EI Premium Calculator
Updated November 2026 · Free · No sign-up
Calculate EI premiums — 2026: employees pay 1.63% of insurable earnings up to the $68,900 MIE (max ~$1,123); employers pay 1.4× that; Quebec runs lower EI plus QPIP. Verify current-year figures at CRA.
Quick answer: 2026 EI: 1.63% × insurable earnings, ceiling $68,900 → employee max ~$1,123; employer 1.4× (~$1,572). Quebec: reduced EI rate (~1.31%) + QPIP premiums instead of EI maternity/parental. Premiums buy access to regular, sickness, maternity/parental, caregiving and work-sharing benefits.
The Premium Machine
| Employee rate | 1.63% of insurable earnings (2026 — set annually by the CEIC; verify) |
| Ceiling (MIE) | $68,900 (2026) — indexed annually |
| Employer | 1.4× the employee premium (reducible with qualifying wage-loss plans) |
| Quebec | Lower EI (~1.31%) because QPIP replaces maternity/parental — QPIP adds ~0.49% employee / 0.69% employer on its own ceiling |
| Self-employed | No mandatory EI; optional special-benefits registration exists (regular benefits excluded) |
Worked Examples
Example 1. $60,000 outside Quebec: 1.63% = $978/yr (~$38/biweekly); employer adds $1,369.
Example 2 — above the ceiling. $95,000 earner: premiums stop at the MIE → the same ~$1,123 max as a $68,900 earner — and benefits cap accordingly (55% × MIE ≈ $729/week max).
Example 3 — two employers. Each deducts to the max independently; your excess refunds at filing (employers’ shares don’t).
What Premiums Buy
Regular benefits (55% to the cap, 14-45 weeks by region/hours), sickness (26 weeks), maternity+parental (12/18-month options), compassionate care and family caregiving — hours-based qualification (420-700 insurable hours typically). The benefits calculator runs the payout side; premiums are the ticket price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 2026 EI rates?
1.63% of insurable earnings to the $68,900 MIE — employee max ~$1,123, employer 1.4× — set annually; verify at CRA.
Why is Quebec different?
QPIP replaces EI maternity/parental there, so Quebec workers pay a reduced EI rate plus separate QPIP premiums.
Do premiums stop during the year?
Yes — once your YTD insurable earnings hit the MIE, deductions stop until January; front-loaded earners see the "EI holiday" in late-year paycheques.
Can employers pay less than 1.4x?
With a registered qualifying short-term disability plan, the multiple reduces — the Premium Reduction Program.
Is EI optional for the self-employed?
Regular benefits: unavailable. Special benefits (maternity, parental, sickness, caregiving): opt-in registration with a 12-month wait before claiming.
✓ Formula verified • Last updated: November 3, 2026