Canada Workers Benefit 2026: amounts and payment dates

For the 2026 tax year, the Canada Workers Benefit pays up to $1,665 for single workers and $2,869 for families, plus a disability supplement of up to $860, the Canada Revenue Agency said. You claim it on your tax return. Up to half is paid in advance, and advance payments in 2026 went out Jan. 12, July 10 and Oct. 9.

Updated Oct. 22, 2026. Amounts are for residents outside Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut, which have different rates.

The Canada Workers Benefit, or CWB, is a refundable tax credit for people who work and earn a low income. The CRA’s indexed amounts for 2026 rose 2.0 per cent from 2025. Because the credit is refundable, you can receive it even if you owe no income tax.

Key facts: Canada Workers Benefit 2026

How much is the Canada Workers Benefit in 2026?

Two sets of CRA figures matter now: the 2025 amounts, which you claimed on the return filed this spring, and the 2026 amounts, which you will claim when you file in 2027.

The 2025 figures come from the CRA’s line 45300 page and the 2026 maximums and thresholds from its indexation table. *The CRA has not yet posted 2026 end points; these are our calculations using its 2026 thresholds and the 15 per cent reduction rate.

Under the rules described in the CRA’s Budget 2021 questions and answers, the basic benefit equals 27 per cent of working income over $3,000, up to the maximum. It is then reduced by 15 per cent of adjusted net income above the threshold. The spouse with the lower working income can exclude up to $14,000 of it when the CRA calculates the family reduction.

How much is the CWB disability supplement?

The supplement is for workers who qualify for the disability tax credit and have an approved Form T2201. For 2026, the CRA said the maximum is $860, the minimum working income is $1,150 and the reduction starts at $38,495 for singles and $50,377 for families.

*Our calculations from the CRA’s 2026 thresholds, using the 15 per cent reduction rate, or 7.5 per cent when both spouses qualify, set out in the Budget 2021 rules. If both spouses qualify, only one claims the basic amount, but each claims the supplement on a separate Schedule 6, the CRA said.

Who is eligible for the Canada Workers Benefit?

According to the CRA’s eligibility page, you must be a resident of Canada for the whole year, earn working income and have net income below the limit for your province or territory. You must also be 19 or older on Dec. 31, or live with your spouse, common-law partner or child.

You cannot claim it if you were a full-time student for more than 13 weeks in the year, unless you had an eligible dependant on Dec. 31, if you were in prison for 90 days or more in the year, or if you are exempt from Canadian tax as a diplomat or foreign government official. Residents of Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut have different amounts under agreements with Ottawa, and the CRA lists those on its line 45300 pages.

When is the Canada Workers Benefit paid in 2026?

The CWB is paid as part of your tax refund, or in advance through the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit, or ACWB. The CRA said you get up to 50 per cent of your CWB in advance, plus 50 per cent of any disability supplement, in three payments.

The 2026 dates come from the federal benefits payment calendar, which had not listed a January 2027 date as of Oct. 22. The CRA’s standard schedule is July 12, Oct. 11 and Jan. 10, and it said a payment due on a weekend or holiday is made on the last business day before. Jan. 10, 2027, falls on a Sunday; check the calendar for the confirmed date.

You do not apply for the advance. The CRA said it decides eligibility from your return, and it must receive that return before Nov. 1 of the benefit period, which runs from July to June. Couples receive the basic advance through the spouse with the higher working income. The CRA sends an RC210 slip showing what you were paid in advance, and you report it on line 41500 of your next return.

How do I apply for the Canada Workers Benefit?

File your income tax and benefit return. The CRA’s claim page says certified tax software calculates the CWB for you. On paper, fill out Schedule 6 for your province or territory and enter the result on line 45300. If you have a spouse or common-law partner, only one of you claims the basic amount.

How is the CWB calculated? A worked example

These examples use the 2026 figures for someone living outside Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut, with no disability supplement.

Take the single worker earning $32,000. Her working income above $3,000 is $29,000, and 27 per cent of that is far more than the cap, so she starts at the $1,665 maximum. Her income is $4,608 over the $27,392 threshold, and 15 per cent of that, $691.20, comes off, leaving $973.80. She could receive up to half of that in advance. In the family example, a lower-earning spouse’s $14,000 exclusion could reduce the family’s adjusted income and raise the benefit.

For other dates and amounts, see our guides to the November 2026 CCB, CPP and OAS payment dates, the Ontario Trillium Benefit, minimum wage by province and new rules starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Frequently asked questions about the Canada Workers Benefit

What is the maximum Canada Workers Benefit for 2026?

The CRA said the 2026 maximum is $1,665 for single individuals with no children and $2,869 for families, plus up to $860 for the disability supplement, outside Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut.

When is the next ACWB payment?

The next advance is due in January 2027. The CRA’s standard date is Jan. 10, but the federal benefits calendar had not posted the exact 2027 date as of Oct. 22, 2026.

Do I need to apply for the Canada Workers Benefit?

No separate application is needed. You claim it on line 45300 when you file your tax return, and the CRA decides whether you get advance payments from that return.

How much income can I earn and still get the CWB?

For 2025, the basic benefit ends at $37,742 for singles and $49,393 for families. Using the CRA’s 2026 thresholds and its 15 per cent reduction rate, the 2026 cut-offs are about $38,492 and $50,378.

Can students get the Canada Workers Benefit?

Not if they were full-time students for more than 13 weeks in the year, unless they had an eligible dependant on Dec. 31, the CRA said.

Can I get the Canada Workers Benefit in Quebec?

Yes, but Quebec residents have different amounts and income limits under an agreement with the federal government. The CRA lists them on its line 45300 pages; the figures in this guide do not apply in Quebec, Alberta or Nunavut.

Sources: CRA, Canada Workers Benefit; CRA, indexation of 2026 amounts; CRA, how much you can get; CRA, who is eligible; CRA, how to claim; Canada.ca benefits payment dates; CRA, Budget 2021 CWB questions and answers.

If you find reporting like this useful, consider supporting Canada News Media, an independent Canadian newsroom with no corporate parent.