🇨🇦 Canada · Guide

EI — Complete Overview

Employment Insurance provides temporary income support if you lose your job, plus parental, sickness, and caregiving benefits.

2025Last reviewed 24 Jul 2026

Premiums

Employees pay 1.64% of insurable earnings, up to the Maximum Insurable Earnings ($65,700 for 2025). Employers pay 1.4× the employee rate.

What it covers

Regular benefits for job loss (through no fault of your own)
Maternity and parental benefits
Sickness benefits (up to 26 weeks)
Caregiving benefits for family members

Self-employed workers

Self-employed individuals aren't required to pay EI premiums but can opt into the special benefits program (maternity, parental, sickness, caregiving) — not regular unemployment benefits.

Calculate your EI premium.

Use the EI Premium Calculator →

VERIFY

Quebec has a reduced EI rate due to its own parental insurance plan (QPIP), which covers maternity/parental benefits separately. Verify current rates with Service Canada.