Maternity and Parental Leave Pay in Canada: EI Benefits, Durations, and the Real Monthly Math
By Jordan Ellis · Published · Reviewed
Quick Answer
Canadian maternity leave pays 15 weeks of EI maternity benefits at 55% of average insurable earnings (maximum $729/week on 2026 figures), followed by parental benefits: the standard option pays up to 40 weeks shared at 55% (maximum one parent can take 35), and the extended option pays up to 69 weeks at 33%. At the maximum, standard works out to roughly $3,160 a month before tax and extended to roughly $1,890 — the same total dollars, spread thinner. You need 600 insurable hours to qualify, benefits are taxable, and Quebec runs its own more generous QPIP system instead.
A year off with a newborn, paid at 55% of your salary up to a cap that lands around $3,160 a month before tax — that’s the real math of Canadian parental leave. Plan it with the salary calculator before the baby plans it for you.
The benefit structure
| Benefit | Who | Duration | Rate | Max/week (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maternity | Birth mother only | 15 weeks | 55% | $729 |
| Parental — standard | Either/both parents | 40 weeks shared (max 35 each) | 55% | $729 |
| Parental — extended | Either/both parents | 69 weeks shared (max 61 each) | 33% | $437 |
- Eligibility: 600 insurable hours in the last 52 weeks
- Waiting period: 1 week unpaid (once per family, waived if the employer has a top-up plan)
- Extra weeks: 5 extra standard / 8 extra extended weeks when parents share the leave — use-it-or-lose-it for the second parent
- Taxable: yes, with source withholding that often runs light — set aside ~10% if your household income stays high that year
The real monthly budget
Maximum earner on the standard plan: ~$3,160 gross, ~$2,700–2,900 after tax. Earning $55,000? About $2,520 gross. Extended plan at the max: ~$1,890 gross. Against average Canadian rent or a mortgage payment, most households run a deficit of $1,000–$2,500/month during leave. Three fixes, in order:
- The pre-leave fund. Save the monthly shortfall × months of leave during pregnancy — the savings goal calculator turns that into a weekly target. Even partial coverage changes the stress level of the whole year.
- Trim fixed costs before the leave, not during. Refinance nothing mid-leave (lenders get nervous without income); do it while both paycheques exist. The budget rule guide helps find the fat.
- Check the top-up. Employer top-ups to 90–100% change everything — ask HR before doing any math on EI alone.
The traps
- Standard vs extended is irrevocable once payments start — model both monthly numbers first.
- EI hours must be recent. Contract gaps in the year before birth can drop you under 600 hours — track it.
- Applying late costs money. Apply the week you stop working; back-payments are capped.
- Quebec is a different system entirely (QPIP: higher rates, different durations) — if you’re in Quebec, budget from QPIP tables, not EI ones.
- Returning early ends benefits — but earnings rules let you work limited amounts while on parental benefits at 50¢ per dollar, similar to regular EI.
The leave is a right; the funding is a formula. Know your exact monthly number six months ahead, and the only surprises left will be the ones in the crib.
Official sources
Rules and dollar limits change. Confirm current amounts with the official pages below before you act · Last reviewed .
- EI maternity and parental benefits: how much you could receive (Employment and Social Development Canada)
- Canada child benefit: how much you can get (Canada Revenue Agency)