If you’ve glanced at your January paycheque and noticed your Employment Insurance deduction changed—even slightly—you’re not imagining things. And if you’re worried about a potential layoff or reduced hours, there’s something critical you need to know: the temporary EI rules in place right now are drastically different from the “normal” system you might remember.
I’m talking about waived waiting periods, severance that doesn’t delay your benefits, and up to 65 weeks of support for eligible workers—but only if your claim starts before April 11, 2026.
Let me break down exactly what changed in 2026, what’s temporary, what’s permanent, and most importantly, what it means for your wallet whether you’re working or suddenly out of work.
The Two Big Changes Everyone’s Asking About
Before we dive into the details, here’s what matters most for the average Canadian worker in 2026:
1. Your EI deductions went down (slightly)
The employee premium rate dropped from $1.64 to $1.63 per $100 of earnings. That’s one cent less per hundred dollars—not huge, but it’s something.
2. The maximum weekly benefit jumped to $729
If you need EI this year, the most you can receive is $729 per week, up from $695 in 2025. That’s an extra $34 per week, or roughly $136 more per month.
But here’s the catch most people miss: whether you actually get that maximum depends on your work history, your region’s unemployment rate, and how your “best weeks” of earnings stack up.
What Changed on Your January Paycheque
Let’s start with what you’re seeing right now—the money coming off every pay.
2026 EI Premium Rate (Outside Quebec):
- Employees: $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings
- Employers: $2.28 per $100 (they pay 1.4 times your rate)
Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE):
$68,900 for 2026 (up from $65,700 in 2025)
Here’s what this means in practice: you pay EI premiums on your first $68,900 of income. After that, deductions stop for the rest of the year.
Maximum Annual EI Premium:
- If you earn $68,900 or more: you’ll pay exactly $1,123.07 in total for 2026
- Your employer will contribute $1,572.30
Yes, the maximum premium went up even though the rate went down. That’s because the earnings cap increased by $3,200, so you’re paying that 1.63% on a bigger chunk of your income.
Quick Math: What You’ll Actually Pay
Let me give you some real-world examples:
| Annual Income | Your 2026 EI Premium (approx.) |
|---|---|
| $30,000 | $489 |
| $50,000 | $815 |
| $68,900+ | $1,123.07 (maximum) |
These premiums get split across your paycheques throughout the year. If you’re paid bi-weekly (26 pay periods), that maximum premium works out to about $43 per paycheque.
Quebec’s Different (And Lower) Rate
If you work in Quebec, your numbers are different because Quebec runs its own parental insurance plan (QPIP):
- Employee rate: $1.30 per $100
- Maximum annual premium: $895.70
- Employer rate: $1.82 per $100
The earnings cap ($68,900) is the same across Canada, but Quebec workers pay less because they’re not funding maternity and parental benefits through EI.
The Maximum Weekly Benefit: $729 (But Most People Don’t Get It)
Here’s where things get interesting—and where a lot of confusion happens.
The maximum weekly EI benefit for 2026 is $729. That’s the absolute ceiling. But getting the maximum requires hitting specific criteria that many workers don’t meet.
How EI Calculates Your Weekly Payment
The formula is straightforward: 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, capped at $729.
To hit the maximum, you’d need average weekly earnings of at least $1,325 (because 55% of $1,325 = $729).
But here’s the twist: EI doesn’t average all your weeks the same way. It uses your “best weeks”—the highest-earning weeks within your qualifying period.
The number of best weeks used ranges from 14 to 22, depending on the unemployment rate in your specific EI economic region.
Why this matters: If you had a few really good weeks (overtime, bonuses, seasonal peaks), those weeks might push your average up significantly. If your earnings were consistent but lower, you might end up with a benefit rate well below the maximum.
Real Example
Let’s say you averaged $900 per week in your best weeks:
- 55% of $900 = $495 per week in EI benefits
- That’s $234 less than the maximum, but it’s based on your actual earnings
The system is designed to replace 55% of what you were making, not to give everyone the same amount.
Special Note: Extended Parental Benefits
If you’re looking at extended parental benefits (the 18-month option), the maximum drops to $437 per week for 2026. That’s because the same total benefit is stretched over more weeks.
The Temporary Measures That Change Everything Right Now
Okay, this is the section that could save you weeks of stress and hundreds—possibly thousands—of dollars if you’re facing a layoff.
The federal government has temporary EI measures in place until April 11, 2026. These aren’t small tweaks. They fundamentally change how quickly you can start receiving money and whether separation payments delay your benefits.
1. No Waiting Period (Until April 11, 2026)
Normally, EI has a one-week waiting period—essentially a deductible week where you’re not paid.
