WSIB Premium Calculator 2026

WSIB Premiums in Ontario (2026 Rates)

TL;DR

Your Ontario WSIB premium = (insurable payroll ÷ $100) × your WSIB class rate. For 2026, construction class rates run from $1.54 per $100 (building equipment — electrical, plumbing, HVAC, class G4) up to $3.55 (foundation, structure and building exterior, class G3); residential building construction (G1) is $2.18. Each worker's insurable earnings are capped at $121,700 for 2026, and the all-Ontario average rate is $1.23. Your base rate is then adjusted up or down by experience rating. (Source: WSIB 2026 published premium rates; WSIA 1997, s. 25.)

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) runs Ontario's no-fault workplace-injury insurance. Under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) 1997, construction is a Schedule 1 industry, so coverage is mandatory — you register, report insurable earnings, and pay a premium set by your WSIB class and your claims record.

How are WSIB premiums calculated in Ontario?

Take your total insurable payroll, divide by $100, and multiply by your class rate. WSIB publishes one rate per industry class each year, and it reflects the injury costs of every business doing that kind of work. According to WSIB's 2026 published rates, foundation/structure/exterior work (class G3) is $3.55 per $100 while professional, scientific and technical services (class L) is $0.18 — a nearly 20× spread driven by real differences in injury frequency and cost. Insurable earnings include regular wages, overtime, vacation pay, bonuses, and commissions; they exclude employer-paid pension and benefit contributions and any amount above the per-worker cap. Worked example: a residential builder (class G1, $2.18) with 5 workers averaging $65,000 has $325,000 of insurable payroll, so the base premium is ($325,000 ÷ $100) × $2.18 = $7,085 per year, about $590 per month — before any experience-rating adjustment. Run the same crew as foundation/exterior (G3, $3.55) and the base jumps to $11,537.50 — same payroll, different class.

Which WSIB class am I in, and why does it matter?

WSIB assigns every employer to a rate-setting class built on their NAICS activity. Construction splits into six classes: residential building (G1, $2.18), infrastructure (G2, $1.72), foundation/structure/building exterior (G3, $3.55), building equipment — electrical, plumbing, HVAC (G4, $1.54), specialty trades (G5, $2.15), and non-residential building (G6, $1.61) for 2026. If your business spans multiple activities, WSIB classes you on your predominant operation. Getting classed wrong costs real money: framing or roofing sits in G3 at $3.55, but if your work is genuinely residential general contracting you may belong in G1 at $2.18. Check the class on your WSIB statement of account, and if it does not match your primary activity, ask WSIB to review it. If you are not sure which class applies, run the NAICS Class & Rate Lookup first.

How does experience rating raise or lower my premium?

The class rate is the starting point, not the final number. Under the Rate Framework (in force since 2020), WSIB moves your individual rate up or down along risk bands each year, comparing your claims cost to your class average over the prior years. This replaced the older NEER (large-employer) and MAP (small-employer) programs. Fewer and less-costly claims move you below the class rate; a string of serious claims pushes you above it. On a $7,000 base premium, sitting a few risk bands below class average is real money back in your pocket each year, and a bad claims run costs the same in the other direction. That is why return-to-work programs, safety training, and hazard prevention are direct cost controls — a lost-time claim affects your rate for years after the worker returns.

What is the 2026 maximum insurable earnings cap?

WSIB sets a maximum insurable earnings ceiling every year. For 2026 it is $121,700 per worker (it was $117,000 in 2025 and $112,500 in 2024). If a worker earns $140,000, you pay premiums on only $121,700 of that, and their loss-of-earnings benefits are calculated on the capped amount too. Most trades workers and labourers fall below the cap; it starts to matter for project managers, senior estimators, supervisors, and high-earning tradespeople on heavy overtime. On a small crew with one or two high earners, the cap can meaningfully lower the total premium — always check whether anyone is above it before you estimate.

Do I need a clearance certificate from my subcontractors?

Yes — and it is one of the cheapest ways to avoid a huge bill. According to WSIA section 141, if a subcontractor has no WSIB coverage and one of their workers is injured on your project, you, the principal contractor, inherit the sub's WSIB premiums and claims costs. A clearance certificate is WSIB's confirmation that the sub is registered, reporting, and in good standing. It is free, takes minutes through WSIB eClearance, and should be a non-negotiable condition of every subcontract: no clearance, no payment. One uninsured-sub claim can dwarf years of your own premium.

When do I report and pay WSIB premiums?

WSIB reporting is monthly for employers with annual premium over $1,500 and quarterly below that. You report actual insurable earnings each period and WSIB calculates the premium due; at year-end you reconcile against your true total. Under-reporting is a serious matter — WSIB cross-matches your payroll against CRA T4 filings, and unreported earnings bring backdated premium, interest, and penalties under WSIA s. 152, with directors personally liable under s. 158. Report every injury on Form 7 within 3 business days of learning of any injury that needs health care or causes lost time; a missed Form 7 draws penalties and can hurt your experience rating.

