EI Benefits Calculator
Estimate your weekly Employment Insurance (EI) benefit in Canada for 2026.
About the EI Benefits Calculator
Enter your insurable earnings over the best weeks used and the number of those weeks, and choose the benefit type. The calculator gives the weekly EI benefit before tax.
Most EI benefits pay 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, using your best 14 to 22 weeks in the last year (fewer weeks where unemployment is high). For claims from 28 December 2025, the maximum is $729 a week, based on 2026 maximum insurable earnings of $68,900. Extended parental benefits pay 33%, up to $437. Low-income families may get the Family Supplement on top.
The formula
Weekly benefit = min(55% × average of best weeks, $729)
Worked example
52,000 earned over the best 22 weeks; regular benefits
- Average weekly earnings: 52,000 ÷ 22 = 2,363.64
- 55% would be 1,300
- Capped at the 2026 maximum: 729 a week
Questions people ask
How many weeks can I get?
Regular benefits last 14–45 weeks depending on hours worked and the regional unemployment rate.
Is EI taxed?
Yes; high earners may repay some (the benefit repayment).
Sources
The rules and rates this calculator uses come from the official pages below. Its results are estimates, not an official determination, and rules change, so check the latest figures there before you act on them.