Your leave details
How the math works (2026 EI parameters)
- Weekly benefit: 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings for maternity/standard parental, capped at $729/week; 33% capped at $437/week for extended.
- Maximum insurable earnings (MIE): $68,900/year in 2026 — earnings above this don't raise your benefit.
- Durations: maternity up to 15 weeks; standard parental up to 35 weeks per parent (40 shared); extended parental up to 61 weeks (69 shared). The calculator lets you enter fewer weeks than the maximums.
- Waiting week: 1 week unpaid, served once per claim (shown separately above).
- Eligibility: generally 600 insurable hours in the 52 weeks before the claim. EI benefits are taxable income — federal and provincial tax is deducted at source.
- Quebec: residents are covered by the QPIP, not federal EI — this calculator does not apply.
- Top-up math: if your employer tops you up to X% of your salary for N weeks, this calculator shows the employer portion as (X% × weekly salary − your weekly EI) × N weeks. Top-up plans vary — check your employer's policy for the real formula.
Sources
- canada.ca — EI maternity & parental benefit amount (rates, durations, formula, family supplement): https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-maternity-parental/benefit-amount.html
- canada.ca — 2026 maximum insurable earnings ($68,900; max weekly $729/$437): https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/ei-employers/premium-reduction-program/2026-maximum-insurable-earnings.html
- canada.ca EI Digest ch. 12 (600-hour rule, 1-week waiting period, maternity window): https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/digest/chapter-12/maternity-benefits.html
Not financial advice. This is a planning estimate using published 2026 EI parameters. Confirm your personal benefit rate, durations, and eligibility with Service Canada at canada.ca before making leave decisions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum weekly EI parental benefit in 2026?
$729/week for maternity and standard parental benefits (55%), $437/week for extended parental (33%), based on 2026 maximum insurable earnings of $68,900/year.
Do I lose a week of pay to the waiting period?
Yes — Service Canada applies a 1-week unpaid waiting period at the start of your claim. If parental benefits immediately follow maternity, the waiting week is served once, not twice. Temporary waivers mentioned in some 2026 coverage are claim-specific; the published standard remains one unpaid week.
How long can I be on leave?
A birth parent on the standard option can receive 15 weeks of maternity + up to 35 weeks of parental (50 paid weeks plus the unpaid waiting week ≈ 51 weeks off). On the extended option: 15 + up to 61 (76 paid weeks + waiting ≈ 77 weeks off).
Can I change from standard to extended later?
No. You must choose standard or extended before your first parental payment, and the choice cannot be changed after a payment is made.
Are EI parental benefits taxed?
Yes. They're taxable income; federal and provincial tax is deducted at source, so plan for the after-tax figure, not the gross number shown here.
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