Right now, that waiting period is waived for all new claims starting between March 30, 2025 and April 11, 2026.
What this means: If you’re laid off in January or February 2026 and your claim starts in this window, you could receive your first payment within 2-3 weeks instead of 4-5 weeks.
For someone receiving $600/week, that’s $600 extra you wouldn’t have gotten under normal rules.
One exception: You can choose to serve the waiting period if you have a Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) plan through your employer that pays out during that week. In that case, serving the waiting period might give you more money overall.
2. Severance and Separation Pay Won’t Delay Benefits
This is huge, and most people don’t realize it’s temporary.
Under normal EI rules, certain separation earnings—like severance pay, vacation payout, pay in lieu of notice—get “allocated” across weeks, which delays when your EI benefits start or reduces them during those weeks.
Between March 30, 2025 and April 11, 2026, separation earnings are NOT deducted from your benefits.
Real-world example:
You get laid off with 4 weeks of severance. Under normal rules, you might not receive EI for those 4 weeks because the severance would be allocated across them. Under the temporary measure, you get your severance AND your EI benefits aren’t reduced.
This is especially valuable if you received a decent severance package but still need income support immediately.
3. Up to 20 Extra Weeks for Long-Tenured Workers
There’s a third temporary measure that applies to a specific group: long-tenured workers.
If you meet these criteria:
- You’ve paid at least 30% of the maximum annual EI premiums in 7 of the past 10 years
- You’ve received fewer than 36 weeks of EI in the last 3 years
- Your claim starts between June 15, 2025 and April 11, 2026
You could receive up to 20 additional weeks of regular EI benefits, bringing your maximum from 45 weeks to 65 weeks.
Service Canada calculates this automatically if you qualify—you don’t need to apply separately.
Who this helps: Workers who’ve been steadily employed and contributing to EI for years but suddenly face a layoff in an industry downturn. It’s designed to provide extra runway for people who’ve “paid in” consistently.
How Many Hours Do You Actually Need to Qualify?
This is one of the most confusing parts of EI because the answer isn’t the same everywhere in Canada.
You need between 420 and 700 hours of insurable employment in your qualifying period (usually the past 52 weeks), depending on the unemployment rate in your specific EI economic region.
Higher unemployment area = fewer hours needed
Lower unemployment area = more hours needed
Canada is divided into 62 EI economic regions, each with its own unemployment rate that determines the hours requirement.
Example:
- If you live in a region with 13% unemployment, you might need only 420 hours
- If you live in a region with 6% unemployment, you might need 700 hours
You can check your region’s requirements on the Service Canada website, but the key takeaway is this: your eligibility depends partly on factors outside your control—where you live and the local job market.
How Long Will EI Last? (It’s Not the Same for Everyone)
Just like the hours requirement, the number of weeks you can receive EI varies based on:
- How many insurable hours you accumulated
- Your region’s unemployment rate
- Whether temporary measures apply to you
Standard range: 14 to 45 weeks of regular benefits
With the long-tenured worker measure: up to 65 weeks
Higher unemployment regions and more accumulated hours generally mean longer benefit periods.
This variability is why two people who both lose their jobs might receive EI for completely different lengths of time—even if they earned similar amounts.
Working While on EI: The 50-Cent Rule
Here’s a question I get constantly: “Can I work part-time while collecting EI?”
Yes. And it’s actually encouraged, as long as you follow the rules.
The basic rule: You keep 50 cents of EI benefits for every dollar you earn, up to 90% of your previous weekly earnings.
Example:
- Your previous weekly earnings: $1,000
- Your weekly EI benefit (if not working): $550
- You work part-time and earn $300
Under the 50-cent rule:
$300 earnings × $0.50 = $150 deduction from EI
Your EI payment that week: $550 – $150 = $400
Your total income: $300 (work) + $400 (EI) = $700
The 90% cap means once your combined earnings reach $900 (90% of $1,000), your EI cuts off entirely for that week.
Important: If you work a full week—even if you only earn $400—you’re not eligible for EI that week at all, regardless of the dollar amount. But it doesn’t reduce your total weeks of entitlement; that week just doesn’t get paid.
Special EI Benefits: Sickness, Maternity, Parental
EI isn’t just for job loss. The program also covers:
EI Sickness Benefits:
Up to 26 weeks if you can’t work due to illness, injury, or quarantine. Uses the same best-weeks calculation and $729 maximum.
Maternity Benefits:
Up to 15 weeks for pregnant individuals. Uses the same earnings calculation.
Parental Benefits:
Two options:
- Standard: Up to 40 weeks at 55% (max $729/week)
- Extended: Up to 69 weeks at 33% (max $437/week)
Both parents can claim parental benefits (not maternity), and they can be shared or taken separately.
