Maternity and Parental Benefits in Canada: A Guide for Newcomers

Understanding Maternity and Parental Benefits in Canada

If you are expecting a child or have recently become a parent in Canada, you may be eligible for maternity and parental benefits through the Employment Insurance (EI) program. These benefits provide income while you take time off work to care for your newborn or newly adopted child. For newcomers to Canada, understanding these benefits is important because the rules and amounts may differ significantly from what you experienced in your home country.

This guide explains who qualifies, how much you can receive, how to apply, and how to plan your parental leave as a newcomer. Whether you are a permanent resident, a temporary foreign worker, or a refugee, knowing your rights around parental benefits will help you plan financially for your growing family.

EI Maternity Benefits

Who Can Receive Maternity Benefits?

EI maternity benefits are available exclusively to the person who is pregnant or has recently given birth. This includes birth mothers who are employees and have paid into the EI program through payroll deductions. Self-employed individuals may also qualify if they have opted into the EI program at least 12 months before making a claim.

To be eligible, you must have accumulated at least 600 hours of insurable employment in the 52 weeks before the start of your claim, or since your last EI claim, whichever is shorter. This is an important threshold for newcomers: if you arrived in Canada recently and have not yet worked 600 hours, you will not qualify.

How Much Do You Receive?

Maternity benefits are paid at a rate of 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $668 per week in 2026. The maximum insurable earnings amount is set annually by the Government of Canada.

There is a one-week waiting period before benefits begin. During this week, you will not receive any payment. Think of it like a deductible on an insurance policy.

Duration of Maternity Benefits

Maternity benefits can be received for a maximum of 15 weeks. You can start receiving maternity benefits as early as 12 weeks before your expected due date. Benefits cannot extend beyond 17 weeks after your actual delivery date.

EI Parental Benefits

Standard Parental Benefits

After maternity benefits end (or from the time of birth or adoption if no maternity benefits are claimed), parents can receive parental benefits. Under the standard option, parental benefits provide 35 weeks at 55% of earnings, up to the same weekly maximum of $668.

Parental benefits can be shared between two parents. For example, one parent could take 20 weeks and the other could take 15 weeks. The total combined weeks cannot exceed 40 weeks between both parents under the standard option. The extra 5 weeks (beyond 35) are available only if both parents share the leave.

Extended Parental Benefits

The extended option provides 61 weeks of parental benefits at 33% of earnings, up to a maximum of $401 per week. If both parents share extended parental benefits, the combined total can be up to 69 weeks.

The extended option gives you more time at home but at a lower weekly payment. The total amount received over the entire leave period is roughly the same as the standard option, just spread over a longer period.

Choosing Between Standard and Extended

Feature	Standard	Extended
Duration (one parent)	35 weeks	61 weeks
Duration (shared)	40 weeks	69 weeks
Payment rate	55%	33%
Maximum weekly amount	$668	$401
Best for	Higher income during leave	More time at home

How to Apply for EI Maternity and Parental Benefits

1. Obtain a Record of Employment (ROE) from your employer. Your employer is required to issue this within 5 days of your last day of work.
2. Apply online through Service Canada's EI application portal. You will need your Social Insurance Number (SIN), your ROE, and your banking information for direct deposit.
3. Submit your application as soon as possible after your last day of work. There is a strict deadline: you must apply within 4 weeks of your last day of work, or you may lose benefits.
4. Complete any requested follow-up forms. Service Canada may ask for your baby's birth certificate or adoption documents.
5. Wait for processing. It typically takes 28 days from the date you file your application to receive your first payment.

Eligibility for Newcomers

As a newcomer, the most common barrier to receiving maternity and parental benefits is the 600-hour requirement. If you arrived in Canada recently and have not yet worked enough hours, you will not qualify for EI benefits. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Hours must be from insurable employment in Canada. Work experience from your home country does not count.
• Both full-time and part-time hours count toward the 600-hour threshold.
• If you work multiple jobs, hours from all insurable positions can be combined.
• Self-employed individuals must register for EI special benefits at least 12 months before claiming.

If you do not qualify for EI, you may still be able to take unpaid job-protected leave from your employer. In BC, the Employment Standards Act protects your right to take maternity and parental leave regardless of whether you receive EI benefits.

Quebec: The QPIP Difference

If you live and work in Quebec, you are covered by the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) instead of the EI maternity and parental benefits. QPIP offers several advantages:

• Lower eligibility threshold: you need only $2,000 in insurable earnings (no minimum hours)
• Higher benefit rates: up to 70% or 75% of earnings depending on the plan chosen
• No waiting period: benefits begin from the first week
• Paternity benefits: 5 weeks exclusive to the father/second parent
• Covers self-employed workers automatically

QPIP is administered by the Regime quebecois d'assurance parentale. If you work in Quebec, you pay QPIP premiums instead of EI maternity/parental premiums.

Employer Top-Up Programs

Some Canadian employers offer "top-up" programs that supplement your EI benefits during parental leave. A top-up means your employer pays the difference between your EI payment and a percentage of your regular salary, often 80% to 100%.

Top-up programs are more common in public sector jobs, unionized workplaces, and large corporations. They are not required by law. If you are looking for employment in Canada, consider asking about parental leave top-up policies during the hiring process.

Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

In addition to EI benefits during your leave, you may also be eligible for the Canada Child Benefit. The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment to help families with the cost of raising children under 18. Payments are based on your family income and the number and ages of your children.

For the July 2025 to June 2026 benefit year, the maximum CCB is $7,787 per year for each child under 6 and $6,570 per year for each child aged 6 to 17. You must file a Canadian tax return to receive the CCB. Apply through the Canada Revenue Agency.

Planning Checklist for Newcomer Parents

• Track your hours: Keep records of your insurable hours to know when you reach 600
• Talk to your employer early: Discuss your leave plans and ask about top-up programs
• Apply for EI immediately: Do not wait longer than 4 weeks after your last day of work
• File your tax return: This is required for the Canada Child Benefit
• Get a SIN: You need a Social Insurance Number to apply for EI and CCB
• Buy private health insurance: If your MSP has not started, get coverage before delivery
• Research childcare options: Start looking early and get on waitlists

How WelcomeAide Can Help

Growing your family in a new country comes with many questions. WelcomeAide's programs provide newcomers with clear, reliable information about the benefits available to them in Canada.

Our multilingual AI chat assistant can help you understand maternity and parental benefits in your preferred language. Visit our about page to learn about our mission, see our impact, or read more settlement guides on our blog.

You deserve time to bond with your new child. Make sure you apply for every benefit you are entitled to, and do not hesitate to ask for help navigating the process.