15 wks	38 wks	Ottawa (6.6%), Charlottetown (6.4%)
7.1% – 8.0%	630 hours	17 wks	40 wks	Gaspésie (7.2%)
8.1% – 9.0%	595 hours	18 wks	42 wks	Toronto (8.1%), PEI (8.9%)
9.1% – 10.0%	560 hours	20 wks	44 wks	Eastern Nova Scotia (10.0%)
10.1% – 11.0%	525 hours	21 wks	45 wks	Restigouche-Albert NB (10.2%)
11.1% – 12.0%	490 hours	23 wks	45 wks	Nfld/Labrador region (11.1%)
12.1% – 13.0%	455 hours	25 wks	45 wks	Higher-unemployment regions
More than 13%	420 hours	32 wks	45 wks	Nunavut (17%), remote regions

Your region, not your employer's

The rate used is the region where you ordinarily reside during the week before your claim starts — not where you worked. If you live in the GTA (8.1% ≈ 595 hrs) but worked downtown Toronto, it's still your home region that applies. Remote workers: your home address determines your EI economic region.

Best weeks calculation

Your average insurable earnings use only your best 14–22 weeks (the number of best weeks also varies by region). This means low-earning weeks (like sick days or holidays) are dropped, and your average is higher. The calculator above uses a simplified average — Service Canada's actual calculation can be more favourable.

How to find your region: Use the Service Canada EI Economic Regions lookup (search by postal code). Then check the current unemployment rate and hours for your region.

Sources: EI Act s.7(2); ESDC Digest of Benefit Entitlement Principles Ch.1 s.1.2.2; Service Canada EI Program Characteristics (current rates).

EI + Severance + Waiting Period: What Most Canadians Miss

Severance pushes back your EI start date — and the 1-week waiting period applies on top of that

Two rules catch newly unemployed Canadians off-guard: (1) severance pay delays EI, and (2) a 1-week unpaid waiting period applies regardless. Understanding both is critical for financial planning after job loss.

How severance delays EI

Service Canada allocates severance/termination pay as insurable earnings across weeks at your normal salary. Example: You earn $1,400/week. You receive 8 weeks of severance ($11,200). EI is delayed by 8 weeks — your benefit period starts only after those 8 weeks are exhausted.

Statutory notice vs. working notice: If your employer put you on working notice (paid you through your notice period), that time doesn't delay EI. Only non-working severance/ESA termination pay counts as a delaying allocation.

The 1-week waiting period

A mandatory 1-week unpaid waiting period applies to most EI claims — even if you have no severance. During this week you are technically eligible but receive $0. It is not waived by having more hours or a higher regional unemployment rate. Exception: the waiting period may be waived if you repaid benefits from a prior EI claim within the last 52 weeks.

Working While on Claim (WWC)

You can work part-time while on EI under the Working While on Claim rule. You keep 50 cents of EI for every dollar you earn, up to 90% of your previous weekly insurable earnings. Earnings above that threshold are deducted dollar-for-dollar. Example: Weekly EI = $600, prior earnings = $1,000/week. You can earn up to $900/week while keeping some EI. Earnings of $0–$150 (25% of $600) deduct nothing from EI — an old rule that no longer applies since the 2016 WWC reform.

Apply the day you stop working

Apply at Service Canada the same day or next day you lose your job — even before receiving your ROE. A late application can cost you benefit weeks permanently. Processing takes ~28 days from when Service Canada receives your ROE from the employer (employers must file within 5 days of your last day for regular EI). You can apply online at canada.ca/ei.

Sources: Service Canada — Before applying for EI; EI Act s.36 (allocation of earnings); Service Canada Working While on Claim guide; ESDC ROE filing requirements.

Take-Home Pay & EI Premiums by Province

For EI premiums (what you pay while working) and full paycheck breakdown

CPP & EI Premiums Calculator Severance Pay — Canada US Unemployment Calculator Canada Tax Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions — EI Benefits Canada

2026 official rates, eligibility rules, and tax implications

EI regular benefits = 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, capped at the maximum weekly benefit ($729 in 2026). Your average is calculated from your best 14–22 weeks (varies by regional unemployment) in the qualifying period (last 52 weeks or since last EI claim, whichever is shorter). Maximum insurable earnings in 2026 are $68,900, so the top-earning calculation is: $68,900 ÷ 52 weeks × 55% = $729/week.

The maximum weekly EI benefit for 2026 is $729 (up from $695 in 2025 — a 4.9% increase). This is for regular benefits for claims starting on or after December 28, 2025. The maximum weekly benefit for extended parental benefits (33 weeks at 33%) is $437. Both are based on the 2026 maximum insurable earnings of $68,900, set annually by the Canada Employment Insurance Commission.

You need 420–700 insurable hours in the qualifying period (last 52 weeks), depending on the regional unemployment rate where you live. The variable entrance requirement (VER) follows a 9-tier table: 6% and under = 700 hours; 6.1–7% = 665; 7.1–8% = 630; 8.1–9% = 595; 9.1–10% = 560; 10.1–11% = 525; 11.1–12% = 490; 12.1–13% = 455; over 13% = 420 hours. Look up your region's unemployment rate at Service Canada's EI Program Characteristics page.

For 2026: employees pay $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings (down 1 cent from 2025), to a maximum of $1,123.07/year. Employers pay 1.4× the employee rate: $2.28 per $100, max $1,572.30/year. Workers in Quebec pay a reduced rate of $1.30 per $100 (max $895.70) because QPIP covers parental leave separately. These are set by the Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) each September for the following year.

Severance pay delays EI — Service Canada allocates severance pay as insurable earnings across weeks, postponing your EI start date by those weeks. For example, 10 weeks of severance at your regular salary postpones EI by 10 weeks. Note: the 1-week unpaid waiting period applies separately from any severance delay. Statutory notice pay (ESA termination pay) is also treated as earnings. Use our Severance Pay Calculator Canada to estimate your package and plan when EI would start.

Yes. EI benefits are fully taxable income — they must be reported on your T4E slip and included in your annual T1 tax return. You can request tax withholding at source when you apply (recommended if you have other income sources). Without source deductions, you may owe a lump sum at tax time. High-income EI recipients (net income over ~$79,000 in 2026) may also be subject to the EI clawback — repaying up to 30% of benefits received.

Yes, under the Working While on Claim (WWC) rules. You can keep 50 cents of EI benefits for every dollar earned, up to 90% of your previous weekly earnings. Earnings above this 90% threshold are deducted dollar-for-dollar from your EI. This replaced the older 'earnings allowance' system and applies to regular and most special benefits. Report all earnings honestly each week — misreporting is a compliance violation.

EI regular benefits last 14–45 weeks, determined by your insurable hours AND your regional unemployment rate. Example: 700+ hours in a 6% unemployment region = 14–36 weeks; 700+ hours in a 13%+ region = up to 45 weeks. After the 1-week unpaid waiting period, benefits are paid for the calculated duration. Extended weeks may apply during national emergency extensions (as occurred during COVID-19). After exhausting EI, you may be eligible for ODSP, welfare, or provincial income assistance.

There is a 1-week unpaid waiting period (sometimes called the 'waiting period' or 'deferral') that applies to most EI claims. During this week you are eligible but receive no payment. It is the first week of your benefit period. Exceptions: if you claimed within the last 52 weeks and repaid previous benefits, the waiting period may be waived. Apply as soon as you stop working — do not wait. Service Canada processing typically takes 28 days after receiving your Record of Employment (ROE) from your employer.

Official Sources & References