EI Benefits Calculator
Employment Insurance pays 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, up to $729 a week in 2026. How many weeks you get depends on your insurable hours and your EI region’s unemployment rate — between 14 and 45. The waiting-period waiver and separation-earnings exemption apply through 9 October 2027. Long-tenured support has a separate 12 June 2027 claim-start deadline; extra weeks are not included in this standard estimate.
Step 1 of 3
What EI would pay you
$605.00
a week, before tax
You have enough hours — 665 are needed at that unemployment rate.
Temporary measures for this claim date
- No one-week waiting period The unpaid waiting week is waived. Processing time still applies; an employer top-up can make serving the waiting period advantageous. Applies to claims starting through 2027-10-09.
- Severance does not delay your claim Severance, pay in lieu of notice, vacation payout and closure bonuses are not deducted or allocated forward. Applies to claims starting through 2027-10-09.
- Up to 20 extra weeks for long-tenured workers Up to 20 additional weeks (maximum 65) after at least one regular-benefit week, fewer than 36 regular/fishing benefit weeks in the preceding three years, and at least 30% of maximum EI premiums in seven of the preceding ten years. Extra weeks are not included in this standard estimate. Applies to claims starting through 2027-06-12.
After that: A one-week unpaid waiting period returns. Separation pay is allocated forward again, pushing your start date back by however many weeks it covers. The ordinary maximum of 45 weeks applies.
How this was worked out
- Your weekly benefit$1,100.00 average weekly earnings × 55% = $605.00
- You have enough hours1400 hours against the 665 your region requires at 6.5% unemployment
- How long you are paid26 weeks, from the schedule for 1400 hours at 6.5% regional unemployment
- No waiting period right nowThe one-week waiting period is waived for claims starting up to 9 October 2027.
$605.00 a week for 26 weeks, $15,730.00 in total.
$605.00 a week is roughly 55% of what you were earning. If you are still working and payday is the problem, NotchUp can advance up to $1,500 of wages you have already earned for a $5 flat fee.
See what you could advance- 55%of your weekly earnings
- $729weekly maximum, 2026
- 9 Oct 2027waiting-period and separation-pay deadline
Temporary rules extended into 2027
The other two: the one-week waiting period is waived, so benefits start from your first week rather than your second, and long-tenured workers get up to 20 extra weeks, raising the ceiling from 45 to 65.
Pilot Project No. 25 (SOR/2026-203) was registered on 25 September 2026 and took effect on 11 October 2026. Waiting-period and separation-earnings measures run through 9 October 2027; long-tenured support requires a claim starting by 12 June 2027. For claims starting 11 October 2026 through 9 October 2027, only the most recent reason for separation is reviewed. Service Canada makes the eligibility decision.
How much you get
Your benefit is 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings. That average is taken from your best weeks — between 14 and 22 of them, depending on your region’s unemployment rate.
The ceiling is the part people miss. Maximum insurable earnings for 2026 are $68,900, which works out to $1,325 a week. Earn more than that and your benefit does not rise — everyone above the ceiling gets the same $729.
So someone on $70,000 and someone on $200,000 receive an identical EI cheque. The replacement rate is just over half your pay for the first, and well under a quarter for the second.
How long it lasts, and whether you qualify at all
Both answers come from the same place: your insurable hours and your EI region’s unemployment rate.
| Regional unemployment rate | Insurable hours needed | Best weeks averaged |
|---|---|---|
| 6% or under | 700 | 22 |
| more than 6%, up to 7% | 665 | 21 |
| more than 8%, up to 9% | 595 | 19 |
| more than 11%, up to 12% | 490 | 16 |
| more than 13% | 420 | 14 |
A higher local unemployment rate means fewer hours needed, fewer weeks averaged into your rate, and more weeks of benefit. Weeks payable range from 14 to 45.
Three things that catch people out
EI is taxable, and the tax withheld is not enough. Tax comes off at the lowest bracket only, so many claimants owe money at filing.
High earners repay some of it. If your net income for the year tops $86,125, you repay 30% of the lesser of your benefits and the excess. First-time claimants are exempt.
Working while on claim keeps half. For every dollar you earn, 50 cents comes off your benefit, up to 90% of your previous weekly earnings. Above that it is dollar for dollar, and a full working week pays nothing at all — though it does not use up an entitlement week either.
Frequently asked questions
How much EI will I get?
55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, up to a maximum of $729 a week in 2026. The average is taken from your best 14 to 22 weeks depending on your region’s unemployment rate. Earnings above $1,325 a week do not increase your benefit.
Does severance delay my EI?
Not right now. Separation pay — severance, pay in lieu of notice, vacation payout — is not deducted or allocated forward when the claim or allocation starts between 30 March 2025 and 9 October 2027. The normal allocation rule applies outside the temporary measure; processing time still applies.
Is there still a waiting period for EI?
The waiting period is waived for claims starting between 30 March 2025 and 9 October 2027. You may choose to serve it if an employer top-up makes that advantageous. The waiver does not remove processing time.
How many hours do I need to qualify for EI?
Between 420 and 700 insurable hours in the last 52 weeks, depending on your EI region’s unemployment rate. A region at 6% or under needs 700 hours; a region above 13% needs 420. The rate is republished every four weeks, so check the current figure for your region.
How many weeks of EI can I get?
Between 14 and 45, set by your insurable hours and your regional unemployment rate together. Long-tenured workers can get up to 20 extra weeks, to a ceiling of 65, for claims starting from 15 June 2025 through 12 June 2027, subject to the contribution and prior-claim conditions. Extra weeks are not included in this standard estimate.
Is EI taxable?
Yes, fully. Tax is withheld at source but only at the lowest bracket, so many claimants owe more at filing. If your net income for the year exceeds $86,125 you also repay 30% of the lesser of your benefits and the amount above that threshold — unless you are a first-time claimant.
Can I work while on EI?
Yes. For every dollar you earn, 50 cents is deducted from your benefit, up to a threshold of 90% of your previous weekly earnings. Above that it comes off dollar for dollar. A week in which you work full time pays nothing, but it does not consume an entitlement week either.
Sources
Every rate, threshold and formula on this page was verified against these primary sources. If a figure here disagrees with one of them, the source is right and we want to know.