QPIP Benefits 2026: How Much Will You Get on Parental Leave?
In Quebec in 2026, QPIP replaces 70% of your average weekly income under the basic plan (75% under the special plan), based on maximum insurable earnings of $103,000. A mother earning $65,000 therefore receives $875 a week in maternity benefits, and a family can collect up to 59 weeks of benefits when both parents share the leave.
The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) pays for your maternity, paternity, parental or adoption leave when you work in Quebec — not federal Employment Insurance. Quebec has run its own plan since 2006: higher rates, no waiting period, self-employed workers covered. In 2026, maximum insurable earnings rise from $98,000 to $103,000 and premiums drop by 13%.
Estimate your benefits in 1 minute: both parents’ income and your week split in our QPIP benefits calculator — both plans are compared automatically.
Who qualifies for QPIP benefits in 2026?
You qualify for QPIP benefits if you live in Quebec, earned at least $2,000 in insurable income during the reference period (usually the 52 weeks before benefits start) and stopped working or cut your income by at least 40%. Employees and the self-employed are both covered.
Three details make a real difference:
- No waiting period. Unlike Employment Insurance, the first week is paid.
- Income counts, not hours. Outside Quebec, EI requires 600 insurable hours; under QPIP, $2,000 of insurable income is enough.
- Benefits are taxable federally and in Quebec in the year you receive them, especially with an employer top-up.
Your amount is based on your average weekly income, capped: above $103,000 in 2026, extra earnings add nothing.
Basic plan or special plan: which should you choose in 2026?
The basic plan gives more weeks at lower rates (70%, then 55%); the special plan, fewer weeks at 75%. Both parents must pick the same plan: the first parent who applies decides, and the choice is irrevocable except in exceptional circumstances.
| Type of benefit | Basic plan | Special plan |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity (person who gives birth) | 18 weeks at 70% | 15 weeks at 75% |
| Paternity (other parent) | 5 weeks at 70% | 3 weeks at 75% |
| Shareable parental | 32 weeks: 7 at 70%, then 25 at 55% | 25 weeks at 75% |
| Additional weeks (minimum sharing reached) | +4 weeks at 55% (8 weeks each minimum) | +3 weeks at 75% (6 weeks each minimum) |
| Maximum total for the family | 59 weeks | 46 weeks |
The practical rule: with no employer top-up, the special plan better protects your monthly income early on; for the longest possible leave, the basic plan gives 13 more weeks and usually a higher total (see the example below). Multiple birth or single parent: 5 extra exclusive weeks at 70% (3 at 75%).
How much will you get per week based on your salary?
Your weekly benefit is your annual salary divided by 52, multiplied by the plan rate, capped at insurable earnings of $103,000. At $65,000, your average weekly income is $1,250: you receive $875 at 70%, $937.50 at 75% and $687.50 at 55%.
| Annual salary | Average weekly income | At 70% (basic) | At 75% (special) | At 55% (basic) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $45,000 | $865.38 | $605.77 | $649.04 | $475.96 |
| $65,000 | $1,250.00 | $875.00 | $937.50 | $687.50 |
| $103,000 and up | $1,980.77 (cap) | $1,386.54 | $1,485.58 | $1,089.42 |
The income shock under the basic plan comes late in the leave: at $65,000, you drop from $875 to $687.50 a week — roughly $750 less per month. And at $130,000, you receive exactly what you would at $103,000. Check your amount with the QPIP benefits calculator, then compare it with your net pay using our Quebec pay calculator.
Worked example: one family, two salaries, both plans
Full calculation for a family where the mother earns $65,000 ($1,250 a week) and the other parent earns $52,000 ($1,000 a week). The mother takes maternity plus 24 shareable weeks under the basic plan (19 under the special plan); the other parent takes paternity plus the rest, which unlocks the additional weeks under both plans.
| Item | Basic plan | Special plan |
|---|---|---|
| Mother’s maternity | 18 × $875 = $15,750 | 15 × $937.50 = $14,062.50 |
| Mother’s shareable weeks | 7 × $875 + 17 × $687.50 = $17,812.50 | 19 × $937.50 = $17,812.50 |
| Other parent’s paternity | 5 × $700 = $3,500 | 3 × $750 = $2,250 |
| Other parent’s shareable weeks | 8 × $550 = $4,400 | 6 × $750 = $4,500 |
| Additional weeks | 4 × $687.50 = $2,750 | 3 × $937.50 = $2,812.50 |
| Family total | $44,212.50 | $41,437.50 |
The basic plan pays $2,775 more, but spreads benefits over 13 extra weeks. The special plan concentrates the money: $937.50 a week instead of a drop to $687.50. After the birth, complete the picture with the Canada Child Benefit and the child care expenses tax credit.
