Key Highlights
- In Canada, you have 15 weeks of maternity benefits through the Employment Insurance (EI) program.
- Parental leave benefits can go up to 69 weeks. Parents can share this with each other and pick a standard or longer option.
- People who live in Quebec use their own rules for maternity and parental leave. They have the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP).
- To get these benefits, you need to have insurable employment, work a certain number of hours, and pay into EI.
- The Government of Canada makes sure you keep your job and health care while on maternity leave.
It can be hard to know how maternity leave works, but Canada tries to make it simple for pregnant employees and new parents. The government of Canada gives you weeks of maternity leave and parental leave as part of employment insurance. These programs give important money and job safety to people who need to be away from work for some time.
There are standard parental benefits and extended parental benefits to pick from. This makes it easy to find parental leave that works for your family. The parental leave rules help both employers and employees. You can get parental leave benefits with employment insurance when you need time off for your new baby. The support you get from parental benefits during parental leave is there to help you at this time.
Overview of Maternity Leave in Canada
Canada’s maternity leave gives financial assistance to pregnant employees and new mothers using employment insurance. Maternity benefits last for up to 15 weeks. You can get 55% of your weekly earnings during this time, but the top amount is $650 per week. So, with Canada’s maternity leave, you get support when you need it most.
After you finish maternity leave, you and your partner can move on to take parental leave. Both of you can take between 12 and 18 months off. This lets families use the time to care for the child. It also helps to keep some financial stability during this time.
Your job is safe. When you come back, your boss has to give you your same job or another one that is kind of the same. How long you can have maternity leave depends on where you live. A place like Ontario gives more time for this. Both the province and the federal government look after the health of pregnant employees. You can still use your medical benefits while you are away, and you still get some of your pay. This helps to feel better about money at this time.
Key Features of Maternity Leave in 2025
The Employment Insurance (EI) program is there to help people in Canada who need maternity leave. In 2025, you will be able to get EI benefits if you meet the rules. If you are having a baby, you can get up to 15 weeks of maternity leave. You will get paid 55% of your pay, or up to $650 a week. If you need more time off, you can ask for parental leave benefits. With this, you can take up to 69 weeks off. This is to help you and your family when there is a new child, making it a good time for everyone.
There is a difference between standard parental leave and extended parental benefits. Standard parental leave gives you 40 weeks of leave that you can share. Each parent can take up to 35 weeks on their own. When you choose extended parental benefits, you get 69 weeks of leave to share. But the pay is lower. This pay is 33% of your income, up to $390 per week. This way, families can pick the setup that works best for them.
Canadian law keeps your job safe when you take maternity leave or parental leave. The employer has to let you return to your job or place you in a spot like what you had before. This helps people who want to raise a child while also keeping their jobs in 2025.
Changes from Previous Years
Extended parental benefits from earlier laws still help with maternity leave in Canada. A lot of people pick the 18-month plan. This plan lets you use both maternity and parental leave at the same time. Many like it because the longer time gives more flexibility. But with this 18-month plan, EI maternity benefits give out less money each month. People choosing this option shows that plans are changing over time to help families with what they need. This also shows how maternity leave, parental leave, and maternity benefits are working together to make things better for them.
When the pandemic began, the government made it simpler for parents to get EI maternity benefits. This was done to help people deal with problems happening at the time. But, by September 2022, Canada used the same rules for maternity benefits that were in place before. This helped make the system more steady and simple for everyone to follow.
Some provinces have now put in better laws that protect jobs during maternity leave. For example, bosses have to keep a new mother’s job safe for a longer time than they used to do. In places like Ontario, there are new things at work that help with breastfeeding. This help makes it easier for new mothers to come back to their jobs. Changes to maternity leave, parental benefits, and parental leave often happen because leaders want these rules to fit what people need now. The updates make sure new mothers get good help when they need it most.
Eligibility Requirements for Maternity Leave
To get maternity leave in Canada, there are some rules you must follow. You need to work at a job that is considered insurable employment. You also have to pay into the EI program through your work. The payments you make to the EI program let you get maternity benefits. These maternity benefits give you money when you are pregnant or taking care of a new baby.
You also have to meet the qualifying period for maternity leave. This means you need to show that you have spent enough time working in your job. These rules are here to make sure that every worker who meets the qualifying period can get the right maternity leave benefits in Canada.
Who Qualifies for Maternity Leave in 2025?
In 2025, to get maternity leave from the government of Canada, you have to follow specific criteria they set. You must have insurable employment and you need to have paid into Employment Insurance, or EI. The government of Canada will check your work over the last 52 weeks before you ask for maternity benefits. In some cases, they may look at a shorter period if special things come up.
You also need to have a certain number of hours of insurable employment. The number of hours you need can be from 420 to 700. How many hours you need depends on where you live. These hours show that you have worked enough to get maternity benefits. You must have paid into the plan as well.
The qualifying period is also important. It looks at whether your application is close to your expected due date or your last day of work. This helps you get your maternity benefits at the right time.
These rules help new mothers across Canada. They make sure anyone who is pregnant or has just had a baby can get the same support. This way, all new mothers get the help they need when they are having a baby and after the baby comes home.
Necessary Employment Duration and Conditions
In Canada, how long you have worked and where you worked are key when you want to get maternity leave. The Employment Insurance Act explains the rules you need to follow. You have to show a certain number of hours of insurable employment in the last 52 weeks. This rule is set so people who get maternity leave have paid into employment insurance as needed.
To get these benefits, your boss must be signed up as an Employer of Record. They make sure to take the right payroll money for EI from your paycheck. Most pregnant employees have to work for the same boss for about three to six months. This helps to show that they can get leave.
