15 weeks is the core maternity entitlement under Canada’s EI program, and you must apply to Service Canada as soon as you stop working or risk losing benefits if you wait more than four weeks after your last day of work. Maternity benefits cover the birth parent for up to 15 weeks, and parental benefits add either a 40-week (standard) or 69-week (extended) pool to share between parents, with extra bonus weeks for the second parent. Weekly payments are a percentage of your average insurable earnings, subject to a yearly maximum published on Canada.ca; the current federal guidance lists $729 per week for the higher-rate benefit and $437 per week for the extended rate in 2026. Start your claim on My Service Canada Account or complete form INS-5168 (Maternity and/or Parental benefits Annex 3) and return it to a Service Canada Centre.

1. Pick which benefit(s) you will claim and when to start

Maternity benefits and Parental benefits are separate entitlements under the federal EI program. Maternity benefits are reserved for the person who's pregnant or has recently given birth, including surrogates, and provide a maximum of 15 weeks. Parental benefits are available to either or both parents, but you must choose between the standard and extended parental options when you apply.

Under the Standard parental option parents share up to 40 weeks between them, with an extra five weeks available to the second parent. Under the Extended parental option parents share up to 69 weeks between them, with an extra eight weeks for the second parent. Canada.ca provides the statutory weeks and the sharing rules. Once a week of parental benefits has been paid, or a payment has been made to the other parent when benefits are shared, you can't switch between the standard and extended options.

Short scenario. You plan to take leave yourself and give your partner some weeks. If you want higher weekly pay for a shorter time, pick standard parental. If you prefer a longer leave at a lower weekly rate, pick extended parental. Decide before you file, because the first payment locks the choice.

2. Confirm eligibility criteria

Service Canada requires claimants be in Insurable employment and to have accumulated at least 600 insurable hours in the 52 weeks before the start of the claim or since the last EI claim, whichever is shorter. Your normal weekly earnings must have been reduced by more than 40 percent for at least one full week because of pregnancy, parental responsibilities, or the care of a newborn or newly adopted child.

You also need a valid Social Insurance Number.

Honestly, self-employed people aren't automatically covered. You may qualify if you registered for and have been contributing to the EI self-employment program for the time period that program requires. Consult Service Canada for the registration and waiting-period rules that apply to self-employed coverage. If you are unsure whether your work counts as insurable employment, check with your employer for your Record of Employment or contact Service Canada.

Eligibility checklist. At a minimum you need:

First, 600 insurable hours in the relevant 52-week window,. Second, More than a 40 percent reduction in normal weekly earnings for at least one full week,. Third, A valid Social Insurance Number, and. Fourth, ROE documentation or proof of EI self-employment contributions if applicable.

3. Choose timing for the claim and note deadlines

Timing matters. Canada.ca states you can start receiving maternity benefits as early as 12 weeks before your due date and that benefits can't be paid more than 17 weeks after your due date or the date you gave birth, whichever is later, with a possible extension if the newborn is hospitalized. Other published guides state payments may begin up to eight weeks before the due date. Because these timing statements differ, check the Service Canada application page for the authoritative timing rule that applies to your situation before you file your claim.

For application timing, Service Canada instructs you to apply as soon as possible after you stop working and warns that if you apply more than four weeks after your last day of work you may lose benefits. Other guides advise applying up to eight weeks before the due date. I'll tell you straight. Treat the Service Canada instruction to apply as soon as you stop working as the controlling operational rule for filing. If you are still working close to your due date, consider preparing your information so you can file immediately when you stop.

Worked example. If you stop work two weeks before your due date, start your application on My Service Canada Account that same day. Meanwhile if you wait six weeks after your last day, you risk losing weeks of entitlement under the four-week guidance that Service Canada publishes.

4. Decide which parental option fits your family finances

There is a single financial trade-off to resolve. Standard parental benefits pay more per week over a shorter overall period at 55 percent of your average weekly insurable earnings. Extended parental benefits pay less per week at 33 percent of your average weekly insurable earnings, spread over a longer period. Annual maximums for weekly payments change year to year. The federal guidance cited for 2026 lists a maximum of $729 per week for maternity and standard parental benefits and $437 per week for extended parental benefits. Published guidance cited $695 per week for 2025 for the higher-rate plan. Verify the current yearly maximum on Canada.ca at the time you apply.

Two simple questions partition most households. First, do you need the highest possible weekly income to replace pay while you are away? Second, will you or your family benefit more from a longer leave at a lower weekly rate? If answer one is yes, the standard option is likely the right fit. If answer two is yes, consider extended parental. The decisive moment is a single week of paid parental benefits or the first payment to the other parent when benefits are shared, because after that you can't switch.

Thing is, worked example. A parent earning a middle-range salary facing mortgage payments might prefer the standard option for the higher weekly top-up. A family that values time at home over short-term income replacement may choose the extended option to stretch benefits across more months.