How much does QPIP cost on your pay in 2026?
In 2026, you pay 0.430% of your salary as an employee (maximum $442.90), your employer pays 0.602% (maximum $620.06) and a self-employed worker pays 0.764% (maximum $786.92), all on maximum insurable earnings of $103,000. Rates fall by 13% compared with 2025.
| Contributor type | 2026 rate | 2026 maximum premium |
|---|---|---|
| Employee | 0.430% | $442.90 |
| Employer | 0.602% | $620.06 |
| Self-employed | 0.764% | $786.92 |
At $65,000, your employee premium is $279.50 a year — the price of access to benefits exceeding $33,000 for one parent. In exchange, your federal Employment Insurance premium is reduced by 0.33% in Quebec. Break down your deductions with our Quebec pay calculator.
How does sharing the weeks add 4 extra weeks?
If each parent receives at least 8 shareable weeks under the basic plan, the family earns 4 additional weeks at 55% (special plan: 6-week threshold each, 3 weeks gained at 75%). Those weeks exist only if the other parent actually takes a share.
This is the most often missed lever: in the example above, those weeks are worth $2,750. They vanish if one parent takes every shareable week. Run your scenarios in the QPIP calculator before deciding. Maternity and paternity weeks are exclusive: untaken, they are lost.
When and how should you apply for benefits?
Apply as soon as your leave starts — ideally the week you stop working — because benefits are not paid retroactively without limit. The application is filed online, and the first parent who applies locks in the plan for both.
Checklist before you apply:
- Confirm your insurable income for the reference period (52 weeks) and the $103,000 cap.
- Choose the plan together, both scenarios’ amounts in front of you.
- Aim for the 8-weeks-each threshold (basic) or 6 weeks each (special) to unlock the additional weeks.
- Plan for tax on benefits, especially with an employer top-up.
- Note that labour standards protect up to 65 weeks of parental leave — longer than QPIP pays for: the last weeks may come with no benefits.
Frequently asked questions
Are QPIP benefits taxable?
Yes. QPIP benefits are taxable income federally and in Quebec, in the year you receive them. They are added to your salary for the year and can push you into a higher bracket if your employer also pays a top-up. Keep a margin in your leave budget and check the total effect with this site’s income tax calculator before you go back to work.
What happens if my salary is over $103,000?
Your benefits are calculated as if you earned $103,000, the maximum insurable earnings for 2026. Your average weekly income is capped at $1,980.77, so the maximum is $1,386.54 a week at 70% and $1,485.58 at 75%. Your premium is capped too: a maximum of $442.90 as an employee in 2026.
Are self-employed workers covered by QPIP?
Yes, and it is a Quebec particularity: self-employed workers are compulsorily covered. In 2026, you pay 0.764% of your insurable net business income, up to $786.92. To receive benefits, you must have earned at least $2,000 of insurable income during the reference period and have stopped your business activities or reduced the time you devote to them by at least 40%.
Can you change plans after applying?
No, except in exceptional circumstances. The basic or special plan is set by the first parent who applies, it binds the other parent — even with shared custody — and it stays the same for the whole benefit period. That is why the side-by-side dollar comparison of both plans has to happen before the first application, not after.
Does a single parent get more weeks?
Yes. If you are the only parent named on the birth certificate, you can receive 5 additional exclusive weeks at 70% under the basic plan, or 3 weeks at 75% under the special plan. You are also entitled, like other parents, to the shareable parental weeks. For a multiple birth, each parent can also receive these additional exclusive weeks.
QPIP or Employment Insurance: which applies in Quebec?
For maternity, paternity, parental and adoption benefits, QPIP applies when you work in Quebec — not federal Employment Insurance parental benefits. EI still covers other situations, such as sickness. In exchange, the Employment Insurance premium for Quebec employees is reduced by 0.33% in 2026.