canada • CAD

Canada Maternity & Parental Benefits Calculator 2026

Estimate maternity and parental benefits in Canada. Calculate EI maternity benefits, parental leave payments, Quebec QPIP benefits, weekly payments, total benefits and leave planning for 2026.

Last revised 7 September 2026

By Team GlobalCalqulate · About our editorial standards

Personal Information

Province

Claimant Type

Income Information

Annual Income

Average Weekly Earnings

Leave Details

Benefit Type

Maternity Weeks

Parental Weeks

Weeks Shared With Partner

Special Situations

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:: December 2026

Calculation type: Rule-based calculation. Uses 2026 rates and thresholds. Figures are taken from Government of Canada and Gouvernement du Québec and Canada Revenue Agency 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 7 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		—
EI standard		—
EI extended		—
QPIP basic plan		—

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

Uses Quebec's QPIP basic plan rate only — does not model the special plan (75%, shorter duration) or QPIP's own maternity/paternity/parental week splits, which differ from EI's.
Does not verify EI eligibility (the 600 insurable hours requirement) — see the EI Calculator for eligibility estimation.
Assumes a flat entered tax rate rather than computing actual federal/provincial tax on the benefit amount.

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 maternity and parental benefits — Government of Canada
Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) — Gouvernement du Québec
CPP contribution rates, maximums and exemptions — Canada Revenue Agency
EI premium rates and maximums — 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.

What are EI maternity benefits?

Tap to view the answer

EI maternity benefits provide income replacement for eligible birth parents during pregnancy and after birth, up to 55% of average insurable earnings, capped at $729/week in 2026, for up to 15 weeks.

How much can I get from parental benefits?

Tap to view the answer

Standard parental benefits pay 55% of average weekly earnings (same $729/week cap as maternity) over up to 40 weeks shared between parents. Extended parental benefits pay 33% (capped at $437/week) over up to 69 weeks.

What is QPIP and how is it different from EI?

Tap to view the answer

QPIP (Quebec Parental Insurance Plan) replaces EI maternity/parental benefits for Quebec residents. It has a higher maximum insurable earnings ($103,000 in 2026 vs EI's $68,900) and pays a higher basic-plan rate (70% vs EI's 55%).

Are maternity and parental benefits taxable?

Tap to view the answer

Yes. EI and QPIP maternity/parental benefits are taxable income and are reported on a T4E (or Quebec's equivalent) slip at tax time.

How many insurable hours do I need to qualify?

Tap to view the answer

EI maternity and parental benefits require 600 hours of insurable employment in the 52 weeks before your claim (or since your last claim), regardless of region-specific hour requirements for regular EI benefits.

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

We typically reply within 24–48 hours.

More Canada calculators

All Canada calculators

Key Tips

✓
Standard parental leave generally provides higher weekly payments.
✓
Extended parental leave spreads benefits over a longer period.
✓
Quebec residents may qualify for QPIP instead of EI parental benefits.
✓
Self-employed workers must register in advance to access EI special benefits.
✓
Sharing leave with a partner may increase total family benefits.

Understanding Maternity and Parental Benefits in Canada

Maternity and parental benefits are two different things

Maternity benefits are for the person who gives birth, to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. They run up to 15 weeks and cannot be shared with a partner. Parental benefits are for either parent to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, and can be shared between two parents in whatever split they choose.

A birth parent typically claims maternity benefits first and then moves to parental benefits, so the two stack. An adoptive parent or a non-birth parent claims parental benefits only. Both are paid by Employment Insurance, so both require enough insurable hours — 600 in the previous 52 weeks — and both are taxable income.

Standard versus extended parental: the choice that cannot be undone

Standard parental benefits pay 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings for up to 40 weeks, with one parent able to take a maximum of 35. Extended parental benefits pay only 33% but stretch over up to 69 weeks, with one parent capped at 61.

The critical point is that the total amount of money is roughly the same either way — extended simply spreads it more thinly over a longer period. The choice is irrevocable once benefits begin, and if two parents are sharing, both must choose the same option. Extended is the right choice if you want more time at home and can absorb a smaller weekly cheque; standard is better if you need the income concentrated or plan to return to work sooner.

