Maternity Leave Canada Calculator

How Maternity Leave Benefits Work in Canada

Employment Insurance maternity and parental benefits are federal benefits that provide income while you are away from work due to pregnancy, birth, or caring for a new child.

EI applies across Canada, except Quebec, which has its own parental insurance plan.

What EI Benefits Cover

EI maternity and parental benefits are designed to support:

• Birthing parents recovering from pregnancy and childbirth
• Parents caring for a newborn or newly adopted child
• Families sharing time at home during baby’s first year

Benefits are calculated as a percentage of your insured earnings, up to a weekly maximum

Understanding Your EI Maternity Benefits

Maternity benefits are only available to the person who is pregnant or has recently given birth.

Key maternity benefit rules

• Up to 15 weeks
• Paid at 55 percent of your average weekly earnings
• Maximum weekly amount of $729 for claims starting in 2026
• Cannot be shared with a partner
• Can be followed immediately by parental benefits

You can start maternity benefits as early as 12 weeks before your due date, or as late as the week you give birth.

Understanding Your EI Parental Benefits

Parental benefits are available to parents caring for a newborn or newly adopted child. These benefits can be shared between parents.

You must choose one option for your family.

Standard Parental Benefits

• Up to 40 weeks total shared between parents
• One parent can receive up to 35 weeks
• Paid at 55 percent of earnings
• Maximum $729 per week
• Must be used within 52 weeks of birth or adoption

Extended Parental Benefits

• Up to 69 weeks total shared between parents
• One parent can receive up to 61 weeks
• Paid at 33 percent of earnings
• Maximum $437 per week
• Must be used within 78 weeks of birth or adoption

Once you choose standard or extended, you cannot switch after a payment has been made.

How Sharing Parental Leave Affects Your EI Benefits

Sharing parental benefits can unlock extra weeks of EI.

If you share:

• Standard parental leave adds 5 extra weeks
• Extended parental leave adds 8 extra weeks

Each parent is paid based on their own income, not the higher earner’s income. That is why this calculator asks for both incomes when sharing is selected.

You can take your weeks:

• At the same time
• One after the other
• Or split them up within the allowed window

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Who Qualifies for EI Maternity and Parental Benefits

You may qualify for EI maternity or parental benefits if you meet all of the following:

Employee Eligibility

• You accumulated at least 600 insurable hours in the last 52 weeks or since your last EI claim
• Your weekly earnings dropped by more than 40 percent for at least one week
• You are pregnant, recently gave birth, or are caring for a new child

Self-Employed Parent Eligibility

Self-employed parents can qualify if they:

• Opted into EI for self-employed people at least 12 months before applying
• Earned at least $9,254 in net self-employment income in 2025 for 2026 claims
• Reduced work activity by more than 40 percent

Eligibility rules differ slightly depending on your situation. This calculator estimates benefits only and does not guarantee approval

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How Your Maternity Leave Payment Is Calculated

EI benefits are based on:

• Your average insured weekly earnings
• Your chosen benefit type
• The current weekly maximum caps

For maternity and standard parental benefits:

• 55 percent of weekly earnings, up to $729

For extended parental benefits:

• 33 percent of weekly earnings, up to $437

If your income is lower, your benefit will be lower. If your income is higher, your benefit may hit the maximum cap.

EI payments are taxable income, and tax is usually deducted at source.

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Before You Apply for Maternity Benefits

• You should apply as soon as you stop working, even if your Record of Employment has not arrived yet
• Payments usually start after a one-week waiting period
• Employer top-ups do not replace EI. They are paid separately by your employer
• EI rules are federal and apply across Ontario and the rest of Canada outside Quebec

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The EI piece is sorted. Now plan everything around it.

EI covers your income while you’re off work. But there’s a lot more to navigate as a Toronto parent — and most of it has city-specific quirks that generic guides miss entirely.

The Ultimate Guide to Having a Baby in Toronto covers:

• EI maternity and parental benefits — standard vs. extended, sharing rules, and how to apply
• OHIP coverage — what’s covered during pregnancy and postpartum, and what isn’t
• Daycare waitlists — when to apply, how the CWELCC $10/day program works, and what to do while you wait
• RESP setup — how to open one, what government grants are available, and when to start
• Trimester-by-trimester checklists — what to do and when, specific to Toronto timelines
• Local parent groups and meetups — how to find your people in the city

150 pages. Toronto and Ontario-specific throughout. Written by a Toronto mom who spent a year pulling this all together so you don’t have to.

Legal Disclaimer

This EI Maternity and Parental Leave Calculator is provided for general information purposes only.

While we aim to reflect current federal EI rules, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the calculations or results shown. EI eligibility, benefit amounts, weeks payable, and payment timing are determined solely by Service Canada after you submit an official application.

This calculator:

• Does not guarantee EI eligibility
• Does not guarantee benefit approval or payment amounts
• May contain errors or inaccuracies
• May not reflect changes to EI rules, personal circumstances, or Service Canada assessments
• Should not be relied upon as financial, legal, or government advice

Your actual EI maternity or parental benefits may be higher, lower, or different than the estimate shown.

For official and binding information, always refer to Service Canada or speak directly with a Service Canada representative before making decisions about your leave.