Mastheads

Before you start the online form or fill the PDF, assemble these items. Service Canada expects you to provide your Social Insurance Number, banking information for direct deposit, and your Record of Employment or ROE from your employer. You will need the expected or actual date of birth or placement for adoption. If you are self-employed, have documentation of your EI self-employment program registration and contribution history available. For any employer top-up or Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) plan, assemble the employer documentation so you can report top-up income to Service Canada.

The official paper form is INS-5168 (Maternity and/or Parental benefits Annex 3). The form instructions note technical requirements for filling the PDF. If you choose the paper route, download INS-5168, complete and sign it, and either mail or deliver it to a local Service Canada Centre. The form page on Service Canada is the official template for mailed applications.

Short scenario. If your employer provides a top-up for the first eight weeks of leave, include the employer's SUB paperwork when you apply. That prevents a later adjustment or an overpayment that you might have to repay.

The preferred route is online through My Service Canada Account. The federal application page instructs users to start their application as soon as possible after stopping work.

This online route is faster for most claims and reduces the chance of postal delay. If you prefer paper, Service Canada provides the INS-5168 form to print, sign, and return by mail or in person at a Service Canada Centre.

Follow the form instructions closely. If your ROE isn't yet available, file what you can and update Service Canada when the ROE arrives. Keep copies of everything you submit. Save confirmation numbers and emails from My Service Canada Account. If you file the paper INS-5168 form, retain a dated postal receipt or proof of delivery from the Service Canada Centre.

Worked example. Start the online claim the day you stop working. Attach ROE information when it posts or supply the employer contact info to Service Canada as instructed. That preserves the filing date and avoids the four-week application risk.

If parents share parental benefits, both must submit their own applications and both must choose the same parental option. If parents submit different choices, the choice on the first application received determines the option for all parents. One parent can't receive more than the per-parent maximum weeks under the chosen option; any bonus weeks for the second parent are use-it-or-lose-it.

There are special rules if a newborn is hospitalized. The statutory 17-week limit for receiving maternity benefits after the due date may be extended by the number of weeks the child remains in hospital, up to a specified cap.

Consult Service Canada for the exact hospital extension rules and the documentation required to support a hospital extension claim. Keep hospital records handy and inform Service Canada promptly if an extension applies.

Short scenario. If you and your partner file on different days, the first application received sets whether you are on the standard or extended plan. To keep flexibility, coordinate filing dates so the primary caregiver files first with the couple's intended choice.

Many employers offer Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) top-ups that provide additional pay while you are on EI maternity or parental leave. When you apply, indicate any top-ups or employer-provided salary continuation so Service Canada can adjust benefit amounts and prevent overpayments. Failure to report employer top-ups or other income can lead to overpayments that you will have to repay.

If your situation includes other income or benefits during your leave, report them as required by Service Canada rules. Examples include pension income, short-term disability, or other employer payments.

Accurate upfront reporting speeds processing and reduces the chance of an adjustment later. Keep copies of employer letters that describe the top-up details, including duration and amount, and attach them to your file where possible.

Worked example. An employer promise to top up EI to 95 percent of salary for six weeks must be reported on your application. Include the employer letter and the SUB paperwork so Service Canada can calculate the correct EI payment and avoid a retroactive recovery.

You can't change your parental option after a week of parental benefits has been paid or after another parent has received a payment when benefits are shared. If your circumstances change, for example the child’s birth date differs from your expected date or your ROE is amended, update Service Canada promptly. Keep copies of all documents you submit and every communication with Service Canada.

Service Canada can amend a claim when given new or corrected information. Examples include a corrected ROE, a birth date adjustment, or newly available hospital documentation for a neonatal stay.

Notify Service Canada directly through My Service Canada Account or by visiting a local Service Canada Centre. Retain hard copies and screenshots of submissions.

Short scenario. If your ROE is amended after you apply, tell Service Canada immediately and upload the corrected ROE. That avoids recalculation delays that could affect your first payments.

First, Decide if you need Maternity benefits (15 weeks) and which Parental option fits: standard (40 weeks plus 5 bonus) or extended (69 weeks plus 8 bonus). Second, Confirm eligibility: at least 600 insurable hours and a >40 percent drop in weekly earnings for one full week, plus a valid Social Insurance Number. Third, Gather documents: Record of Employment (ROE) , banking info, birth or due date, employer SUB paperwork, or EI self-employment registration if applicable. Fourth, Apply as soon as you stop working, preferably online via My Service Canada Account , or complete INS-5168 and return it to a Service Canada Centre. Fifth, Report employer top-ups and other income to avoid overpayments, and notify Service Canada promptly of any changes to your ROE or birth date.

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The concrete next step is to start and submit your EI maternity or parental application through My Service Canada Account as soon as you stop working, or to complete form INS-5168 (Maternity and/or Parental benefits Annex 3) and return it to your local Service Canada Centre.

This article was created with AI assistance.