Canada EI Calculator (2026)
Estimate your weekly Employment Insurance benefit, whether a waiting week applies to your claim date, how many hours you need and how many weeks you could be paid in your region, and what maternity and parental benefits pay. Free, calculated in your browser, and explained line by line.
Choose a claim date to see the estimate.
A light estimate of the published formula, not a decision. Service Canada calculates your actual benefit from your Records of Employment, and its own estimator on canada.ca is the authority for your number. EI benefits are taxable. General information only; RecordingLaw.com is not a government body.
How EI Is Calculated
Regular EI pays 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum. In 2026 the maximum insurable earnings are $68,900 a year, so the most EI pays is $729 a week. Your average comes from your best weeks: the highest-earning weeks in your qualifying period, and how many count (14 to 22) depends on the unemployment rate in your EI economic region. Once the weekly rate is set, it stays the same for the life of the claim.
The same regional rate sets how many insurable hours you need to qualify (420 to 700) and how many weeks of benefits you can receive (up to 45). EI benefits are taxable, and tax is deducted from each payment. If your net family income is $25,921 or less, you have a child under 18 and you or your spouse receive the Canada Child Benefit, the Family Supplement can raise the rate up to 80%. It applies to maternity and parental benefits too.
Worked Example
A worker whose best weeks average $950 a week, with 1,200 insurable hours, in a region with 7.4% unemployment, whose claim starts on November 2, 2026:
- Weekly benefit: 55% of $950 = $522.50 a week before tax (under the $729 cap).
- Best weeks: at 7.4% unemployment, the 20 best weeks are averaged.
- Hours: 630 hours are needed at that rate, so 1,200 hours qualifies.
- Weeks payable: up to 25 weeks for 1,200 hours at 7.4%.
- Waiting period: the November 2026 claim falls within the temporary waiver, so no unpaid waiting week applies.
Temporary EI Measures Through 2027
Temporary measures, extended by the federal government in 2026, apply to claims established between March 30, 2025 and October 9, 2027: the usual one-week unpaid waiting period is waived, and money paid on separation (such as severance) does not delay the start of benefits. For claims starting from June 15, 2025 until June 12, 2027, long-tenured workers can also receive up to 20 additional weeks of regular benefits, up to a maximum of 65 weeks. A newer measure applies to claims starting between October 11, 2026 and October 9, 2027: only your most recent reason for separation is reviewed.
For claims established after October 9, 2027, the standard rules apply again unless the government extends the measures again: one unpaid waiting week, and separation payments allocated before benefits begin (unless the allocation itself began between March 30, 2025 and October 9, 2027). The estimator above applies the rule for the claim date you enter.
Apply as soon as your earnings stop. The claim start date determines whether a temporary measure applies. The waiting-period waiver and separation-earnings suspension run through October 9, 2027; the additional weeks for long-tenured workers have a different deadline, June 12, 2027.
Best Weeks and Hours by Region
| Regional unemployment rate | Best weeks averaged | Hours needed to qualify |
|---|---|---|
| 6% or less | 22 | 700 |
| 6.1% to 7% | 21 | 665 |
| 7.1% to 8% | 20 | 630 |
| 8.1% to 9% | 19 | 595 |
| 9.1% to 10% | 18 | 560 |
| 10.1% to 11% | 17 | 525 |
| 11.1% to 12% | 16 | 490 |
| 12.1% to 13% | 15 | 455 |
| More than 13% | 14 | 420 |
Hours needed are for a claim without a violation on record. Maternity and parental benefits use a flat 600-hour test instead. See EI sickness benefits and maternity and parental leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum EI payment in 2026?
$729 a week for regular, maternity and standard parental benefits, and $437 a week for extended parental benefits, based on maximum insurable earnings of $68,900 for 2026.
Is there still no waiting period for EI?
Only for claims established between March 30, 2025 and October 9, 2027, under a temporary measure. For claims established after October 9, 2027, the one-week unpaid waiting period applies again unless the government extends the measure.
How many weeks of EI can I get?
Between 14 and 45 weeks of regular benefits, depending on your insurable hours and your region's unemployment rate. Long-tenured workers whose claims start by June 12, 2027 can receive 20 more weeks, up to 65 in total.
Is this my exact EI amount?
No. It applies the published formula to the numbers you enter. Service Canada calculates the actual amount from your Records of Employment, and its own estimator on canada.ca gives the official figure.
Do Quebec residents use this for parental benefits?
No. Quebec residents receive maternity, paternity and parental benefits from the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (RQAP). Regular EI for job loss works the same in Quebec as elsewhere.
Sources
- Canada.ca: EI regular benefits, how much you could receive
- Canada.ca: EI regular benefits, eligibility
- Canada.ca: Variable best weeks
- Canada.ca: EI maternity and parental benefits
- Service Canada: current temporary EI measures
Figures checked against canada.ca as of September 26, 2026. General information, not legal or financial advice.
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