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👶 QPIP Maternity Benefits in Québec — How Much Will You Really Get?

When you’re preparing for maternity leave, one of the biggest questions is:
“How much will I actually get from QPIP?”

The Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) provides income replacement when you take time off for pregnancy, birth, or adoption — but unlike Employment Insurance, it doesn’t depend on how many hours you worked.
It depends on how much income you earned in the last 52 weeks.

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💡 What Is QPIP?

The Québec Parental Insurance Plan (RQAP/QPIP) offers benefits to eligible parents who stop working or reduce their income by at least 40% for one of the following reasons:

• Maternity (pregnancy)
• Paternity
• Parental or adoption leave

You can choose between two benefit options:

Plan	Maternity Benefit Duration	Rate of Income Replacement
Basic Plan	18 weeks	70% of average weekly income
Special Plan	15 weeks	75% of average weekly income

To qualify, you must:

• Be a resident of Québec when your benefit period starts
• Have earned at least $2,000 in insurable income during the previous 52 weeks
• Have paid QPIP premiums on those earnings
• Stop working or reduce your income by at least 40%

(Source: RQAP Eligibility Conditions)

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🧮 Example 1 — Low Income ($2,000 in Last 52 Weeks)

If you earned only $2,000 in the year before your maternity leave:

Average Weekly Income:
$2,000 ÷ 52 = $38.46

Under the Special Plan (75%), your benefit would be:
75% × $38.46 = $28.85 per week

However, QPIP has a clause called “increase in benefits”, which allows the government to raise very low benefit amounts when a claimant’s average income is below what would be earned by a person working 40 hours at Québec’s minimum wage.
The increase varies per case — there’s no fixed “minimum benefit,” and the final amount is calculated individually by QPIP.

✅ Result:
You’d receive roughly $28.85/week or slightly more if the increase in benefits applies.

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💵 Example 2 — Moderate Income ($10,000 in Last 52 Weeks)

If you earned $10,000 in the last 52 weeks:

Average Weekly Income:
$10,000 ÷ 52 = $192.31

Special Plan (75%):
75% × $192.31 = $144.23 per week

Your benefit could be adjusted slightly higher if QPIP’s “increase in benefits” formula applies, but it won’t exceed the program’s replacement limits.

✅ Result:
You’d receive roughly $140–$160 per week for 15 weeks of maternity benefits.

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💼 Example 3 — Full-Time Worker ($40,000 in Last 52 Weeks)

If you earned $40,000 before your maternity leave:

Average Weekly Income:
$40,000 ÷ 52 = $769.23

• Basic Plan (70%) → 70% × $769.23 = $538.46/week
• Special Plan (75%) → 75% × $769.23 = $576.92/week

✅ Result:
You’d receive between $538 and $577 per week for up to 15–18 weeks, depending on your plan.

That’s approximately $8,000 to $8,600 total maternity income replacement.

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📊 Summary Table

Annual Income	Average Weekly Income	Basic Plan (70%)	Special Plan (75%)	Estimated Weekly Benefit
$2,000	$38.46	$26.92	$28.85	$28–$40 (if increased)
$10,000	$192.31	$134.62	$144.23	$140–$160
$40,000	$769.23	$538.46	$576.92	$538–$577

(Estimates based on QPIP benefit calculation model — actual results vary. Use the QPIP simulator for exact results.)

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🔍 Understanding the “Increase in Benefits” Clause

If your average weekly income is less than what a 40-hour work week at Québec’s minimum wage would earn (currently $15.75/hr in 2025), QPIP may adjust your benefit upward.

This ensures that extremely low-income workers still receive a reasonable base benefit, but there is no publicly fixed minimum dollar amount.
Each case is individually calculated by QPIP based on declared income and insurable earnings.

(See How the benefit amount is determined)

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🍼 Financial Planning Tips from Unity Financial Services

Maternity leave isn’t just about benefits — it’s about planning your entire financial journey as a parent.
Here’s how Unity Financial Services can help you prepare:

• Review your income and expenses before leave
• Explore tax credits and child benefits (CCB, GST/HST, childcare deductions)
• Set up RESP or TFSA accounts for your child’s future
• Ensure financial protection with life or critical illness insurance

💼 At Unity Financial Services, we simplify family financial planning for new parents across Québec — so you can focus on what matters most.

📞 Call 438-701-3770 or visit 🌐 unityfs.ca to book your free consultation today.