How to Calculate the Employment Insurance Regular Benefit

In this publication we will learn how to calculate approximately how much we can receive from employment insurance.

How much and Until When will You be Eligible for Regular Employment Insurance Benefits?

Before we process your application, we can’t know you how much money you’ll get. The basic rate for estimating EI benefits for most people is 55 percent of their total weekly insurable earnings, up to a maximum level. The gross yearly insurable earnings total is $56,300 as of January 1, 2021. This means you will get up to $595 a week as a limit.

How long do you get regular Employment Insurance benefits?

Employment Insurance benefits will range from 14 to 45 weeks, based on the unemployment rate in your region at the time of filing the claim and the number of insurable hours you’ve worked in the previous 52 weeks or after the last claim, whichever comes first.

Seasonal employees: If you serve as a seasonal worker, you could be eligible for up to 50 weeks of extra benefits.

Here you can see the maximum numbers of hours and weeks of regular employment insurance benefits:

And if you travel to a different location after your insurance cycle starts, the number of weeks you can earn benefits does not change.

Calculation of Employment Insurance Benefits

The following formula is used to determine the number of weekly benefits:

• Based on the details you provide and/or your work record(s), we measure your overall insurable earnings for the appropriate number of best weeks (the weeks in which you received the most money, including insurable tips and commissions).
• The divisor (number of better weeks) that corresponds to your regional unemployment rate is determined.
• We split the gross insurable earnings for your best weeks by the amount of weeks you need to insure.
• The sum of your weekly amount is then calculated by multiplying the result by 55 percent.

We can compare using the best 14 weeks in regions of Canada with the highest unemployment rates, and the best 22 weeks in regions of Canada with the lowest unemployment rates. The number of weeks used to measure benefits in other countries would range from 14 to 22, based on the unemployment rate of those areas.

Unemployment Rate Parameters for Calculating the Best Required Weeks

Visit EI Program Characteristics to learn about the unemployment rate in your region. (Clic to Consult)

Once you’ve decided on a weekly benefit rate, it’ll stay the same for the duration of your claim.

Keep in Mind: Employment Insurance benefits are taxable, and regardless of the type of EI incentives earned, they are still part of the taxes. Therefore, federal, state and municipal taxes will be excluded from the bill, if necessary.

Employment Insurance Family supplement

You are called a low-income family if your net family income is less than $25,921 per year, you have children, and your spouse gets the Canada Child Benefit. As a result, you may be additionally eligible for the EI family supplement.

The family supplement rate is calculated using the following formula:

• Up to a limit of $25,921 per year in net family income.
• The number and ages of the family’s children.

If your income levels will be increased to up to 80% of your gross insurable earnings with the family supplement, only one of you will earn the family supplement if you and your partner both apply for EI benefits at the same time. The spouse with the lowest benefit rating is more likely to earn the supplement.

The Family Supplement steadily reduces as your salary increases, until it is no longer payable once you exceed the annual income of $25,921.