How much is the Canada Workers Benefit? Maximums, income limits and examples

Maintained by the Payment Dates desk Updated October 22, 2026 4 min read

Short answer

How much is the Canada Workers Benefit? For the 2026 tax year the maximum is $1,665 for a single person and $2,869 for a family, plus up to $860 for the disability supplement. For 2025 returns the maximums are $1,633 and $2,813. The amount grows with working income above $3,000 and shrinks once net income passes $27,392 (single) or $31,251 (family) in 2026.

01Maximum, single, 2026: $1,665 (2025: $1,633)
02Maximum, family, 2026: $2,869 (2025: $2,813)
03Phase-in rate: 27% of working income over $3,000
04Phase-out rate: 15% of adjusted net income over the threshold
05Benefit ends, single, 2025: Net income above $37,742

How much is the Canada Workers Benefit for 2025 and 2026?

The most a single worker can get from the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) is $1,633 on a 2025 return and $1,665 on a 2026 return. Families, which include couples and single parents with an eligible dependant, can get up to $2,813 for 2025 and $2,869 for 2026 (CRA, how much you can get; CRA indexation table).

The 2026 figures are 2.0% higher because the CRA indexes the CWB to inflation each January. The 2027 figures are not published yet; the CRA's indexed amounts for 2027 are expected in November 2026.

Canada Workers Benefit parameters, 2025 and 2026

What is the Canada Workers Benefit income threshold?

The CWB has two income tests. You need working income over $3,000 before any benefit starts, and your adjusted net income decides when it starts to shrink. Adjusted net income for a couple is combined net income, after the lower-earning spouse excludes up to $16,386 (2025) or $16,714 (2026) of their working income, called the secondary earner exemption.

Where the basic CWB starts to fall and where it ends (all provinces except QC, AB, NU)
Household	Reduction starts 2025	Ends 2025	Reduction starts 2026	Ends 2026 (calculated)
Single, no eligible dependant	$26,855	$37,742	$27,392	about $38,492
Family	$30,639	$49,393	$31,251	about $50,378

The 2025 end points are the CRA's own figures. The 2026 end points are our calculation: the 2026 reduction threshold plus the maximum divided by the 15% reduction rate. The CRA will publish its own 2026 cut-offs with the 2026 Schedule 6.

How is the CWB amount calculated?

The basic CWB is 27% of working income above $3,000, capped at the maximum, minus 15% of adjusted net income above the reduction threshold. The 27% and 15% rates were set in the 2021 federal budget enhancement and apply from the 2021 tax year on (Budget 2021, Annex 6). Working income means employment and self-employment income.

Take your working income (for couples, both spouses combined) and subtract $3,000.
Multiply by 27%. If the result is above the maximum ($1,665 single or $2,869 family for 2026), use the maximum.
Work out adjusted net income and subtract the threshold ($27,392 single or $31,251 family for 2026).
If that is above zero, multiply it by 15% and subtract it from step 2.
Any result below zero means no basic CWB for the year.

A single worker reaches the 2026 maximum at about $9,167 of working income, and a family at about $13,626. Below those points, every extra dollar earned adds 27 cents of CWB.

Canada Workers Benefit examples at different incomes

These worked examples use 2026 figures and assume working income equals net income. They are illustrations, not a substitute for Schedule 6 or certified software, which apply every line of the calculation.

2026 basic CWB, worked examples
Household	Income	Calculation	Basic CWB
Single, part-time	$7,000	27% x ($7,000 - $3,000)	$1,080.00
Single	$22,000	Phase-in above cap; below threshold	$1,665.00
Single	$33,000	$1,665 - 15% x ($33,000 - $27,392)	$823.80
Single parent, one child	$42,000	$2,869 - 15% x ($42,000 - $31,251)	$1,256.65
Couple earning $26,000 and $14,000	$40,000 combined	$14,000 excluded as secondary earner; $26,000 is below $31,251	$2,869.00

2026 basic CWB for a single worker by income (calculated)

The couple example shows why the secondary earner exemption matters. Without it their $40,000 combined income would cut the benefit by $1,312.35; with it they keep the full family amount. Up to half of any of these amounts is paid in advance, as explained in how the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit works.

