MyEI.ca

Regular benefits

How Much EI Will I Get in 2026? The $729 Maximum, Explained

Checked against canada.ca on November 6, 2026

Short answer

In 2026, EI regular benefits pay 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $729 a week before tax. The average comes from your best-paid weeks in roughly the last 52 weeks, and anything above the 2026 ceiling of $68,900 a year (about $1,325 a week) is not counted. For example, $1,000 a week × 55% = $550 a week in 2026.

EI Calculator

Enter your weekly pay and postal code to estimate your 2026 weekly amount, number of weeks and total before tax.

Full-time for a year ≈ 2,080 hours; half a year ≈ 1,040. Your Record of Employment shows the total.

How do you want to enter your pay?

Before tax. Earnings above $68,900 a year (2026) don't count.

Optional: family and money you got when you left

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The formula in three steps

Service Canada works out your weekly EI regular benefit the same way for everyone. The inputs are your insurable earnings and the unemployment rate in the EI economic region where you live.

  1. Add up your best weeks. Take the weeks with the highest insurable earnings in your qualifying period, which is usually the 52 weeks before your claim starts. How many weeks are used depends on your region: from 14 weeks where unemployment is high to 22 weeks where it is low.
  2. Divide by that number of weeks. The result is your average insurable weekly earnings.
  3. Multiply by 55%. In 2026, the answer is capped at $729 a week.

The number of weeks you divide by is called the divisor. It is fixed by your region's unemployment rate, not by how many weeks you actually worked. Our best weeks guide walks through it with examples, and the regions page shows the current divisor for each of the 62 EI economic regions.

Once your weekly rate is set, it stays the same for the whole claim. The regional unemployment rate used for your divisor, your required hours and your number of weeks is locked in when your benefit period starts, so later changes in your region's rate don't change your claim.

Where the weekly maximum comes from

The maximum is not a separate rule. It comes from the cap on insurable earnings. In 2026, the maximum insurable earnings (MIE) are $68,900 a year. Divided by 52 weeks, that is about $1,325 a week. Earnings above that amount are not insurable, so they don't count toward your average.

$1,325 × 55% = $728.75, which rounds to the 2026 maximum of $729 a week. If your average is at or above about $1,325 a week, you get the maximum, whether you earned $1,400 or $4,000 a week.

The cap changes every January. For comparison, the 2025 maximum was $695 a week, based on 2025 maximum insurable earnings of $65,700. If you see $695 quoted as the current maximum, that page is out of date: for claims in 2026, the figure is $729.

Worked examples for 2026

These examples use the 2026 numbers and assume the person qualifies. All amounts are before tax.

Average insurable weekly earningsCalculationWeekly EI in 2026
$700$700 × 55%$385
$1,000$1,000 × 55%$550
$1,250$1,250 × 55%$687.50
$1,600Capped at about $1,325 × 55%$729 (maximum)

Example with uneven pay. Priya lives in a region whose divisor is 18. Over the last year she had 18 weeks at $1,100 and many slower weeks at $600. Her best 18 weeks add up to 18 × $1,100 = $19,800. Divided by 18, that is $1,100. Then $1,100 × 55% = $605 a week in 2026. Her slow weeks are ignored because they are not among her best 18.

Example with few weeks of work. Marc's region uses a divisor of 20, but he only had 16 weeks of work at $800. His total is 16 × $800 = $12,800. It is still divided by 20, not 16: $12,800 ÷ 20 = $640, and $640 × 55% = $352 a week. Working fewer weeks than your divisor lowers your average.

What counts as insurable earnings

Insurable earnings are, broadly, the pay your employer reports on your Record of Employment (ROE): wages, and most other pay such as tips, commissions and bonuses. The Canada Revenue Agency decides what is insurable. Your benefit is based on gross insurable earnings, before tax and other deductions.

Earnings from self-employment and fishing are not used for regular benefits. If you had more than one job in the last 52 weeks, insurable earnings from all of them count, so make sure every employer issues an ROE. Our ROE guide explains what to do if one is late.

What can change the amount you actually receive

  • Family supplement. If your family's net income is $25,921 or less a year, you have children and you or your spouse get the Canada Child Benefit, your rate can be raised up to 80%. It is still capped at $729 in 2026. See the family supplement guide.
  • Tax. EI benefits are taxable income. The weekly amount above is before tax. See EI and taxes.
  • Working while on EI. If you earn money while on claim, part of it is deducted from your benefits. See working while on EI.
  • Waiting period. Normally the first week of a claim is unpaid. This is temporarily waived for new claims that start between October 11, 2026 and October 9, 2027 under Pilot Project No. 25 (canada.ca lists the waiver as running since March 30, 2025). It is not permanent. See EI waiting period.
  • Severance and vacation pay. Money paid because you were separated from your job normally delays benefits. That rule is temporarily suspended for claims starting on or before October 9, 2027. See severance and vacation pay.

