EI Payment Dates 2026: Employment Insurance Schedule and Maximum Amounts

Employment Insurance pays 55% of your insurable earnings every two weeks, up to a 2026 maximum of $695 a week. Unlike most government benefits, EI does not arrive on a shared calendar date — your payment schedule is tied to your individual claim. All figures here are from Service Canada’s Employment Insurance benefits page and the 2026 EI premium rates published by the CRA.

2026 EI Maximum Amounts

The federal government sets maximum insurable earnings each year. For 2026, the ceiling is $65,700. The benefit rate for most regular, maternity, parental, and sickness claims is 55%.

A claimant earning $65,700 or more receives $695/week. A claimant earning $40,000 would receive approximately $424/week (55% × $40,000 ÷ 52). Family caregivers and claimants with lower incomes and children in the household may qualify for an enhanced rate of 80% of insurable earnings through the EI Family Supplement, which can raise the weekly amount for low-income families significantly.

How the EI Payment Schedule Works

EI is not paid on a fixed monthly or quarterly date. Instead, payments are issued every 14 days after Service Canada processes your biweekly claimant report. Here is the typical sequence:

1. Week 1: You apply online at My Service Canada Account after your last day of work.
2. Weeks 1–4 (approx.): Service Canada processes your claim — allow up to 28 days.
3. Week 1 waiting period: Your first week of EI eligibility is unpaid (the “waiting period”) unless you are eligible for a waiver.
4. First deposit: Typically arrives 4–6 weeks after you applied. It may cover multiple weeks at once if processing took longer than two weeks.
5. Every 14 days after: You submit a claimant report; Service Canada issues payment within 2 business days.

Your deposit will appear as “EI Benefits / AE Bénéfices” or “Service Canada” on your bank statement.

How to Track Your Specific Payment Date

Because EI is individual to your claim, there is no public 2026 EI payment calendar. To find your next payment date:

• My Service Canada Account: shows your next payment date, amounts processed, and any issues with your claim
• Automated telephone line: 1-800-206-7218 gives your claim status 24 hours a day
• Text and email notifications: sign up through My Service Canada Account to receive alerts when a payment is issued

Regular EI Benefit Duration

How many weeks you can receive EI depends on your region’s unemployment rate and the number of insurable hours you worked in the past 52 weeks. The range is 14 to 45 weeks.

You can estimate your specific entitlement with the Service Canada EI Benefits Estimator.

Special EI Benefits in 2026

Beyond regular EI, the same program covers:

• Maternity benefits: up to 15 weeks at 55% of insurable earnings, starting up to 8 weeks before your due date
• Standard parental benefits: up to 40 weeks (one parent) or 69 weeks (shared), at 55% of insurable earnings
• Extended parental benefits: up to 69 weeks at 33% of insurable earnings
• Sickness benefits: up to 26 weeks at 55% of insurable earnings
• Caregiving benefits: up to 15 weeks to care for a critically ill family member

Each benefit type has its own eligibility hours requirement (typically 600 insurable hours for maternity and parental) and its own maximum duration.

What Reduces or Stops EI Payments

EI stops if you do not submit your biweekly report, return to work, earn above the threshold without reporting it, or stop being available for work (for regular claims). Severance pay, vacation pay, and pension income can delay or reduce your EI — report all income accurately on every claimant report.