canada • CAD

EI Calculator Canada 2026

Free 2026 Canada EI Calculator. Estimate Employment Insurance weekly benefits and total payout based on insurable earnings and hours worked. All provinces supported.

Last revised 7 September 2026

By Team GlobalCalqulate · About our editorial standards

Employment Information

Annual Insurable Earnings

Average Weekly Insurable Earnings

Insurable Hours Worked

EI Benefit Details

Benefit Type

Expected Benefit Weeks

Family Information

Dependent Children

Tax & Province

Province

Estimated Tax Rate (%)

Financial Disclaimer: This result is an educational estimate produced by applying published rates and thresholds to the figures you entered. It is not a tax determination: your actual liability depends on circumstances this calculator does not collect. Confirm your position with the relevant tax authority or a qualified accountant before acting on it. Full disclaimer.

Sources & methodology

Formula:: See methodology below
Reference:: Government of Canada
Rates for:: 2026
Figures verified:: September 2026 — checked against the primary source above
Content last updated:: September 2026
Scheduled re-verification:: February 2027

Calculation type: Rule-based calculation. Uses 2026 rates and thresholds. Figures are taken from Government of Canada and Canada Revenue Agency and Gouvernement du Québec and Revenu Québec and Employment and Social Development Canada — see sources below.

Reviewed by Team GlobalCalqulate — Verifies each figure against the issuing authority's published source · Checked 18 September 2026

Your entries stay on this device. This calculator runs entirely in your browser — the figures you type are not sent to us or to anyone else. The page itself uses cookies for analytics and advertising, described in the privacy policy.

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Symbol	Meaning	Unit
weeklyEarnings		—
maxWeeklyBenefit		—
hoursRequired		—

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

The 600-hour eligibility threshold is a simplified estimate — actual required hours vary by regional unemployment rate (as low as 420 hours in high-unemployment regions) and are set by Service Canada, not modelled per-region here.
Family supplement and low-income family adjustments are collected as inputs but do not currently change the calculated benefit amount.
Quebec residents claiming maternity/parental benefits should use QPIP, not this EI-based estimate — see the Maternity & Parental Benefits Calculator.

This page is educational. It applies published rates and thresholds to the figures you enter and shows the arithmetic behind the result. It is an estimate, not a tax determination: your actual liability depends on circumstances this calculator does not collect, and only the relevant tax authority — or an accountant who can see your full position — can confirm what you owe.

Sources & references

EI regular benefits — Government of Canada
EI premium rates and maximums — Canada Revenue Agency
CPP contribution rates, maximums and exemptions — Canada Revenue Agency
QPIP premium rates and maximum insurable earnings (2026) — Gouvernement du Québec
Maximum pensionable earnings and QPP contribution rate (2026) — Revenu Québec
2026 QPIP rates and multiples (confirms the 1.30% Quebec EI employee rate) — Employment and Social Development Canada
T4032 Payroll Deductions Tables 2026 (corroborating reference) — Canada Revenue Agency

Help & FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Clear answers to common questions to help you use this calculator confidently.

How is the weekly EI benefit calculated?

Tap to view the answer

EI pays 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, capped at the annual maximum weekly benefit — $729/week for 2026 (55% of the $68,900 maximum insurable earnings). Earnings above that ceiling don't increase your benefit.

How many insurable hours do I need to qualify?

Tap to view the answer

This calculator uses 600 insurable hours as a standard estimate for both regular and special benefits. Actual required hours for regular EI vary by regional unemployment rate — as low as 420 hours in high-unemployment regions — and are set by Service Canada.

Is the EI amount shown guaranteed?

Tap to view the answer

No. The calculator provides an estimate for planning purposes only. Final EI benefit amounts, duration, and eligibility are determined by Service Canada based on your official application.

Does EI count as taxable income in Canada?

Tap to view the answer

Yes. Employment Insurance benefits are considered taxable income in Canada, and taxes may be withheld at source depending on your situation.

Is this EI calculator accurate for Quebec maternity/parental benefits?

Tap to view the answer

No — Quebec residents use QPIP (Quebec Parental Insurance Plan) instead of EI for maternity and parental benefits. QPIP has its own, higher earnings ceiling and rates. Use the Maternity & Parental Benefits Calculator, which models QPIP separately.

Need more help? Contact support or email globalcalqulate@gmail.com

We typically reply within 24–48 hours.

More Canada calculators

All Canada calculators

How to Use This Calculator

Enter insurable earnings

Provide your annual or weekly insurable earnings before job loss.

Enter insurable hours

Add the number of insurable hours worked during your qualifying period.

Choose EI benefit type

Select regular, sickness, maternity, parental or caregiving benefits.

Review benefit estimate

See estimated weekly EI payments, total benefits and eligibility.

Understanding Your Results

Weekly EI Benefit
Estimated weekly Employment Insurance payment based on eligible earnings.
Total Benefits
The projected amount of EI benefits received during the benefit period.
Income Replacement Rate
Shows how much of your previous employment income EI may replace.
Eligibility Estimate
Provides an indication of whether you may qualify based on hours worked.

