You open your pay stub, run down the deductions column, and something’s missing: the EI line reads zero. Nobody at work mentioned a change, and your gross pay is the same as always. If this happened to you partway through the year, here’s the good news — nothing is wrong. You’ve simply hit the 2026 EI maximum, and those premiums are done until January.
The Short Answer: You Hit the 2026 Maximum
Employment Insurance premiums aren’t collected on unlimited income. You pay 1.63% of your insurable earnings only up to the Maximum Insurable Earnings (MIE), which is $68,900 for 2026. Once your year-to-date earnings cross that line, you’ve paid the full annual premium of $1,123.07 — and your employer’s payroll system automatically stops the deduction for the rest of the year. Full rates and benefit details are on our Employment Insurance page.
2026 EI Numbers at a Glance
| Item | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Employee premium rate | 1.63% of insurable earnings |
| Maximum insurable earnings (MIE) | $68,900 |
| Maximum annual employee premium | $1,123.07 |
| Employer rate / maximum | 2.28% (1.4× employee) / $1,572.30 |
| Quebec employee rate / maximum | 1.30% / $895.70 (QPIP is separate) |
All figures verified against official government publications — see the CRA for source documents.
When Do You Hit the Max? (By Salary)
Assuming your pay is spread evenly through the year, here’s roughly when EI deductions stop at different salary levels:
| Annual Salary | EI Deductions Stop Around |
|---|---|
| $68,900 or less | Never — you pay EI on every cheque all year |
| $75,000 | Beginning of December |
| $80,000 | Mid-November |
| $90,000 | Early October |
| $100,000 | Early September |
| $120,000 | Late July |
| $150,000 | Mid-June |
Bonuses, commissions, and overtime count as insurable earnings too, so a big bonus early in the year pulls these dates forward. If you’re reading this in summer and your EI line just vanished, you’re in good company — earners in the low six figures typically cross the ceiling in July and August. To see the per-cheque effect on your own salary, run it through the Payroll Calculator.
Your Net Pay Just Went Up — Don’t Spend It Automatically
Hitting the maximum feels like a raise: 1.63% of every cheque stops disappearing. But there’s a catch waiting on the other side of New Year’s Day — deductions restart from zero on January 1, and your first cheque of the year will shrink back accordingly. Payroll pros call this the “January pay cut,” and it surprises people every single year.
A smarter play: you were already living without that money, so redirect the difference into savings for the rest of the year. An automatic transfer into a TFSA — or an RRSP contribution that also cuts your income tax — turns a temporary quirk of the payroll calendar into a permanent gain.
What If You Change Jobs Mid-Year?
Here’s the frustrating part. Each employer must deduct EI from the first dollar you earn with them, regardless of what you already paid at a previous job. Switch jobs in August after maxing out at your old employer, and the new one starts deducting all over again.
You don’t lose that money permanently: the overpayment is refunded when you file your tax return (or reduces your balance owing). But you do float the government an interest-free loan for a few months. The same rule applies if you work two jobs at once — both employers deduct independently, and the excess comes back at filing time.
CPP Stops at a Different Time — Here’s Why
If you noticed your EI and CPP deductions didn’t stop on the same cheque, that’s expected. CPP has its own, higher ceilings: base contributions run to $74,600 of earnings in 2026 (maximum $4,230.45), and higher earners then pay the second-tier CPP2 contribution on earnings up to $85,000 (maximum $416). So the deductions typically drop off in stages: EI first, then base CPP, then CPP2. Full details on the Canada Pension Plan page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get overpaid EI back?
Yes. If you paid more than the annual maximum — usually from changing jobs or holding two jobs — the excess is refunded automatically when you file your tax return.
Does my employer stop paying their share too?
Yes. Employer premiums are 1.4 times yours, capped at $1,572.30 per employee in 2026. When your deductions stop, so do theirs — but only for earnings with that employer.
Why is my EI maximum different from my coworker’s in Quebec?
Quebec administers its own parental insurance plan (QPIP), so Quebec workers pay a reduced EI rate of 1.30% — a maximum of $895.70 — plus separate QPIP premiums.
Will the maximum change next year?
Almost certainly. The MIE is indexed to average wage growth and typically rises each January, which is also why the maximum premium changes year to year even when the rate barely moves.
Do EI deductions apply to bonuses and overtime?
Yes — bonuses, commissions, overtime, and vacation pay are all insurable earnings. They count toward the $68,900 ceiling just like regular wages.
Can I opt out of EI?
Not as an employee — premiums are mandatory on insurable employment. The main exception is certain workers who own a significant share of their employer’s business; self-employed people are outside regular EI unless they opt in for special benefits.
All rates verified against official CRA and ESDC publications. Last updated: July 2026.