How your weekly payment is calculated, and the ceiling

EI replaces 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings under the standard option, but only up to the maximum insurable earnings ceiling of $68,900 for 2026. That caps the standard benefit at about $729 a week before tax.

This means anyone earning more than roughly $68,900 receives the same weekly amount — a $75,000 earner and a $150,000 earner get an identical cheque. The extended option pays 33% against the same ceiling, capping at about $437 a week. Because so many parents are at the ceiling, the practical planning question is rarely "how much will I get" but "how long can we live on about $729 a week before tax, and does my employer top it up?"

Quebec runs a different and more generous plan

If you live in Quebec, you do not use federal EI maternity and parental benefits. The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) replaces them, and it is meaningfully different: the maximum insurable earnings ceiling is higher at $103,000, and the replacement rate reaches 70% or 75% depending on the plan you choose.

QPIP also covers self-employed workers automatically, where the federal programme requires them to opt in a year ahead. Quebec residents pay a lower EI premium rate to reflect that they are not covered for these benefits federally. If you are in Quebec, a federal EI calculation will understate what you actually receive, sometimes substantially.

The one-week waiting period and employer top-ups

EI applies a one-week unpaid waiting period at the start of a claim, similar to an insurance deductible. When two parents share parental benefits, only one waiting period is served between them, so it is worth coordinating who claims first.

Many employers offer a Supplemental Unemployment Benefit plan that tops your EI up to a higher percentage of your salary — often 75% to 100% — for a set number of weeks. A registered SUB plan does not reduce your EI, which is exactly why it must be registered with Service Canada. Check your collective agreement or HR policy before choosing standard or extended, because a top-up is usually structured around the standard option and choosing extended can forfeit it.

Tax, and the bill that arrives next spring

EI and QPIP benefits are taxable income, but the tax withheld at source is calculated as though the benefit is your only income for the year. If you worked part of the year at full salary and then received benefits, your combined income sits in a higher bracket than the withholding assumed — so you can owe money at tax time.

Parents are caught by this every year. Setting aside roughly 10% of each benefit payment usually covers the gap. There is one piece of good news: because your income is lower during a leave year, your Canada Child Benefit for the following benefit year is calculated on that lower income, so your CCB payments typically rise the July after your leave.

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Symbol	Meaning	Unit
weeklyEarnings		—
EI standard		—
EI extended		—
QPIP basic plan		—

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

Uses Quebec's QPIP basic plan rate only — does not model the special plan (75%, shorter duration) or QPIP's own maternity/paternity/parental week splits, which differ from EI's.
Does not verify EI eligibility (the 600 insurable hours requirement) — see the EI Calculator for eligibility estimation.
Assumes a flat entered tax rate rather than computing actual federal/provincial tax on the benefit amount.

Calculator inputs

Personal Information

Income Information

Leave Details

Special Situations

Your results

Sources & methodology

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

Sources & references

What are EI maternity benefits?

How much can I get from parental benefits?

What is QPIP and how is it different from EI?

Are maternity and parental benefits taxable?

How many insurable hours do I need to qualify?

Related calculators

More Canada calculators

Calculator inputs

Personal Information

Income Information

Leave Details

Special Situations

Your results

Sources & methodology

How to Use This Calculator

Example Maternity Benefit Calculation

Understanding Your Results

Key Tips

Understanding Maternity and Parental Benefits in Canada

Maternity and parental benefits are two different things

Standard versus extended parental: the choice that cannot be undone

How your weekly payment is calculated, and the ceiling

Quebec runs a different and more generous plan

The one-week waiting period and employer top-ups

Tax, and the bill that arrives next spring

Formula & methodology

Formula used

Variable definitions

Step-by-step calculation

Limitations

Sources & references

How to Use This Calculator

Example Maternity Benefit Calculation

Understanding Your Results

Key Tips

Understanding Maternity and Parental Benefits in Canada

Maternity and parental benefits are two different things

Standard versus extended parental: the choice that cannot be undone

How your weekly payment is calculated, and the ceiling

Quebec runs a different and more generous plan

The one-week waiting period and employer top-ups

Tax, and the bill that arrives next spring