Caregiving and Compassionate Care:
Benefits available for those caring for seriously ill or injured family members.
All these benefits use similar calculation methods, but the durations and some specific rules differ.
What If You Recently Immigrated to Canada?
Good news: you don’t need to be a Canadian citizen to qualify for EI. Permanent residents, work permit holders, and other authorized workers are all eligible as long as they:
- Are legally allowed to work in Canada
- Have accumulated enough insurable hours
- Meet the other standard EI requirements
The key is that you paid EI premiums while working. If it came off your paycheque, you were contributing to the system and can access benefits if you become unemployed.
What To Do If You’re Laid Off in 2026
Time-sensitive action items if you lose your job:
1. Apply immediately—like, within days
Don’t wait. Delaying your application by more than 4 weeks after your last day of work can result in lost benefits.
2. Make sure your employer issues your Record of Employment (ROE) promptly
Most employers now submit ROEs electronically to Service Canada. You can check if yours has been received in your My Service Canada Account.
3. Keep detailed records of your separation details
- Last day worked
- Any severance, vacation pay, or other separation payments
- When those payments were made
- Your work schedule and hours
This matters because the temporary measures on separation earnings depend on timing.
4. Set up direct deposit
This speeds up payment delivery significantly. You can do this through your My Service Canada Account or your bank.
5. Understand your region’s rules
Check Service Canada’s website to confirm:
- How many hours you need in your region
- How many weeks you’re likely entitled to
- Any regional pilot projects that might apply
The EI Family Supplement (Most People Don’t Know About This)
Here’s a benefit that many low-income families miss: the EI Family Supplement can increase your benefit rate from 55% up to 80% of your average insurable earnings.
It’s available to low-income families with children under 18.
To qualify:
- Your adjusted family net income must be $25,921 or less
- You must have children under 18
- You’re receiving EI regular or special benefits
The supplement phases out as family income rises, but it can make a substantial difference—potentially hundreds of dollars extra per month.
Most people don’t apply separately; Service Canada calculates it automatically based on your tax information. But you need to have filed your taxes for this to work.
Work-Sharing: An Option for Employers to Avoid Layoffs
If you’re an employer reading this, there’s a program that might let you avoid layoffs entirely: the Work-Sharing Program.
Instead of laying off 30% of your workforce, you reduce everyone’s hours by 30%, and EI covers a portion of the lost income.
Temporary special measures for Work-Sharing (until March 6, 2026):
- Agreements can last up to 76 weeks (normally much shorter)
- No cooling-off period required between agreements
- Expanded eligibility for seasonal and cyclical businesses
This was introduced specifically in response to tariff-related economic uncertainty, and it’s worth exploring if you’re facing a temporary downturn but want to keep your team intact.
The Bottom Line: Why Timing Matters So Much Right Now
Here’s what you need to understand about 2026: EI isn’t operating under “normal” rules right now.
The combination of temporary measures creates a window—March 30, 2025 to April 11, 2026—where benefits start faster, separation payments don’t create delays, and eligible long-tenured workers can access significantly more weeks of support.
If you’re facing a layoff and have any choice about timing, having your claim start before April 11, 2026 could be worth thousands of dollars in faster payments and additional benefits.
After April 11, we revert to standard EI rules: waiting periods return, separation earnings get allocated, and the extended weeks disappear for most people.
For workers:
- Your paycheque deductions changed (slightly lower rate, slightly higher max)
- If you need EI, maximum weekly benefit is now $729
- Temporary measures are still active—take advantage if you’re laid off soon
- Apply immediately, don’t wait
For employers:
- Update your payroll systems for the new 2026 rates
- Consider Work-Sharing if facing temporary reduced demand
- Issue ROEs promptly when employees separate
For everyone:
The EI system is more responsive right now than it normally is. The temporary measures were designed to help workers weather economic uncertainty—including potential impacts from trade policy changes.
Whether you’re currently employed and just watching your deductions, or you’re suddenly facing unemployment, understanding these 2026 changes can make the difference between financial stress and having a safety net that actually works when you need it most.
Quick Reference: 2026 EI Numbers at a Glance
Employee Premium Rate (outside Quebec): $1.63 per $100
Maximum Annual Premium: $1,123.07
Maximum Insurable Earnings: $68,900
Maximum Weekly Benefit: $729
Temporary Measures Active Until: April 11, 2026
Standard Benefit Rate: 55% of average insurable weekly earnings
Hours Required to Qualify: 420-700 (varies by region)
Standard Benefit Duration: 14-45 weeks (up to 65 with long-tenured measure)
Apply Online: canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei
Service Canada: 1-800-206-7218
My Service Canada Account: canada.ca/my-service-canada-account
