Canada Workers Benefit Calculator

Understanding the Canada Workers Benefit

The Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) is a refundable federal tax credit that puts extra money back into the pockets of low-income workers across Canada. Originally launched as the Working Income Tax Benefit in 2007 and rebranded as the CWB in 2018, it has been progressively expanded — most notably by raising the income thresholds and introducing the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit (ACWB) so that eligible workers receive their credit throughout the year instead of waiting until tax time. The CWB has two components: a basic amount and a disability supplement for workers who are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.

For 2026, the maximum basic CWB is $1,518 for single individuals without dependants and $2,616 for families (couples or singles with eligible dependants). The benefit phases in at a rate of 27% on working income above $3,000, meaning every dollar you earn beyond that threshold adds $0.27 to your CWB until you reach the maximum. Once your adjusted net income exceeds $24,975 (single) or $28,494 (family), the benefit phases out at 15% per dollar, reaching zero around $35,095 and $45,934 respectively. The disability supplement of up to $821 phases in and out at separate, higher thresholds.

2026 CWB Maximum Amounts and Thresholds

Since July 2023, the CRA automatically issues advance CWB payments to eligible workers through the ACWB, with no need to apply separately. The ACWB pays out 50% of your estimated annual CWB in three equal quarterly installments — typically in July, October, and January — based on the previous year's tax return. The remaining balance, plus any adjustment if your situation changed, is paid out when you file your tax return for that year. If your circumstances change significantly mid-year (for example, you stop working), you can ask the CRA to stop or adjust the advance payments to avoid having to repay an over-allocation at tax time.

To claim the CWB, you complete Schedule 6 of your federal tax return. Most NETFILE-certified tax software calculates it automatically when you enter your income and family information. Quebec, Alberta, and Nunavut have CWB amounts that are configured slightly differently due to existing provincial working-income supplements, but the federal program still applies. Workers under 19 with no spouse, common-law partner, or eligible dependant are generally ineligible, as are full-time students enrolled for more than 13 weeks (unless they have a dependant). The CWB is one of the most effective anti-poverty measures in Canada — for a single worker earning $20,000, it adds roughly 7–8% to take-home pay.