Maternity and Parental: Standard vs. Extended (55% vs. 33%)

The two options side by side

Maternity benefits are the same whichever parental option you pick. The choice only affects parental benefits, which come after maternity (or on their own, for a non-birth or adoptive parent). These are the 2026 federal figures for workers outside Quebec:

To qualify for either, you need 600 insured hours in the 52 weeks before your claim (or since your last claim) and your normal weekly earnings must drop by more than 40% for at least one week. Maternity benefits are available regardless of gender identity.

Worked totals: the same family, both options

Example 1, average earner (2026 figures): Jess's best-weeks average is $1,000 a week. She takes 15 weeks of maternity, then all the parental weeks one parent can take.

Extended pays $880 more in total, but it takes 26 extra weeks to get it, and each month of parental leave brings in about $953 less.

Example 2, at the 2026 cap: Ravi earns more than $68,900, so every week is capped.

• Standard: 15 × $729 = $10,935 maternity + 35 × $729 = $25,515 parental = $36,450 over 50 weeks (about $3,159 a month).
• Extended: $10,935 maternity + 61 × $437 = $26,657 parental = $37,592 over 76 weeks (about $1,894 a month during parental leave).

So at every income level the totals land close together. The real decision is about cash flow and time away from work, not about getting more money. If a waiting week applies, it is an extra unpaid week before payments start; it is temporarily waived for claims starting between October 11, 2026 and October 9, 2027 (Pilot Project No. 25), so check the waiting period guide for your dates.

Sharing parental weeks between two parents

Parents who share get a few bonus weeks. With standard parental, the shared total is 40 weeks, but one parent can't take more than 35, so the extra 5 weeks only exist if the other parent takes them. With extended, the shared total is 69 weeks, one parent can take at most 61, and the bonus is 8 weeks.

Example (standard, 2026): the birth parent takes 15 weeks of maternity and 30 weeks of parental; the partner takes the remaining 10 parental weeks. Together they use all 40, and the partner's weeks can be taken at the same time or after, as long as all of them fall within 52 weeks of the birth.

Both parents need to be on the same option. Once a parental week has been paid to you, or a payment has been made to the other parent when you're sharing, the choice can't be changed. Decide together before either of you applies.

Adoptive and non-birth parents don't receive maternity benefits, but they can take parental benefits under the same two options. For an adoption, the 52-week or 78-week window starts the week the child is placed with you. If you have had an EI claim in the past 52 weeks, you may not get the maximum number of weeks; you may still be able to start a new claim if you've worked enough hours since then. Pregnancy complications or bedrest can also make the birth parent eligible for sickness benefits before maternity starts, as long as each benefit's conditions are met (see EI sickness benefits).

How to choose between standard and extended

There's no right answer for everyone, but these questions usually settle it:

• Can your budget live on 33%? At the 2026 cap, extended pays $437 a week instead of $729. Work out your fixed costs per month and compare them with the monthly figures above.
• Does your employer top up? Some employers pay a top-up during leave. Ask how it works with each option before you choose.
• Is your job held that long? EI pays benefits; it doesn't protect your job. The length of job-protected leave comes from your provincial or federal employment standards, so check how long your protected leave lasts before choosing extended.
• Child care: if you plan to return at around 12 months anyway, standard puts more money in your hands while you're off.

EI benefits are taxable (EI and taxes). Low-income families with children may get a higher rate through the family supplement, up to 80% if family net income is $25,921 or less, still capped at $729 a week (family supplement).

Quebec: QPIP instead of EI

If you live in Quebec, your maternity, paternity, parental and adoption benefits come from the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP), not from federal EI. The rates, weeks and options above do not apply to you, and you should use QPIP's own information and application. Quebec workers pay a lower EI premium for this reason. Federal EI still covers Quebec residents for regular, sickness and caregiving benefits.

For your own situation, contact QPIP if you live in Quebec, or Service Canada (1-800-206-7218) elsewhere. MyEI is an independent estimate tool, not affiliated with either.