Canada EI Weeks Entitlement 2026 Chart Calculator
Service Canada uses Schedule I of the Employment Insurance Act to set how many weeks of regular EI benefits you can receive — between 14 and 45 weeks, based on your regional unemployment rate and insurable hours worked in the last 52 weeks. Weekly benefit is 55% of average insurable earnings, capped at $668 in 2026.
| Regional unemployment rate | — |
| Insurable hours worked | — |
| Minimum hours required | — |
| Schedule I row (weeks) | — |
| 55% of average weekly earnings | — |
| 2026 weekly maximum cap | $668 |
| Weekly EI benefit | — |
| Maximum weeks payable | — |
| Total maximum benefit | — |
Canadian Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits replace part of your income if you lose your job through no fault of your own. Service Canada determines how many weeks you can claim using Schedule I of the Employment Insurance Act, which cross-references your regional unemployment rate with your insurable hours worked in the qualifying period (usually the last 52 weeks).
Schedule I — How Weeks Are Set
The chart works on two axes. Regional unemployment rate determines the column: regions with high unemployment (over 13.1%) need only 420 hours to qualify, while low-unemployment regions (6% or less) need 700 hours. Insurable hours within that column determine the row. The result ranges from 14 weeks (just over the minimum hours in a low-unemployment region) up to 45 weeks (1,820+ hours in a high-unemployment region). Service Canada updates regional rates monthly.
Weekly Benefit Amount in 2026
EI pays 55% of your average weekly insurable earnings, calculated over your "best weeks" (14 to 22 weeks, depending on region). For 2026 the Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE) is $63,200, capping the weekly benefit at $668. If your family net income is under $25,921 with children, the Family Supplement can raise the rate up to 80%. Benefits are taxable income — federal and provincial tax is withheld at source.
Special EI Benefit Types
Beyond regular EI, separate Service Canada programs cover specific situations: sickness benefits (up to 26 weeks), maternity benefits (up to 15 weeks), standard parental (up to 40 weeks) or extended parental (up to 69 weeks at a reduced 33% rate), caregiving benefits, and the fishing benefits program. Each has its own qualifying hours rule — sickness, maternity, and parental all need 600 insurable hours regardless of regional rate.
Common Mistakes
(1) Applying late — apply within 4 weeks of your last day of work; otherwise you may lose benefits. (2) Wrong region — Service Canada uses your home postal code's economic region, not where you worked. (3) Not having a ROE — the Record of Employment is filed by your employer (electronically within 5 days of interruption); follow up if missing. (4) Refusing suitable work — once you're claiming, you must accept suitable employment offers or risk disqualification. (5) Failing biweekly reports — missed reports stop your payments immediately.
Sources: Service Canada / Employment and Social Development Canada (canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei.html), Employment Insurance Act Schedule I, EI Regulations. Last updated May 2026.