How to Read Your Canadian T4 Slip 2026

A T4 (Statement of Remuneration Paid) is the slip your employer sends by the end of February showing everything you earned and every deduction taken in the previous tax year. You use it to complete your T1 income tax return. The most important boxes are 14 (total employment income), 22 (income tax deducted), 16 (CPP contributions) and 18 (EI premiums).

The key T4 boxes

BoxLabelWhat it contains
14Employment incomeTotal gross pay before any deductions. This number goes to line 10100 of your T1 return.
16Employee's CPP contributionsYour share of Canada Pension Plan contributions. Maximum $4,230.45 for non-Quebec residents in 2026. Goes to Schedule 8 and then Schedule 1.
16AEmployee's CPP2 contributionsThe second additional CPP contribution on income between the YMPE ($74,600) and YAMPE ($85,000). Also a deduction from income.
17Employee's QPP contributionsQuebec Pension Plan equivalent of box 16, used if you worked in Quebec.
18Employee's EI premiumsEmployment Insurance premiums withheld. Maximum $1,123.07 (outside Quebec) in 2026. Goes to Schedule 1 as a non-refundable credit.
22Income tax deductedAll federal and provincial income tax withheld from your pay. Goes to line 43700 of your T1 (total income tax deducted). Any shortfall is a balance owing; any excess is a refund.
24EI insurable earningsThe portion of your income on which EI was calculated. Capped at the maximum insurable earnings ($68,900 in 2026).
26CPP/QPP pensionable earningsThe portion of income subject to CPP. Capped at the YMPE ($74,600 in 2026) after deducting the $3,500 basic exemption.
40Other taxable allowances and benefitsTaxable non-cash benefits such as a company car, group insurance or parking. Added to box 14.
44Union duesUnion dues deducted by your employer. Claimed on line 21200 of the T1 as a deduction from income.
46Charitable donationsDonations made through employer payroll deductions. Claimed on Schedule 9.
52Pension adjustmentThe value of benefits earned in your employer pension plan for the year. It reduces your RRSP contribution room for the following year.

Checking box 14 against your paycheques

Box 14 should equal the sum of all your pay statements for the year. It includes regular salary, overtime, bonuses, taxable benefits (box 40) and vacation pay. It does not include reimbursements (travel expenses repaid at cost), non-taxable allowances or employer RRSP contributions made directly to your plan (which appear on a separate contribution receipt, not the T4).

Checking box 22 against what you expected to owe

The amount in box 22 depends on the TD1 form you completed when you started the job. The TD1 tells your employer how many credits to apply when calculating each payslip withholding. If you claimed the basic personal amount only, the withholding assumes that your annual income equals 26 (bi-weekly) or 24 (semi-monthly) times the current pay period, which can under-withhold for variable or bonus income. Run your T1 return early to spot a balance owing before the 30 April deadline.

Multiple T4 slips

If you had more than one employer in the year, you receive a separate T4 from each. Combine all box 14 figures as total employment income and all box 22 figures as total tax deducted on your T1. Each employer withholds CPP and EI independently; if the combined amounts exceed the annual maximums you will receive a refund of the excess on your T1.

Frequently asked questions

When does my employer send me a T4 slip?

Employers must issue T4 slips and file the T4 Summary with the CRA by the last day of February following the tax year. For income earned in 2026, your T4 is due by 28 February 2027. Most employers send slips electronically via a payroll portal; if you left a job mid-year you may need to contact the former employer to receive your slip.

What if box 22 (income tax deducted) seems too low?

Your employer withholds income tax based on the TD1 form you filed. If you did not update the TD1 when your income changed, or if you have multiple jobs, too little may have been withheld. The CRA does not top up missing withholdings: any shortfall becomes a balance owing when you file your T1 return, plus possible interest and penalties if it is large enough.

My T4 has amounts in boxes 57-60. What are these?

Boxes 57 to 60 were introduced during COVID-19 to report employment income paid in specific periods for pandemic benefit eligibility purposes. They are informational and do not affect the income or tax figures in your T1 return.

Box labels and instructions from CRA T4127 (122nd ed., 2026). Maximum CPP and EI amounts are for non-Quebec residents. Last updated 2026-11-04.