EI Payment Dates 2026 Canada | Biweekly Schedule

EI Payment Dates 2026

Employment Insurance (EI) is paid every two weeks after you file your biweekly report. Unlike CPP and OAS, EI does not have a fixed monthly payment date — your schedule depends on when your claim started.

2026 EI Reporting & Payment Calendar

Your biweekly report is due every other Saturday. Payments arrive within 2 business days (direct deposit) or 5-7 business days (cheque).

Note: If a statutory holiday delays processing, your payment may arrive one day later.

2026 EI Benefit Amounts

Weekly EI Benefit Examples

How to file your EI report

1. Online: Log in to My Service Canada Account and complete your biweekly report
2. By phone: Call the automated reporting line at 1-800-531-7555

You must file your report every two weeks, even if you haven’t found work. Missing a report will delay your payment.

How to set up direct deposit

Set up direct deposit through My Service Canada Account or by calling Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218. Direct deposit ensures your payment arrives 2 business days after filing, compared to 5-7 days by mail.

EI benefit duration

EI and income tax: the T4E slip

EI benefits are fully taxable income. Service Canada withholds income tax from your EI payments at the time of payment, but the rate may not match your actual marginal rate:

• Tax withheld rate: EI is withheld based on your provincial rate and expected income at time of claim
• T4E slip: issued in February by Service Canada; shows total EI paid and tax withheld
• At filing: your T4E amounts are reported on your T1 return; if too little was withheld, you will owe the balance

If your income for the year is higher than expected (part-year EI + part-year employment), you may owe tax at filing. Consider asking Service Canada to increase your withholding rate by calling 1-800-206-7218.

EI clawback (repayment): if your net income exceeds approximately $79,000 in 2025, you must repay 30% of the lesser of: total EI received, or income over the threshold. This applies only to regular EI benefits — sickness, maternity, parental, and caregiving benefits are exempt from the clawback.

What to do if an EI payment is late

If your expected payment has not arrived:

1. Confirm you filed your biweekly report — log into My Service Canada Account. Missing a report is the most common cause of delayed payments
2. Check the statutory holiday schedule — holiday weekends shift payment by 1 business day
3. Verify your direct deposit info — go to My Service Canada Account and confirm your bank account details are correct
4. Wait 7 business days (cheque recipients) — allow the full mail timeline before contacting Service Canada
5. Call Service Canada: 1-800-206-7218 — they can see your claim status and payment processing in real time

Payment tracer: if a payment appears processed but was never received, Service Canada can issue a payment tracer (essentially stopping and reissuing the cheque or investigating the deposit). Allow 30 days for the tracer to complete.

How holidays affect your EI payment

Canadian statutory holidays can shift your EI payment by one business day. For the 2026 calendar, key dates to watch:

Related pages

• EI Calculator
• EI Benefits Canada
• How to Apply for EI
• EI Maternity Benefits