Payroll · Quebec
RQAP parental benefit.
Quebec runs its own parental insurance plan — not federal EI. Different qualifying earnings, different rates, different maximum insurable earnings.
Régime québécois d’assurance parentale (RQAP), also called QPIP in English, pays maternity, paternity and parental benefits to anyone working in Quebec, funded by its own premium (separate from EI). You choose one of two plans at application — Basic (more weeks, lower weekly rate) or Special (fewer weeks, higher weekly rate) — and that choice applies to every benefit type on the claim.
Inputs
Estimated benefit
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Basic Plan vs Special Plan, 2026
| Benefit | Basic Plan | Special Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity | 18 weeks @ 70% | 15 weeks @ 75% |
| Paternity | 5 weeks @ 70% | 3 weeks @ 75% |
| Parental (shareable) | 7 weeks @ 70% + 25 weeks @ 55% (32 weeks) | 25 weeks @ 75% |
The plan choice is made once, at application, and is irrevocable for the whole claim — it is not chosen separately per benefit type. Adoption benefits also exist under RQAP with their own weeks/rates, not modelled in this tool.
Why this isn't federal EI
Anyone working in Quebec pays into RQAP instead of EI's parental/maternity portion, at a separate premium rate, and claims through RQAP rather than Service Canada. The maximum insurable earnings for 2026 is $103,000 (up from $98,000 in 2025) — a different ceiling from EI's own maximum insurable earnings. Average weekly earnings for the benefit calculation is the average of the 26 weeks (within a 52-week qualifying period, extendable to 104 weeks in some cases) in which the claimant had insurable earnings. A minimum of $2,000 in insurable earnings over that qualifying period is required to qualify at all.
Sources, read 24 September 2026: quebec.ca RQAP page (maximum insurable earnings), rqap.gouv.qc.ca (benefit calculation method, qualifying period, $2,000 minimum), and corroborating English/French RQAP summaries for the exact weeks/rate table by plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum RQAP benefit per week in 2026?
Capped by the $103,000 maximum insurable earnings: about $1,386.54/week on the Basic Plan (70%), or about $1,485.58/week on the Special Plan (75%).
Can I switch plans partway through?
No. The Basic/Special choice is made once for the whole claim and cannot be changed afterward.
Is RQAP the same as EI parental benefits?
No. RQAP is Quebec's own program with its own premium, its own maximum insurable earnings, and its own benefit structure. Workers in Quebec do not draw EI parental/maternity benefits — they draw RQAP instead.
Do I need a minimum income to qualify?
Yes — at least $2,000 of insurable earnings in the 52-week qualifying period before your benefit period starts (extendable to 104 weeks in specific situations, such as being unable to work).
Estimate only — not a benefits determination
This tool calculates from the published RQAP rate table and the earnings you enter. It does not model adoption benefits, does not verify your actual qualifying-period earnings history, and is not a substitute for Revenu Québec's own benefit determination. Confirm your real entitlement with RQAP directly.