2016 Employment Insurance Rates

The Canada Employment Insurance Commission just published the preliminary Employment Insurance rates for 2016. Table shows comparison of 2015 rates.

EI RATE 2016 2015
Maximum insurable earnings $50,800 $49,500
Employee contribution rate in provinces without a provincial plan 1.88%(1) 1.88%(1)
Employee contribution rate in provinces with a provincial plan, i.e., Québec 1.52% 1.54%
Self-employed rate 1.88% 1.88%
Employer contribution rate in provinces without a provincial plan 2.632% 2.632%
Employer contribution rate in provinces with a provincial plan, i.e., Québec 2.128% 2.156%
Employee maximum contribution in provinces without a provincial plan $955.04 $930.60
Employee maximum contribution in provinces with a provincial plan, i.e., Québec $772.16 $762.30
Employer maximum contribution in provinces without a provincial plan $1,337.06 $1,302.84
Employer maximum contribution in provinces with a provincial plan, i.e., Québec $1,081.02 $1,067.22
EI clawback threshold(2) $63,500 $61,875

 NOTES

(1) In 2014, the Dept. of Finance froze the EI premium rate at 1.88% through 2015 and 2016. In 2017, a new rate-setting mechanism will take effect which sets the EI premium rate annually at a seven-year break-even rate.

(2) The EI clawback threshold is 1.25 x maximum insurable earnings.