Maternity and Parental Leave Calculator 2026
Estimate your EI maternity and parental benefits: weekly pay, total weeks and total benefits. Quebec parents get QPIP instead of EI: see the Quebec maternity leave calculator.
2026 rates · verified Oct 21–22, 2026
Your EI benefits
$27,500
Over 50 weeks · about $25,575 after tax
| Maternity: 15 weeks × $550 | $8,250 |
|---|---|
| Parental: 35 weeks × $550 | $19,250 |
| Estimated income tax | −$1,925.20 |
| Partner’s parental benefits | $0 |
| Family total, before tax | $27,500 |
Your inputs
Calculated in your browser. Your numbers never leave your device.
How this is calculated
- Weekly earnings: your salary ÷ 52, counting no more than the 2026 maximum insurable earnings of $68,900 ($1,325.00 a week). EI really uses your best 14 to 22 weeks of the last year; with steady pay the result is the same.
- Maternity: 55% of weekly earnings, up to $729 a week, for 15 weeks. Only the person who gave birth gets it.
- Standard parental: 55%, up to $729 a week, for up to 35 weeks (40 if shared).
- Extended parental: 33%, up to $437 a week, for up to 61 weeks (69 if shared).
- Tax: EI benefits are taxable, with no CPP or EI taken off. We add them to any job income you had in the same year and work out the extra 2026 federal and provincial tax for the province or territory you choose (Alberta unless you change it).
Standard or extended: what you get on $52,000
| Standard | Extended | |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity (15 weeks) | $550/week | $550/week |
| Parental | $550/week × 35 | $330/week × 61 |
| Total weeks | 50 | 76 |
| Total benefits | $27,500 | $28,380 |
Extended pays $880 more in total, but over 26 more weeks, and the weekly parental amount drops from $550 to $330.
Worked example: sharing standard leave
The birth parent earns $52,000 and takes maternity plus 35 weeks of standard parental. Their partner earns $68,900 and takes the 5 extra weeks that only sharing unlocks.
- Birth parent: 15 × $550 + 35 × $550 = $27,500
- Partner: 5 × $729 = $3,645 (their weekly amount is the $729 maximum)
- Family total: $31,145, $3,645 more than one parent alone.
Worked example: what arrives in the first year
Totals over the whole leave hide when the money comes. Over the baby’s first 12 months (52 weeks), on a $52,000 salary:
| Maternity: 15 × $550 | $8,250 |
|---|---|
| Parental: 35 × $550 | $19,250 |
| In the first 52 weeks | $27,500 |
| Still to come after that | $0 |
| Maternity: 15 × $550 | $8,250 |
|---|---|
| Parental: 37 × $330 | $12,210 |
| In the first 52 weeks | $20,460 |
| Still to come: 24 × $330 | $7,920 |
In the first year, standard pays $7,040 more. Extended pays $880 more in the end, but $7,920 of it comes in the second year, at $330 a week. If you’d go back to work at a year either way, standard is the one that pays for that year. Benefits are taxed in the year they’re paid, so a leave that runs into a second calendar year spreads the tax too.
What this calculator assumes
- You live outside Quebec and qualify for EI (600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks). Quebec parents get QPIP instead: see the Quebec maternity leave calculator.
- Your pay was steady, so salary ÷ 52 equals your best-weeks average. If it varied, use your highest-paid weeks.
- No waiting week, since it’s waived for claims starting before October 9, 2027.
- Tax is for a resident of the province or territory you choose, with all your EI in one tax year. A leave that spans two calendar years usually means a bit less tax.
- Weekly amounts are rounded to the dollar and are estimates; Service Canada calculates your exact amount.
- It doesn’t include employer top-ups, the EI family supplement for low-income families, or adoption details.
Frequently asked questions
How much is maternity leave pay in 2026?
EI maternity benefits are 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to $729 a week, for 15 weeks. On a $52,000 salary that's $550 a week. You reach the maximum at a salary of $68,900, the most EI counts.
Should I choose standard or extended parental benefits?
Standard pays 55% for up to 35 weeks; extended pays 33% for up to 61 weeks. Extended spreads a little more money over a much longer time: on $52,000, $27,500 over 50 weeks vs $28,380 over 76, including maternity. Standard suits you if you need higher weekly pay; extended suits you if more time at home matters more.
How does sharing parental leave work?
If both parents take parental benefits, you get extra weeks: 40 in total for standard (5 more) or 69 for extended (8 more). You can split them any way you like, but no one parent can take more than 35 standard or 61 extended weeks. Choose carefully: once a parental payment has been made, the option can't be changed.
Is there a waiting week for maternity benefits?
Canada.ca says “the waiting period is waived for all new claims for EI benefits that start between March 30, 2025, and October 9, 2027.” That page doesn’t mention maternity or parental benefits by name, so confirm with Service Canada when you apply. This calculator assumes no waiting week.
Who qualifies for EI maternity and parental benefits?
You generally need 600 hours of insurable employment in the 52 weeks before your claim starts (or since your last claim, if that’s shorter), and your regular weekly pay must have dropped by more than 40% for at least one week. Quebec residents get these benefits from the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan instead of EI: see our Quebec (QPIP) maternity leave calculator.
Is maternity and parental leave pay taxable?
Yes. EI benefits are taxable income in the year they’re paid, and Service Canada takes tax off each payment. No CPP or EI is deducted from them. If you also worked part of the year, your EI is taxed on top of that income, so check your tax at filing time.
Does my employer top up my maternity leave?
Some employers pay a top-up on top of EI, often to a set percentage of your salary for part of the leave. It isn’t required by law, so check your employment contract or benefits booklet. This calculator shows EI only.
Rates for tax year 2026, verified to · Page updated