How much does EI pay in Canada 2026?

EI pays 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $695 per week (based on maximum insurable earnings of $65,700). Most people receive between $300-$695 weekly.

How many hours do you need to qualify for EI?

You need 420-700 hours of insurable employment in the last 52 weeks, depending on your regional unemployment rate. Higher unemployment areas require fewer hours.

How long can you collect EI in Canada?

EI regular benefits last between 14 to 45 weeks depending on hours worked and regional unemployment rate. The average is 26-36 weeks.

EI Benefits Canada 2026 | How Much and How to Apply

Employment Insurance replaces 55% of your earnings up to a maximum of roughly $695 per week — enough to cover essentials while you search for work, but a significant pay cut for most Canadians. The system is heavily regional: someone in a high-unemployment area like Northern Ontario qualifies with just 420 hours and can collect up to 45 weeks, while a worker in a low-unemployment region needs 700 hours and may only receive 14 weeks. Beyond regular benefits, EI also covers maternity/parental leave, sickness (up to 26 weeks), and compassionate care — programs that many Canadians don’t realize they’ve already paid for through their premiums.

EI Benefits Overview

What EI Provides

Type	Purpose
Regular benefits	Lost job (not your fault)
Maternity benefits	Pregnancy/birth
Parental benefits	New child care
Sickness benefits	Illness/injury
Compassionate care	Caring for seriously ill
Caregiving benefits	Critical illness/injury

How Much EI Pays 2026

Benefit Calculation

Component	Amount
Benefit rate	55% of earnings
Maximum weekly	~$695
Maximum insurable earnings	~$65,700/year
Best weeks used	14-22 depending on region

Example Calculations

Weekly Earnings	EI Payment
$500	$275/week
$800	$440/week
$1,000	$550/week
$1,264+	$695/week (max)

EI Eligibility Requirements

Hours Needed

Regional Unemployment Rate	Hours Required
6% or less	700 hours
6.1% - 7%	665 hours
7.1% - 8%	630 hours
8.1% - 9%	595 hours
9.1% - 10%	560 hours
10.1% - 11%	525 hours
11.1% - 12%	490 hours
12.1% - 13%	455 hours
Over 13%	420 hours

Other Requirements

Requirement	Details
Lost job	Through no fault of your own
Available for work	Ready and able
Actively seeking	Looking for employment
Filed taxes	ROE from employer

How Long Benefits Last

Weeks of Benefits

Hours Worked	Low Unemployment	High Unemployment
420-454	Not eligible	14 weeks
700-734	14 weeks	25 weeks
910-944	18 weeks	31 weeks
1,120-1,154	22 weeks	37 weeks
1,400-1,434	27 weeks	42 weeks
1,820+	36 weeks	45 weeks

EI Special Benefits

Maternity Benefits

Feature	Details
Duration	15 weeks
Who	Biological mothers
When	Around birth
Amount	55% (max $695/week)

Parental Benefits (Standard)

Feature	Details
Duration	Up to 40 weeks
Shareable	Between parents
One parent max	35 weeks
Amount	55% (max $695/week)

Parental Benefits (Extended)

Feature	Details
Duration	Up to 69 weeks
Rate	33% of earnings
Max weekly	~$417/week
One parent max	61 weeks

Sickness Benefits

Feature	Details
Duration	Up to 26 weeks
For	Illness, injury, quarantine
Amount	55% (max $695/week)

Compassionate Care

Feature	Details
Duration	Up to 26 weeks
For	Caring for dying family
Shareable	Among family members

How to Apply for EI

Step-by-Step

Step	Action
1	Get ROE from employer
2	Apply online at canada.ca
3	Complete application
4	Provide SIN, banking info
5	Wait for decision

What You Need

Document	Required
Social Insurance Number	Yes
Record of Employment	Yes
Direct deposit info	Recommended
Address, phone	Yes
Last employer info	Yes

Timeline

Stage	Duration
Apply after last day	Within 4 weeks
Processing	28 days standard
First payment	After 1-week waiting period

EI Waiting Period

One-Week Unpaid

Feature	Details
Duration	1 week
Unpaid	No benefits
Per claim	Once
Starts	When claim begins

EI Taxes

Benefits Are Taxable

Consideration	Details
Taxable income	Yes
Tax withheld	Federal only (usually)
T4E slip	Received for tax season
May owe	Provincial taxes

Tax Withholding Options

Request	Rate
Minimum	~10% federal
Can request more	Up to 30%

Working While on EI

One of the most misunderstood EI rules is that you can — and should — work part-time while collecting benefits. Under the current rules, you keep the first 50% of your weekly benefit amount in earnings without any deduction, which means someone collecting $500/week in EI can earn $250 from part-time work and take home $750 total. This both stretches your benefits further and keeps your skills sharp for re-employment. Just remember that EI payments are taxable income, and only federal tax is typically withheld at source — you may owe provincial taxes at filing time.

Earnings Rules

Earnings	Impact
First 50% of benefit	Keep it
Above 50%	Deducted dollar-for-dollar
Earn more than benefit	Lose that week

Example

Scenario	Calculation
Weekly EI benefit	$500
Allowed earnings	$250 (50%)
You earn	$200
You keep	$500 + $200 = $700

EI Clawback (Repayment)

For High Earners

If Net Income Over	Repayment
~$79,000	30% of benefits
Maximum repayment	30%

First-Time Claimants

If First-Time	Exempt
Yes	No repayment required
Special benefits	Exempt from repayment

EI Premiums 2026

What You Pay

Component	Rate
Employee rate	~1.63% of earnings
Maximum employee	~$1,070/year
Employer rate	1.4x employee
Self-employed	Can opt in

Regional Differences

Unemployment Rates Affect

Higher Unemployment	Benefits
Fewer hours needed	To qualify
More weeks	Of benefits
Better weeks used	In calculation

Common EI Questions

Can I Quit and Get EI?

Situation	Eligible?
Quit without cause	No
Quit for just cause	Maybe
Harassment	Yes, with documentation
Unsafe conditions	Yes, with documentation

What If I’m Fired?

Situation	Eligible?
Fired for misconduct	No
Fired for performance	Usually yes
Laid off	Yes
Contract ended	Yes

EI vs Other Benefits

Comparison

Program	Purpose
EI	Job loss
CPP disability	Long-term disability
Workers’ comp	Workplace injury
Social assistance	Last resort

The Bottom Line

Apply for EI within four weeks of your last day — delays can cost you benefits. Set up direct deposit for faster payments, budget around the one-week unpaid waiting period, and take advantage of the working-while-on-EI rules to supplement your income. If you earn over ~$79,000 in a year that includes EI, be prepared for a 30% clawback on benefits (first-time claimants are exempt). Keep your ROE and tax slips organized since EI income is fully taxable.