EI Maximum Weekly Benefit by Type 2026: Your Exact Amount for Regular, Sickness, Maternity + Parental

The 2026 EI Maximum Weekly Benefit: All Four Streams at a Glance

Every EI benefit type in Canada starts from the same formula: 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, subject to the Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE) cap. But the weekly maximum, the duration, and the replacement rate differ by stream. Here is the full comparison for 2026:

The formula behind every number in that table: $68,900 MIE ÷ 52 weeks = $1,325 average weekly insurable earnings × 55% = $728.75, rounded to $729. For the extended parental option, the rate drops to 33%: $1,325 × 33% = $437.25, rounded to $438.

The 2026 Maximum Insurable Earnings: Where the $729 Comes From

The Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE) for 2026 is $68,900, effective January 1, 2026. This number is set annually by the Canada Employment Insurance Commission and indexed to average wage growth. It was $65,700 in 2025 — a $3,200 increase.

The MIE is the ceiling for two things:

• Premium collection: you and your employer stop paying EI premiums once your earnings reach $68,900 in a calendar year
• Benefit calculation: your weekly benefit is based on at most $68,900 of annual earnings, regardless of how much you actually earn

If you earn $85,000, $120,000, or $200,000 — your maximum EI weekly benefit is still $729. That is the benefit cliff. EI was designed to replace 55% of income for workers earning up to the MIE; above that, you are on your own.

Regular EI Benefits: $729/Week Maximum, 14–45 Weeks

Regular EI benefits cover workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own — layoffs, plant closures, seasonal end-of-work, and certain quits with just cause. The benefit rate is 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, up to the $729/week cap.

How the average is calculated: Service Canada uses your "best weeks" of insurable earnings during the qualifying period (the last 52 weeks, or since your last claim). The number of best weeks varies by your Economic Region's unemployment rate:

Worked example: Brampton retail worker, $45,000/year

A 32-year-old Brampton retail supervisor earns $45,000 annually and is laid off in March 2026. She has 1,400 insurable hours in the qualifying period. Toronto CMA unemployment rate: 7% (best 18 weeks divisor).

She receives about $2,061/month before tax — roughly $1,650 after deductions. Her pre-layoff take-home was approximately $2,900/month. EI covers 57% of her actual net pay. Not luxurious, but livable if expenses are managed.

Sickness Benefits: $729/Week Maximum, Up to 26 Weeks

EI sickness benefits use the same 55% rate and the same $729/week maximum as regular benefits. The difference is duration and eligibility:

• Maximum duration: 26 weeks (extended from 15 weeks effective December 18, 2022)
• Eligibility: 600 insurable hours in the qualifying period (fixed — not regional)
• Medical certificate: required from your physician or specialist
• One-week waiting period: applies (same as all EI benefit types)

You can receive sickness benefits whether you are employed or unemployed. If you become ill while on a regular EI claim, you can convert to sickness benefits without re-applying — your weekly amount stays the same, and the sickness weeks run concurrently with or after your regular benefit weeks, depending on your total entitlement.

Maternity Benefits: $729/Week Maximum, 15 Weeks

EI maternity benefits are available to the birth parent only. The rate is 55% of average weekly insurable earnings, capped at $729/week — identical to regular and sickness benefits. The key parameters:

• Maximum duration: 15 weeks
• Eligibility: 600 insurable hours in the qualifying period
• Start date: as early as 12 weeks before the expected due date, or on the date of birth
• End date: no later than 17 weeks after the actual date of birth (or the date the child comes into your care for adoption)

Maternity benefits are typically followed immediately by parental benefits. The one-week waiting period is served only once at the start of the maternity claim — it does not restart when you transition to parental.

Parental Benefits: Standard ($729/Week) vs Extended ($438/Week)

This is where most claimants get confused. Parental EI benefits come in two options, and you must choose one when you apply — you cannot switch after the first payment. Both parents must choose the same option.

Standard parental option

• Replacement rate: 55% of average weekly insurable earnings
• Maximum weekly benefit: $729
• Total shared weeks: 40 weeks between both parents
• Maximum per parent: 35 weeks (the extra 5 weeks are a "use-it-or-lose-it" incentive for the second parent to take at least 5 weeks)

Extended parental option

• Replacement rate: 33% of average weekly insurable earnings
• Maximum weekly benefit: $438
• Total shared weeks: 69 weeks between both parents
• Maximum per parent: 61 weeks (the extra 8 weeks are the second-parent "use-it-or-lose-it" incentive)

The total payout between standard and extended is roughly comparable — the extended option gives you more weeks but less per week, and the total ends up within a few thousand dollars. The real trade-off is cash flow vs. time at home. Standard gives you higher weekly income for a shorter period. Extended gives you lower weekly income spread over an extra 29 weeks.

