Quick answer: In 2026, the maximum weekly EI benefit is $729 (up from $695 in 2025), set as 55% of weekly insurable earnings up to the new $68,900 Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE). Employees outside Quebec pay 1.63% EI on the first $68,900 of insurable earnings (max $1,123.07); Quebec employees pay 1.30% (max $895.70). Employers pay 1.4× the employee rate — 2.28% outside Quebec, 1.82% Quebec.
What this means: The MIE controls both how much premium you pay and the maximum cheque you can receive. Earnings above the MIE neither attract premiums nor count toward your benefit. Self-employed Canadians don’t pay EI by default but can opt in for special benefits.
What to do next: Estimate your 2026 EI premium and the maximum benefit you’d be entitled to. Run the EI calculator →
2026 maximum weekly EI benefit: $729
The Canada Employment Insurance Commission’s 2026 Actuarial Report Summary sets the maximum weekly EI benefit for 2026 at $729, up from $695 in 2025. The calculation is mechanical: the 55% replacement rate multiplied by weekly earnings, capped at 55% of the new $68,900 MIE divided by 52 weeks.
| Year | Maximum Insurable Earnings | Maximum weekly benefit (55% replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,700 | $695 |
| 2026 | $68,900 | $729 |
Service Canada calculates each claimant’s actual weekly benefit as 55% of their average insurable weekly earnings over the “best weeks” in their qualifying period. The $729 maximum is reached only at or above the MIE. Most claimants receive less because their insurable earnings are below the cap.
The number of weeks of regular EI you can receive ranges from 14 to 45 weeks, depending on the regional unemployment rate when you file the claim and your accumulated insurable hours in the qualifying period.
2026 EI employee premium rate
The 2026 employee rate is $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings (1.63%) outside Quebec and $1.30 per $100 (1.30%) in Quebec. The 2026 rate is one cent below the 2025 rate of $1.64, reflecting the Senior Actuary’s 7-year forecast break-even calculation.
Quebec residents pay a reduced rate because the province administers its own parental insurance plan (QPIP/RQAP). The federal QPIP reduction for 2026 is 33 cents: 1.63 − 0.33 = 1.30.
2026 EI employer premium rate
Employers pay 1.4× the employee rate, set by section 67 of the Employment Insurance Act. For 2026 that is:
- Outside Quebec: $2.28 per $100 of insurable earnings (2.28%).
- Quebec: $1.82 per $100 (1.82%).
Employers report and remit the combined employer + employee EI deductions on Form PD7A on their CRA payroll account, normally monthly or quarterly. Employers may also qualify for the Premium Reduction Program (PRP) if they offer a qualifying short-term disability or wage-loss plan.
2026 Maximum Insurable Earnings: $68,900
The 2026 Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE) is $68,900, up from $65,700 in 2025. The MIE is indexed each year to the percentage increase in the Statistics Canada average weekly earnings of the industrial aggregate. Income above $68,900 in 2026 is not subject to EI premiums and does not count toward your maximum weekly benefit.
Once an employee’s year-to-date insurable earnings hit $68,900, EI deductions stop on their pay stub for the rest of the calendar year. High earners typically see EI disappear in October or November.
2026 maximum employee and employer premiums
Multiplying the 2026 premium rates by the $68,900 MIE gives the 2026 maxima published in Table 2 of the canada.ca Summary of the 2026 Actuarial Report on the EI Premium Rate:
| 2026 contributor | Premium rate | Maximum annual premium |
|---|---|---|
| Employee outside Quebec | 1.63% | $1,123.07 |
| Employer outside Quebec | 2.28% | $1,572.30 |
| Employee in Quebec | 1.30% | $895.70 |
| Employer in Quebec | 1.82% | $1,253.98 |
For Quebec workers there is also a separate provincial QPIP/RQAP premium on top, on a higher Quebec earnings ceiling.
Quebec rules: QPIP/RQAP and why the rate is lower
Quebec employees pay a reduced federal EI rate because the Régime québécois d’assurance parentale (QPIP, also called RQAP) covers maternity, paternity, and parental benefits at the provincial level instead of through federal EI. The reduced federal EI rate equals the regular rate minus the parental-benefit portion that QPIP replaces — the 33-cent reduction in 2026.
Quebec workers also pay a separate QPIP premium on their pay (rates differ from federal EI; QPIP has its own ceiling, which is higher than the federal MIE). For the full Quebec breakdown, see Quebec EI premium rate for 2026.
Self-employed: opt-in EI special benefits in 2026
Self-employed Canadians do not automatically pay EI premiums and cannot collect regular EI. They can opt in to EI special benefits (maternity, parental, sickness, compassionate care, family caregiver) by entering an agreement with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission through Service Canada.
Per the Service Canada self-employed EI premiums page, opted-in self-employed workers pay $1.63 for every $100 of self-employment earnings (1.30% in Quebec), to a maximum of $1,123.07 in 2026 outside Quebec ($895.70 in Quebec). Premiums are paid annually when the self-employed person files their T1 income tax return — not on each pay. Eligibility for special benefits begins 12 months after the agreement starts. For 2026, the minimum amount of self-employed earnings required to qualify for special benefits is $9,254, indexed each year to MIE growth.