Is the CWB different in Quebec, Alberta or Nunavut?

Yes. Quebec, Alberta and Nunavut have reshaped the CWB with the federal government, so their residents use separate forms: 5005-S6 (Quebec), 5009-S6 (Alberta) and 5014-S6 (Nunavut). The maximum amounts and income cut-offs differ from the rest of Canada (CRA, who is eligible).

Net income at which the basic CWB ends, 2025 tax year
Household	Other provinces and territories	Quebec	Alberta	Nunavut
Single, no children	$37,742	$33,230.35	$37,826	$67,367
Single with children	$49,393	$24,561.56	$50,232	$67,365
Family, no children	$49,393	$51,504.09	$50,232	$67,365
Family with children	$49,393	$41,048.90	$50,232	$67,365

Ontario, British Columbia and the other provinces not listed use the general Schedule 6 (5000-S6) and the federal figures above. If you moved during the year, the CRA uses your province of residence on December 31. Eligibility rules that apply everywhere are on Canada Workers Benefit eligibility.

How much does the disability supplement add?

Workers with an approved Disability Tax Credit get up to $843 more for 2025 and $860 for 2026. The supplement starts to fall at a higher income than the basic amount ($37,740 single in 2025), so it can continue after the basic CWB has run out. Details are on the CWB disability supplement page.

For a summary of all CWB rules, payment dates and guides, return to the Canada Workers Benefit overview.

Common questions

What is the maximum Canada Workers Benefit for a single person?

$1,633 for the 2025 tax year and $1,665 for 2026, outside Quebec, Alberta and Nunavut. A single worker with a Disability Tax Credit can also get the disability supplement on top.

At what income does the Canada Workers Benefit stop?

For 2025, a single person's basic CWB ends at net income above $37,742 and a family's above $49,393, outside Quebec, Alberta and Nunavut. By our calculation the 2026 end points are about $38,492 and $50,378.

Is there an official Canada Workers Benefit calculator?

The CRA's CWB pages direct you to Schedule 6 or certified tax software to work out the amount; the five steps on this page give you a close estimate.

Why is my CWB less than the maximum?

Either your working income is below the point where the benefit reaches its cap (about $9,167 single for 2026) or your adjusted net income is above the reduction threshold. Both reduce the amount.

Does a single parent get the family CWB amount?

Yes. A single parent with an eligible dependant under 19 on December 31 uses the family maximum, up to $2,813 for 2025 and $2,869 for 2026, and the family income thresholds.

How much is the ACWB payment?

Up to half of your expected CWB, split into three deposits. For a single person at the 2026 maximum of $1,665 the three advances can total $832.50, and for a family at $2,869 up to $1,434.50. The 2026 advances were paid on July 10 and October 9, 2026; the last one comes in January 2027.

How much does the CWB go down above the income threshold?

15 cents for every dollar of adjusted net income above the threshold, which is $27,392 for a single person and $31,251 for a family in 2026. For example, $1,000 of income over the threshold lowers the basic CWB by $150.

What is the CWB income limit in Alberta?

For the 2025 tax year, Alberta's basic CWB ends at net income above $37,826 for a single person and $50,232 for a family. Alberta residents use their own Schedule 6, form 5009-S6.

Is the Canada Workers Benefit the same as the Working Income Tax Benefit?

Yes. The CWB replaced the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB) starting with the 2019 tax year, with higher amounts. If you see the old name, the calculation on this page is the current version of it.

Sources

CRA, CWB how much you can get canada.ca
CRA, Indexation adjustment for personal income tax and benefit amounts canada.ca
CRA, CWB who is eligible canada.ca
Budget 2021, Annex 6 tax measures budget.canada.ca

We check figures against these official pages. Rules change; confirm anything that affects a deadline or payment with the agency before you act.

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