Understanding Employment Insurance in Canada

What EI is and who can claim it

Employment Insurance is an insurance programme, not a welfare benefit. You pay premiums from every paycheque — 1.63% of earnings up to $68,900 in 2026, capping at about $1,123 a year — and in return you can claim income replacement if you lose your job through no fault of your own.

The key phrase is "no fault of your own". Layoffs, shortage of work, seasonal shutdowns and the end of a contract all qualify. Quitting voluntarily or being dismissed for misconduct generally does not, though there are recognised just-cause reasons for quitting, including harassment, unsafe conditions, or having to relocate with a spouse. If you are unsure, apply anyway — Service Canada decides, not your employer.

How many hours you need, and why it varies

You generally need between 420 and 700 insurable hours in the previous 52 weeks, and the exact number depends on the unemployment rate in your economic region. Where unemployment is high, the threshold is lower; where jobs are plentiful, it is higher.

For special benefits — maternity, parental, sickness, compassionate care — the requirement is a flat 600 hours regardless of region. Hours count only if they were insurable, meaning EI premiums were deducted. Most employment qualifies, but self-employment does not unless you have registered for the special benefits programme at least twelve months in advance. If you have had several jobs, hours from all of them count together.

How much you receive, and the ceiling everyone hits

Regular EI pays 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, calculated from your best weeks of earnings in the qualifying period — between 14 and 22 weeks depending on your region's unemployment rate.

That 55% is applied only up to the maximum insurable earnings ceiling of $68,900, which caps the payment at roughly $729 a week before tax. Anyone earning more than about $68,900 receives exactly the same amount, so a $70,000 earner and a $200,000 earner get identical cheques. For higher earners this represents a steep drop in income, which is the main argument for holding three to six months of expenses in an accessible account.

The waiting period, severance, and when payments start

There is a one-week unpaid waiting period at the start of a claim, functioning like an insurance deductible. Beyond that, severance pay, vacation pay and termination pay all delay your benefits: Service Canada allocates that money across the weeks following your last day, and EI only begins once the allocation runs out.

This means a generous severance package does not reduce your total EI, but it does push the start date back — sometimes by months. Apply immediately anyway, on your last day of work if possible. Claims can only be backdated in limited circumstances, and applying late can cost you weeks of benefits you would otherwise have received.

EI is taxable, and tax is under-withheld

EI benefits are taxable income. Service Canada withholds tax at source, but it withholds as though EI is your only income for the year. If you worked for eight months at a full salary and then claimed EI, your combined annual income sits in a higher bracket than that withholding assumed.

The result is a balance owing the following spring, which catches people out at exactly the moment they can least afford it. Setting aside roughly 10% of each payment usually covers the shortfall. There is also a benefit repayment rule: if your net income for the year exceeds about 1.25 times the maximum insurable earnings, you may have to repay up to 30% of the regular benefits you received.

Working while on claim, and the reporting obligation

You can work part-time while receiving EI. Under the working-while-on-claim rules you keep 50 cents of your benefit for every dollar you earn, up to 90% of your previous weekly earnings; above that threshold, earnings are deducted dollar for dollar. Taking some work almost always leaves you better off than taking none.

You must file a report every two weeks declaring any work and earnings, whether or not you have been paid yet. Failing to report earnings is the most common cause of an overpayment, and Service Canada will recover it — with penalties if it concludes the omission was deliberate. Report gross earnings in the week you worked, not the week you were paid.

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Symbol	Meaning	Unit
weeklyEarnings		—
maxWeeklyBenefit		—
hoursRequired		—

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

The 600-hour eligibility threshold is a simplified estimate — actual required hours vary by regional unemployment rate (as low as 420 hours in high-unemployment regions) and are set by Service Canada, not modelled per-region here.
Family supplement and low-income family adjustments are collected as inputs but do not currently change the calculated benefit amount.
Quebec residents claiming maternity/parental benefits should use QPIP, not this EI-based estimate — see the Maternity & Parental Benefits Calculator.

Calculator inputs

Employment Information

EI Benefit Details

Family Information

Tax & Province

Your results

Sources & methodology

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

Sources & references

How is the weekly EI benefit calculated?

How many insurable hours do I need to qualify?

Is the EI amount shown guaranteed?

Does EI count as taxable income in Canada?

Is this EI calculator accurate for Quebec maternity/parental benefits?

Related calculators

More Canada calculators

Calculator inputs

Employment Information

EI Benefit Details

Family Information

Tax & Province

Your results

Sources & methodology

How to Use This Calculator

Example EI Benefit Calculation

Understanding Your Results

Key Tips

Understanding Employment Insurance in Canada

What EI is and who can claim it

How many hours you need, and why it varies

How much you receive, and the ceiling everyone hits

The waiting period, severance, and when payments start

EI is taxable, and tax is under-withheld

Working while on claim, and the reporting obligation

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

Sources & references

How to Use This Calculator

Example EI Benefit Calculation

Understanding Your Results

Key Tips

Understanding Employment Insurance in Canada

What EI is and who can claim it

How many hours you need, and why it varies

How much you receive, and the ceiling everyone hits

The waiting period, severance, and when payments start

EI is taxable, and tax is under-withheld

Working while on claim, and the reporting obligation