Keep 50 cents of EI for every dollar you earn, up to 90% of your previous weekly earnings. Examples for 2026.
ESTIMATE
Estimates as of 3 November 2026, for information only — not legal advice or a decision on your claim; Service Canada decides eligibility and the exact amount. 2026 figures from Canada.ca: 55% benefit rate, maximum insurable earnings $68,900, maximum $729 a week (extended parental 33%, $437). Regional rates for 11 October to 7 November 2026.
You can work part-time while on EI and keep 50 cents of your benefits for every dollar you earn, until your earnings reach 90% of the weekly earnings your claim is based on. Above that cap, every extra dollar earned is taken off your benefit. There is no fixed dollar limit: on a $52,000 salary ($1,000 a week) you could earn up to $900 in a week under the 50% rule.
The 50 cents rule
Example: $52,000 salary, EI $550 a week.
50¢ kept per $190% earnings cap$1 for $1 above the capevery week report earnings
Compare EI with your normal take-home pay
Open the Ontario take-home pay calculator to see your 2026 pay after federal and Ontario tax, CPP and EI premiums — the number EI is really replacing.
EI paid = weekly benefit − 50% × earnings (up to 90% of previous weekly earnings) − 100% × earnings above that cap
“Previous weekly earnings” means the average insurable weekly earnings used to set your benefit rate. The rule has been permanent since August 2018 and applies to regular, sickness, parental, caregiving and fishing benefits. On maternity benefits, earnings are deducted dollar for dollar.
Example: $52,000 salary, $550 EI
You earn
EI deducted
EI paid
Total for the week
$0
$0
$550
$550
$100
$50
$500
$600
$200
$100
$450
$650
$400
$200
$350
$750
$600
$300
$250
$850
$800
$400
$150
$950
$900
$450
$100
$1,000
$1,000
$550
$0
$1,000
$1,200
$550
$0
$1,200
Notice that total income always goes up when you work more, but EI eventually disappears: from about $1,100 of earnings, $550 − 50% × $1,100 = $0. Weeks where no EI is paid are generally not used up — they can be carried later in the benefit period, as long as the 52-week window allows.
Three more examples
Salary
EI / week
Earns
Deducted
EI paid
Total
$35,000
$370
$200
$100
$270
$470
$52,000
$550
$400
$200
$350
$750
$80,000
$729
$600
$300
$429
$1,029
Reporting work and earnings
Report gross earnings (before deductions) for the week you worked, not the week you were paid.
Report every day of work in your bi-weekly report, even if you haven’t been paid yet; an estimate is fine and can be corrected later.
Self-employment and commission income count too, as do tips; for full-time self-employment, you may be considered not unemployed at all.
Undeclared earnings found later create an overpayment and can bring penalties and a higher hours requirement on future claims.
Does working part-time reduce your total EI?
Partly paid weeks still use up one week of your entitlement, while weeks with no EI paid do not. So a part-time job can stretch your claim over more calendar weeks. Severance and vacation pay on separation are separate: for claims starting by 9 October 2027 they are not deducted at all under the 2026 pilot. If you return to full-time work, stop claiming — and remember your remaining weeks may still be available within the benefit period if the job ends.
Check your take-home pay before and after
The Ontario take-home pay calculator shows your 2026 net pay after tax, CPP and EI premiums — the income your EI benefit is replacing.
There is no fixed dollar limit. You keep 50 cents of EI for every dollar you earn up to 90% of your previous weekly earnings; above that, benefits are reduced dollar for dollar.
Does working part-time while on EI reduce my benefits?
Yes, by 50 cents per dollar earned up to the cap. On a $550 benefit, earning $400 reduces EI by $200 to $350, for $750 in total.
Can I work while on maternity leave EI?
You can, but earnings while on maternity benefits are deducted dollar for dollar. The 50 cents rule applies to parental benefits.
Do I report earnings when I work or when I get paid?
Report gross earnings for the week in which you did the work, even if payday is later.
Does working while on EI extend my claim?
Weeks where earnings reduce your EI to zero are generally not counted against your weeks of entitlement, so they can be used later within the 52-week benefit period.
Benefit rate and maximums: Canada.ca “EI regular benefits: How much you could receive” and the maternity/parental and sickness benefit-amount pages — 55% of average insurable weekly earnings; maximum yearly insurable earnings $68,900 from 1 January 2026 ($65,700 in 2025); maximum $729 a week ($695 in 2025); extended parental 33%, maximum $437.
Best weeks (14 to 22) and the weeks you can be paid come from the regional unemployment rate: Employment Insurance Act, Schedule I, and Service Canada’s “EI Program Characteristics” for 11 October to 7 November 2026 (rates are updated every four weeks).
2026 temporary measures: Canada Gazette Part II, SOR/2026-203 (EI Pilot Project No. 25, in force 11 October 2026) — waiting week waived and separation money not deducted for claims starting up to 9 October 2027; up to 20 extra weeks for long-tenured workers for claims starting up to 12 June 2027; only the most recent separation assessed.
Repayment (clawback): 30% of the lesser of regular benefits or net income above $86,125 (2026 = 1.25 × maximum insurable earnings). Premiums 2026: 1.63% of insurable earnings (Quebec 1.30%), maximum $1,123.07.
Tax withheld is our estimate: the weekly benefit annualized through 2026 federal and Ontario tax brackets with basic personal amounts (and the Ontario Health Premium). Service Canada’s actual deduction and your final tax depend on your total income for the year. Take-home pay while working: 2026 Ontario, from our Canada salary after tax engine.