With $52,000 of insurable earnings, regular EI pays $550 a week for up to 25 weeks. Put your own earnings, hours and regional unemployment rate into the EI calculator below and you’ll see your weekly amount and how long a claim could run.
How many hours do you need where you live?
Two things decide whether a claim can open: the hours you worked in the last 52 weeks and the unemployment rate in your EI region. The higher the regional rate, the fewer hours you need.
| Regional unemployment rate | Minimum insurable hours |
|---|---|
| 6% and under | 700 |
| 6.1% to 7% | 665 |
| 7.1% to 8% | 630 |
| 8.1% to 9% | 595 |
| 9.1% to 10% | 560 |
| 10.1% to 11% | 525 |
| 11.1% to 12% | 490 |
| 12.1% to 13% | 455 |
| More than 13% | 420 |
Meeting the minimum only opens the claim. After that, the number of weeks grows with your hours and with the regional rate, up to 45 weeks.
What would a real claim look like?
Take a worker with $52,000 of insurable earnings and 1,200 hours, in a region with a rate between 7.1% and 8%. The calculator divides $52,000 by 52 weeks and gets average weekly earnings of $1,000. At 55%, the weekly benefit is $550, well under the $729 cap. With those hours the claim runs 25 weeks, so the most this person could collect is $13,750.
Now push earnings to $100,000, hours to 1,800 and the region to a rate above 16%. The result is $729 a week for 45 weeks, or $32,805. Average weekly earnings stop at $1,325 here, because only $68,900 a year is insured.
What if you’re short on hours? Someone with $30,000 and 600 hours in the 7.1% to 8% band falls under the 630 hours needed. The calculator says so and gives no amount.
What does this estimate miss?
It’s a simplification. Real claims average your best weeks, not all 52, so seasonal workers with a few strong months can see a different amount. Families with a net income up to $25,921 who receive the child benefit can get up to 80% of earnings, and this calculator doesn’t model that supplement.
Timing matters too. The one-week waiting period is waived for claims that start before 10 October 2026. Two other temporary measures end the same day: the rule that keeps separation pay out of the claim, and the 20 extra weeks for long-tenured workers. If your claim starts near that date, read the official announcement, since the rules could be extended.
Other calculators worth a look
If your leave is for a new baby, use the maternity and parental leave calculator, which applies different rates and weeks. A lower income can also bring help from other programs, so try the Canada Child Benefit calculator and the GST/HST credit calculator. To compare EI with pay from a job, the take-home pay calculator shows your salary after deductions.
Where the numbers come from
The 55% rate, the $68,900 insurable earnings limit and the $729 maximum are the 2026 figures from the federal EI pages. We copied the hours table and the weeks table by hand from the same source, so a spot check against the official estimator makes sense before you plan around a result. We checked the figures on 29 September 2026. No government body is connected to this website.
Frequently asked questions
How is the weekly EI benefit worked out?
It's 55% of your average weekly earnings, and only earnings up to $68,900 a year count in 2026. That puts the top payment at $729 a week.
How many hours do I need to qualify?
Between 420 and 700 hours in the last 52 weeks. The lower your regional unemployment rate, the more hours you need: 700 at 6% or less, 420 above 13%.
Is there a waiting period before the first payment?
Normally one week. For new claims that start between 30 March 2025 and 10 October 2026, the government has waived it under a temporary measure.
What is the longest regular EI claim?
45 weeks. Long-tenured workers may qualify for 20 more weeks, up to 65 in total, but only for claims started before the temporary measure ends on 10 October 2026.
Does the calculator use my best weeks of pay?
No. It divides your last 52 weeks of insurable earnings by 52. A real claim uses your best 14 to 22 weeks, depending on your region, so your actual amount can differ.
Sources and updates
Updated: . How we check rates · Editorial team · Updates
Estimate only. These figures are a planning estimate, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns, and we don't offer tax, legal or accounting services. We have no connection with the Canada Revenue Agency, Revenu Québec or any provincial government. Your real amounts depend on details this tool cannot see, so confirm them with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.