Getting your own estimate

The MyEI calculator uses your postal code to find your EI economic region, applies the right divisor, the 55% rate and the 2026 cap of $729, and estimates how many weeks you could collect. It is an estimate only: Service Canada makes the decision using your ROEs.

Don't wait for an exact number before applying. If you apply more than 4 weeks after your last day of work, you may lose benefits. You can apply on canada.ca and send documents later.

For a decision on your own claim, only Service Canada can tell you: call 1-800-206-7218 or start at canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html. MyEI is an independent information and estimate tool and is not affiliated with Service Canada or the Government of Canada.

Before you apply, check

  • You lost your job through no fault of your own (for example, a layoff or shortage of work), or you had just cause for leaving
  • You have enough insurable hours for your region in the last 52 weeks (420 to 700 in 2026, depending on the region)
  • You have been without work and without pay for at least 7 days in a row
  • You are ready, willing and able to work every day and are looking for work
  • You are applying within 4 weeks of your last day of work
  • You have your social insurance number, banking details, addresses and the name, address and dates of every employer from the last 52 weeks

How to estimate your weekly EI amount

  1. Find your region's divisor 5 min

    Look up your postal code on the regions page to see how many best weeks (14–22) your region uses.

  2. Gather your pay records 15 min

    Collect pay stubs or ROEs for the last 52 weeks from every employer. Use gross pay, before deductions.

  3. Add up your best weeks 10 min

    Pick the highest-paid weeks, as many as your divisor, and add them. If you worked fewer weeks than the divisor, add all of them.

  4. Divide, multiply and cap 2 min

    Divide the total by the divisor, multiply by 55%, and cap the result at $729 for 2026. Or let the calculator do it.

  5. Apply on canada.ca About 1 hour

    Apply online within 4 weeks of your last day of work. You don't need your ROE in hand first.

Key dates after your last day of work

  1. Day 0Last day of work

    Your employer must issue an ROE. Start your application as soon as you can.

  2. Claim startBenefit period begins

    Your region's unemployment rate is locked in for the claim, along with your divisor, hours requirement and number of weeks.

  3. Week 1Waiting week

    Normally unpaid. Temporarily waived for new claims starting October 11, 2026 to October 9, 2027.

  4. Within 4 weeksApply-by line

    Apply within 4 weeks of your last day of work, or you may lose benefits.

  5. About 28 days after applyingFirst payment

    If you are eligible and Service Canada has what it needs, the first payment usually arrives about 28 days after you apply. Keep filing reports every 2 weeks.

Common mistakes

  1. Assuming everyone gets the maximum

    The 2026 maximum of $729 only applies if your best-weeks average is about $1,325 a week or more. Most people get 55% of their own average, which is less.

  2. Using 2025 numbers

    $695 a week was the 2025 maximum. For claims in 2026, the cap is $729, based on maximum insurable earnings of $68,900. Old calculators and articles still quote the 2025 figure.

  3. Waiting for an exact figure (or your ROE) before applying

    Your amount is worked out after you apply. Waiting can push you past the 4-week line and cost you benefits. Apply first; documents can follow.

FAQ

What is the maximum EI payment per week in 2026?
In 2026, the maximum EI regular benefit is $729 a week before tax. It comes from 55% of the 2026 maximum insurable earnings of $68,900 a year, which works out to about $1,325 a week.
Is EI 55% of gross or net pay?
It is 55% of your gross insurable earnings, before tax and deductions, averaged over your best weeks. The result is then capped at $729 a week in 2026.
Is EI taxable?
Yes. EI benefits are taxable income, so the amount you see in an estimate is before tax. See our EI and taxes guide for how withholding and the T4E work.
Can I get more than 55% on EI?
Only through the family supplement, for low-income families with children who get the Canada Child Benefit and have a family net income of $25,921 or less. It can raise the rate up to 80%, but the 2026 cap of $729 still applies.
Does my EI amount change during my claim?
Normally no. Your weekly rate is set when your claim starts and stays the same for the life of the claim, even if your region's unemployment rate changes later. What you actually receive in a given week can be lower if you report earnings.

Sources

Checked on November 6, 2026. Numbers are reviewed every January and whenever Service Canada changes a rule.

Questions about your own claim? Contact Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218 or canada.ca/ei. MyEI.ca is independent and does not apply for you.