If you have medical reasons connected to your pregnancy or if you can’t work well for some time, you might be able to get benefits. You must give proof, such as a medical certificate. There are special rules from the government for these claims. The rules are checked often to make sure all pregnant employees who need time off get fair maternity leave.
Employment insurance can help pregnant employees who need maternity leave. To get this help, someone must be in insurable employment. The Employment Insurance Act sets out the rules. A person will also need to have enough hours of insurable employment to qualify.
Some people might need to stop working before their due date. This can happen for medical reasons. If so, they still may be able to claim employment insurance. A worker’s employer of record has to keep count of the hours of insurable employment. This way, it will be clear if someone can get employment insurance, and how much they will get. Following these rules can help pregnant employees feel safe at work and during maternity leave.
Application Process for Maternity Leave
The application process for maternity leave in Canada is easy to follow. You can fill out your form online or visit a Service Canada Centre. It is a good idea to start your maternity benefits claim as early as eight weeks before your expected due date. If you do this on time, you get the support you need when you have your baby.
You can use the Service Canada Centre or go online to the EI platform. This lets you upload all the right papers and send in your medical certificate for them to look at. When you follow these steps, you can feel calm and get ready for your new baby, knowing your benefits will come soon.
Steps to Apply for Maternity Leave in 2025
To get maternity leave benefits in 2025, you need to do these main things:
- Go to the Service Canada platform or visit a Service Canada Centre. You can use the online application to make things easier. The online application will guide you step-by-step.
- Give a record of employment from your employers. You will also need to give supporting documents, like medical certificates. These help to show your pregnancy and your expected due date.
- Give your personal and financial details. You must show how long you have worked, your qualifying hours, and how much you have earned.
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| Register Online | Create an account on Service Canada and start your application process. |
| Documentation Upload | Include medical certificates, personal ID, and employer details. |
| Benefit Approval/Start | Receive a decision and begin maternity benefits based on eligibility. |
Doing this step early will help make sure that people get their maternity leave benefits on time. This way, they will not have any break in getting these benefits.
Documentation and Information Needed
When you ask for maternity leave, you need to have the right papers with you. You will have to give your personal information. This can include things like your Social Insurance Number, your address, and your bank details for direct deposit. If you do not have a main address, you must go in person to the nearest Service Canada Centre.
You also need to share details about your work. This means you have to give your record of employment. Tell them about your last day of work. You should also say what you made each week before you left. Sometimes, they may want to know why you left your other job.
If you are one of the adoptive parents, you need to do a few more things. You have to give papers like the address of the adoption authority or something that shows the placement. These papers help prove that you can get maternity leave benefits. When you give all the right and full documents, your claim for maternity leave goes faster in Canada’s EI system.
Benefits of Maternity Leave
Maternity leave in Canada helps mothers and families by giving money and keeping jobs safe. The EI maternity benefits let new mothers get up to 55% of their usual pay when they are away from work. This lowers money worries at a key time to heal and care for a new baby. It also means new mothers keep health support while they are on leave.
Job security is an important part of maternity leave. When someone comes back after taking time off, the boss will give them the same or a similar job. These rules help mothers feel safe. They can spend time with their new baby and family without worry.
Financial Assistance During the Leave
Financial help during maternity leave comes from EI maternity benefits. This support lets mothers look after their families and not feel stress about the money they lose by not working. When you get these maternity benefits, you can have up to 55% of your weekly earnings. The top amount paid is $650 each week, and you can get this money for up to 15 weeks.
Parental leave benefits give more help to families. You and your partner can share these parental leave benefits. With standard parental leave, you get the same 55% pay rate as before. You also have the choice to take more time off with extended leave. If you pick this, you get 33% pay for a longer time. This helps families choose the parental leave they feel is best for them.
Low-income families get extra support from programs like the Canada Child Benefit. This helps parents who are working but do not have a lot of money. It makes the financial assistance better for people while they are on maternity leave or parental leave.
Job Security and Career Implications
Job stability is very important for workers who go on maternity leave. In Canada, the law says that a company has to let you have your old job back after your time off. If your old job cannot be given back to you, then the company has to give you a similar job instead. This helps mothers get back into work without their chances to grow in their jobs being hurt. Your pay and benefits must also stay the same.
Employment insurance gives needed benefits to mothers. It helps them take care of their babies without worrying about their jobs. In some provinces, there are new updates to support mothers even more. For many, this makes it easier to go back to work after maternity leave.
Looking ahead, the rules about maternity in Canada often change. These updates help the jobs and families of people. They show that the way we work keeps changing. This is good for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Maximum Duration of Maternity Leave in 2025?
In 2025, the weeks of maternity leave will go up to 15 weeks. After this, you can take weeks of parental leave as well. If you choose extended parental benefits, parental leave can last up to 69 weeks. Standard parental leave will last up to 40 weeks. If you add up both the weeks of maternity leave and the weeks of parental leave, you can be off for up to 18 months in total. This lets you spend that time with your baby, choosing either standard parental leave or extended parental benefits.
Maternity Leave Resources
- Employment Insurance Maternity and Parental Benefits Overview
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-maternity-parental.html - Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP)
https://www.rqap.gouv.qc.ca/en - Apply for EI Maternity and Parental Benefits Online
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-maternity-parental/apply.html - Find a Service Canada Centre Near You
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/contact/ei-individual.html - Canada Child Benefit (CCB)
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview.html - EI Maternity and Parental Benefits: Eligibility Requirements
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-maternity-parental/eligibility.html - EI Payment Amounts and Duration
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/ei-maternity-parental/benefit-amount.html - Job Protection During Maternity and Parental Leave (Labour Standards)
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/jobs/workplace/federal-labour-standards/leaves.html - Record of Employment (ROE) Information
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/roe-guide.html - Ontario’s Guide to Pregnancy and Parental Leave
https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/pregnancy-and-parental-leave