The Family Supplement: When Your Weekly EI Can Exceed the 55% Rate

Most claimants receive 55% of their insurable earnings. But if your family net income is below approximately $28,000 and you have children under 18, the EI Family Supplement can push your effective replacement rate up to 80% of your insurable earnings.

The supplement is calculated automatically based on your family's tax return — you do not need to apply for it separately. It phases out gradually as family income rises above the threshold.

How it works in practice:

• A single parent earning $25,000/year with two children could receive up to 80% of their average weekly insurable earnings — roughly $385/week instead of the standard $264/week (55%)
• The supplement adds to the base benefit — it does not replace the 55% calculation
• The maximum combined rate (base + supplement) is 80% — the supplement cannot push you above that ceiling
• The supplement applies to all four benefit types: regular, sickness, maternity, and parental

For families receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement or the Canada Child Benefit, the Family Supplement can make a meaningful difference in total household income during an EI claim.

Three Ontario Earner Profiles: Your Exact Weekly Cheque

The formula is the same for everyone. The result is not. Here are three GTA workers filing EI in 2026 — the arithmetic laid out so you can see exactly where the cap bites.

How Severance Interacts with EI Benefits

If you receive severance pay along with a layoff, the timing of that severance determines whether it reduces your EI — or doesn't.

• Lump-sum severance: Service Canada allocates it over a period based on your weekly earnings. EI benefits are delayed until the severance "runs out." You do not lose weeks of EI — the claim start date simply pushes forward.
• Salary continuance: EI benefits do not start until the salary continuance ends. Again, no weeks lost — the start date is delayed.
• Vacation pay: if paid out during an active EI claim, it reduces your EI dollar-for-dollar. If used up before the claim starts, no impact. This is one of the most common filing mistakes — see our guide to maximizing EI benefits.

For the detailed provincial minimums on severance and termination pay, see our severance minimums by province 2026 guide.

Taxes on EI Benefits: What You Actually Take Home

EI benefits are taxable income. Federal and provincial income tax is deducted at source from every payment. The effective deduction rate depends on your total annual income — including the EI — but for most Ontario claimants at the maximum, expect roughly 20–25% withheld at source.

One more catch: if your net income for the year exceeds approximately $79,000 (the EI repayment threshold — indexed annually), you repay 30% of EI benefits received, up to the full amount. This is the "EI clawback" and it hits higher-income workers who collect EI for part of the year and then return to a high-paying job.

Combining Benefit Types: Maternity → Parental → Regular

EI benefit types can be combined within a single claim, with some limits:

• Maternity + parental: the most common combination. A birth parent takes 15 weeks of maternity, then transitions to 35 weeks of standard parental (or 61 weeks of extended). One waiting period for the entire claim.
• Regular + sickness: if you are collecting regular EI and become ill, you can convert to sickness benefits. Combined weeks cannot exceed total entitlement.
• Sickness + maternity: if you become pregnant while on sickness benefits, you can transition to maternity when your doctor confirms the pregnancy-related leave.

The total benefit period (the window during which you can receive all combined benefits) is capped at 52 weeks from the start of the claim in most cases. Exceptions apply for extended parental (the benefit period can stretch to 78 weeks).

Full Worked Example: Above-MIE Earner Across All Streams

A Mississauga project manager earns $95,000. She's laid off, then later becomes ill, and separately plans a parental leave the following year. Here is what each EI stream would pay her at the 2026 rates:

At $95,000, EI replaces less than 40% of her actual income under the 55%-rate streams. Under extended parental, it drops to 24%. The $729 cap doesn't scale — it's the same ceiling for a $70K earner and a $200K earner.

Filing Tips: Avoid the Most Common Mistakes

1. Apply within 4 weeks of your last day of work. Late applications can cost you weeks of benefits. Service Canada may backdate a late application in limited circumstances, but don't count on it.
2. Use up vacation pay and banked overtime before the claim starts. If paid during an active claim, these reduce your EI dollar-for-dollar. If paid before the claim, they don't.
3. File your Record of Employment (ROE) disputes early. If your employer's ROE shows the wrong reason for separation (e.g., "quit" instead of "layoff"), file a dispute with Service Canada immediately — don't wait for the denial.
4. Choose your parental option carefully — it's irreversible. Once your first parental EI payment processes, you cannot switch between standard and extended. Model both scenarios before you apply.
5. Complete your biweekly reports on time. Missing a report delays your payment by at least two weeks. Set a calendar reminder.