Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Standard EI parental benefits pay 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to $729 a week, for as long as 35 weeks. Extended benefits pay 33%, up to $437 a week, for as long as 61 weeks. At $70,000 a year the extended option adds about $1,142 in total, spread over 26 more weeks.
What is the difference between the two options?
Standard pays more each week for fewer weeks. Extended pays less each week for more weeks. These are the 2026 numbers from the Canada.ca benefit pages.
| 2026 | Standard | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | 55% of average insurable weekly earnings | 33% of average insurable weekly earnings |
| Most weeks, one parent | 35 | 61 |
| Most weeks, when parents share | 40 | 69 |
| Maximum weekly amount | $729 | $437 |
Maternity benefits are a separate block. The parent who gave birth can claim 15 weeks at the 55% rate (same $729 cap) before parental weeks begin. Adoptive parents and the non-birth parent skip that block and go straight to parental weeks. The weekly figure comes from your best-paid weeks, 14 to 22 of them depending on your region, so a bonus-heavy year can raise it. The Government of Canada: EI maternity and parental benefits, amount page has the current table.
How do two parents share the weeks?
Parents can split the parental weeks any way they like, and sharing adds weeks to the pool: 5 more on standard, 8 more on extended. That is how 35 becomes 40 and 61 becomes 69. No single parent can collect past 35 weeks (standard) or 61 weeks (extended), so the bonus weeks only exist if the second parent actually takes them.
Pick carefully. Once a parental payment has been made, Canada.ca says you can’t switch between standard and extended, and both parents on the same child must use the same option. Talk it over with your partner before you fill in the form, not after the first deposit lands. Apply as soon as you stop working, too. Waiting more than 4 weeks can cost you benefits.
Which option pays more in total at $70,000?
Extended pays a little more overall, about $1,142 more for one parent, but $292 less every week. Average weekly earnings at $70,000 are $1,346.15, and both 55% and 33% of that sit above the caps, so the weekly amounts are the maximums, $729 and $437.
| Plan at $70,000 pay | Weeks | Parental total | With 15 weeks of maternity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard, one parent | 35 | $25,515 | $36,450 |
| Extended, one parent | 61 | $26,657 | $37,592 |
| Standard, both parents sharing | 40 | $29,160 | not applicable |
| Extended, both parents sharing | 69 | $30,153 | not applicable |
The gap is small because of the arithmetic. Below the caps, 33% for 61 weeks comes to only about 5% more than 55% for 35 weeks. At $50,000 the site’s estimate for the parent who gave birth is $26,442 on standard and $27,288 on extended, with weekly cheques of $529 against $317. So the real choice is weeks at home versus cash in the account each week. Every figure here is before tax. EI parental benefits are taxable, and any employer top-up is left out.
Which option suits which family?
Standard fits a household that needs the cash flow, or a parent heading back to a salary soon. Extended fits a parent who wants a year or more at home and can live on 33% for stretches, maybe with savings or a partner’s pay behind them. How long your job is held is a separate question, and provincial employment standards answer it.
What changes in Quebec?
Quebec residents don’t get EI maternity or parental benefits. They’re covered by the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP), which pays higher percentages and counts earnings up to $103,000 in 2026. It also reserves weeks for the non-birth parent. The basic plan pays 70% for 18 weeks of maternity and 5 weeks of paternity. Its shareable parental block is 32 weeks (7 at 70%, 25 at 55%), plus 4 more weeks once each parent has used 8 shareable weeks. The special plan is shorter and richer: 75% for 15 weeks of maternity, 3 weeks of paternity and 25 parental weeks, plus 3 extra if each parent has taken 6.
How much does QPIP pay at $70,000?
For a parent who gave birth and earns $70,000, the site’s estimate on the basic plan is $942.31 a week for 25 weeks, then $740.38 a week for 25 weeks, about $42,067 over 50 weeks. The special plan works out to $1,009.62 a week for 40 weeks, about $40,385. Standard EI pays $36,450 over the same 50 weeks. Plan rules and premiums are on the Gouvernement du Québec: choice of plan and types of benefits, and our Quebec taxes guide covers how the province taxes the rest of your income.
How do I estimate my own leave pay?
Take your insurable earnings, which EI caps at $68,900 in 2026, apply the rate for the option you’re weighing, and compare the result with the weekly cap. The maternity and parental leave calculator runs both options and QPIP. Families with net income of $25,921 or less who get the Canada Child Benefit may qualify for a family supplement that lifts the weekly amount, though total weekly payments can’t pass $729. For the employer’s side, the payroll guide to maternity and paternity leave explains the record of employment, and the guide to child benefits and credits by age picks up where the leave ends.
Where does this information come from?
Weeks, rates and caps come from the Canada.ca EI maternity and parental pages and Quebec government QPIP pages; dollar totals come from this site’s own estimate engine. Checked in October 2026. This is an independent information site: we provide no services, we do not represent the CRA or any organization, and we do not guarantee that anything here is accurate or current. We accept no liability for decisions based on it. Check the official source before you rely on it. See the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I switch from standard to extended after I start?
No. Canada.ca says the choice can't be changed once a parental benefits payment has been made. If you've applied but haven't been paid yet, call Service Canada right away and ask whether it can still be changed.
Do both parents need to pick the same option?
Yes. Parents sharing benefits for the same child must be on the same option. The pool then grows by 5 weeks on standard or 8 weeks on extended, but neither parent can take more than 35 or 61 weeks.
Is 15 weeks of maternity part of the 35 weeks?
No. Maternity benefits for the birth parent are a separate 15 weeks at up to $729 a week, and parental weeks start after them. A birth parent on standard can collect up to 50 weeks in total.
Does my employer have to top up my pay?
No law makes a general employer top-up mandatory. Some employers add a supplement to EI as a workplace benefit, so check your contract or policy. This guide counts EI only and leaves top-ups out of every dollar figure.
Does Quebec use the same 55% and 33% rates?
No. QPIP pays 70% or 55% on the basic plan and 75% on the special plan, and its earnings ceiling is $103,000 for 2026. The weeks and the pay formula differ from EI, so use QPIP figures for a Quebec claim.