How much you could receive: the 55% rule
From canada.ca EI regular benefits: How much you could receive: the basic rate for EI is 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to the 2026 maximum of $729 per week. The benefit is calculated using your best weeks — the highest-earning weeks of the qualifying period.
The number of best weeks (between 14 and 22) depends on the regional unemployment rate. The qualifying period is normally the 52 weeks before your claim or since your last claim, whichever is shorter. The benefit duration (14 to 45 weeks) is set by the same regional unemployment rate plus your accumulated insurable hours.
EI vs CPP deductions in 2026
EI and CPP are both payroll deductions in 2026, but they apply to different bands of earnings and have separate ceilings. CPP base premiums apply to pensionable earnings between the basic exemption ($3,500) and the Year’s Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YMPE, $74,600 for 2026). CPP2 (the enhanced second tier) applies to pensionable earnings between the YMPE and the Year’s Additional Maximum Pensionable Earnings (YAMPE, $85,000 for 2026). EI applies to insurable earnings up to the MIE of $68,900.
| Deduction | 2026 employee rate | 2026 earnings band | 2026 max employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| EI (outside Quebec) | 1.63% | Insurable earnings up to $68,900 MIE | $1,123.07 |
| EI (Quebec) | 1.30% | Insurable earnings up to $68,900 MIE | $895.70 |
| CPP base | 5.95% | Pensionable earnings between $3,500 basic exemption and $74,600 YMPE | $4,230.45 |
| CPP2 (enhancement) | 4.00% | Pensionable earnings between $74,600 YMPE and $85,000 YAMPE | $416.00 |
EI and CPP run on different ceilings, so an employee can max out one and still owe the other. The full hire cost — both employer shares plus salary — is in employer CPP and EI costs: what it really costs to hire someone.
Multiple employers: how excess EI premiums get refunded
Each employer withholds EI separately, up to the MIE per employer. If you work for more than one employer in the same year, you can pay more than the maximum employee premium across the year. CRA refunds the excess automatically when you file your T1 return — the over-payment is calculated on Schedule 13 (for residents of Canada other than Quebec) or built into the Quebec EI/QPIP reconciliation. See EI overpayment with multiple employers for the mechanic.
Common mistakes
- Treating EI as continuous all year. Premiums stop once you hit the MIE for the year. High earners often see EI disappear from pay stubs in October or November.
- Forgetting Quebec is different. Quebec employees and employers pay reduced EI plus separate QPIP. Both halves matter for a Quebec hire’s total payroll cost.
- Assuming self-employed automatically get EI. Without a Service Canada opt-in agreement, no premiums are collected and no special benefits are payable.
- Not reclaiming overpayments from multiple employers. CRA reconciles when you file the T1, but only if you file. The refund isn’t automatic for non-filers.
- Confusing the MIE with the maximum weekly benefit. $68,900 is the annual earnings cap; $729 is the weekly cheque cap. The $729 is calculated as 55% of $68,900 / 52 weeks.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum weekly EI benefit in 2026?
$729, up from $695 in 2025. This is 55% of the new $68,900 MIE divided by 52 weeks. Only claimants whose insurable weekly earnings are at or above $68,900 / 52 reach the cap.
What is the EI premium rate for 2026?
1.63% of insurable earnings outside Quebec and 1.30% in Quebec, on the first $68,900 of insurable earnings. Employers pay 1.4× that.
How long can I collect EI in 2026?
Between 14 and 45 weeks, depending on the unemployment rate in your EI region when you file and your accumulated insurable hours. Special EI benefits (maternity, parental, sickness, etc.) have separate maximums.
How does Quebec EI differ in 2026?
Quebec workers pay 1.30% (vs 1.63% elsewhere) and Quebec employers pay 1.82% (vs 2.28% elsewhere). The reduction is because QPIP/RQAP covers parental benefits provincially.
What is the maximum I’ll pay in EI in 2026?
$1,123.07 as an employee outside Quebec; $895.70 in Quebec. Employers pay up to $1,572.30 and $1,253.98 per employee respectively.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the 2026 EI premium rate?
- 1.63% for employees outside Quebec, 1.30% for Quebec employees. Employers pay 1.4× that rate.
- What is the 2026 maximum insurable earnings?
- $68,900. Income above this is not subject to EI premiums.
- What is the maximum 2026 EI premium for an employee?
- $1,123.07 outside Quebec, $895.70 in Quebec.
- What is the employer EI rate in 2026?
- 1.4× the employee rate. That's 2.282% outside Quebec or 1.820% in Quebec, applied to the same insurable earnings.
- Why is Quebec's EI rate lower?
- Quebec runs its own parental program (QPIP/RQAP), so federal EI doesn't cover those benefits in Quebec. The federal rate is reduced accordingly.
- Do self-employed Canadians pay EI?
- Not by default. They can opt in to EI special benefits via a Service Canada agreement, then pay 1.63% (2026) on their self-employment income and qualify for maternity, parental, sickness, and caregiver benefits.
- What if I have two employers in the same year?
- Each employer withholds EI separately up to the maximum. Any overpayment across employers is refunded automatically when you file your T1.