Common mistakes and edge cases

Using a stale year. WSIB republishes rates and the earnings cap every year. This tool uses 2026 rates ($1.23 average, $121,700 cap) — confirm the current year on wsib.ca before you file.
Forgetting owner labour. On construction projects, sole proprietors, partners, and executive officers must include their own labour earnings, even with no employees.
Capping at total instead of per worker. The $121,700 cap applies to each worker, not to your whole payroll. Ten workers at $130,000 each report $1,217,000 insurable, not $121,700.
Treating experience rating as fixed. Your rate moves along risk bands yearly — a good year lowers it, a bad claim raises it for years.

Running crews and want this baked into your invoicing and payroll? The Ontario Contractor suite and Crew tie timesheets, WSIB-insurable payroll, and job costing together. See also the Worker Classification Test and Return to Work Planner.

About WSIB Premium Calculator 2026

By the ToolFluency team · Updated September 2026

Free WSIB premium calculator for Ontario businesses. Enter your WSIB industry class, payroll, and experience rating to estimate annual WSIB premiums, monthly payments, and per-worker costs — 2026 rates and the $121,700 insurable-earnings cap included.

How to use

Enter your annual insurable payroll — the gross wages you pay to all Schedule 1 workers, capped per worker at the 2026 maximum insurable earnings of $121,700. On construction projects, sole proprietors, partners, and executive officers must also include their own labour earnings under the Rate Framework, even with no employees.
Confirm what counts as insurable earnings under WSIA s. 25 — include regular wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, statutory holiday pay, and taxable cash benefits; exclude pension contributions, the employer share of CPP/EI, severance, retiring allowances, non-cash benefits, and any amount above the per-worker cap. A worker paid $200,000 reports $121,700 as insurable; the $78,300 above the cap is uninsurable.
Pick your WSIB industry class from the dropdown — the published 2026 rate per $100 appears. Construction classes: Foundation/structure/exterior (G3) $3.55, Residential building (G1) $2.18, Specialty trades (G5) $2.15, Infrastructure (G2) $1.72, Non-residential (G6) $1.61, Building equipment — electrical/plumbing/HVAC (G4) $1.54. If your business spans multiple activities, WSIB classes you on your predominant operation; use the NAICS Class & Rate Lookup tool if unsure.
Read the calculated annual premium: insurable earnings × class rate ÷ 100 = base premium. The tool also shows the monthly figure (WSIB reports monthly for employers with annual premium over $1,500, quarterly under that), with month-end deadlines under WSIA s. 152.
Layer on experience rating. The unified Rate Framework (in force since 2020) adjusts your class rate up or down each year through risk bands, based on your prior claims cost versus the class average — replacing the old NEER and MAP programs. A strong safety record moves you below the class rate; poor claims move you above it. Enter your surcharge (+) or rebate (-) percentage to model the effect.
Verify subcontractor clearance certificates before payment. Under WSIA s. 141, a principal contractor inherits liability for an unregistered subcontractor's premiums and claims — request a clearance certificate through WSIB eClearance (free, online, minutes) and make it a condition of every subcontract. One uninsured-sub claim can dwarf years of your own premium.
Compare to last year's premium — increases beyond the published rate change usually mean higher payroll, experience-rating movement from prior claims, or reclassification. File Form 7 within 3 business days of any injury needing health care or lost time; under-reported earnings or missed Form 7s trigger payroll audits with backdated premium, interest, and penalties under WSIA s. 152.

Examples

Residential roofing crew, $400,000 payroll, 5 workers

Roofing falls in WSIB Class G3 (foundation, structure and building exterior). 2026 rate: $3.55 per $100. Base premium = 400,000 × 3.55 ÷ 100 = $14,200 per year, before any experience-rating adjustment. Monthly: about $1,183. The $121,700 per-worker cap applies — if a single worker earns above it, only $121,700 counts. On construction projects, sole-proprietor labour is included too.

Bookkeeping office, $250,000 payroll, 3 workers

A bookkeeping office sits in WSIB Class L (professional, scientific and technical). 2026 rate: $0.18 per $100. Base premium = 250,000 × 0.18 ÷ 100 = $450 per year — quarterly filing (under the $1,500 threshold). The same $250,000 payroll in Class G3 construction at $3.55 would be $8,875 — nearly 20× more, which is why your WSIB class matters.

Frequently asked questions

How is a WSIB premium calculated in Ontario?

The base formula is: premium = insurable earnings × class rate per $100 ÷ 100. Insurable earnings are the gross wages paid to Schedule 1 workers, capped per worker at the annual maximum ($121,700 for 2026). WSIB publishes the class rate each year; 2026 rates run from $0.18 per $100 for professional, scientific and technical services (Class L) to $3.55 for foundation, structure and building-exterior construction (Class G3), with the all-Ontario average at $1.23. The base is then adjusted up or down by experience rating within your class.

What counts as insurable earnings for WSIB?

WSIA s. 25 defines insurable earnings as gross wages paid for work in Ontario, up to the annual maximum ($121,700 for 2026, indexed annually — it was $117,000 in 2025 and $112,500 in 2024). Included: regular wages, overtime, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, statutory holiday pay, and taxable benefits paid in cash. Excluded: pension contributions, the employer share of CPP and EI, severance, retiring allowances, certain non-cash benefits, and any amount above the per-worker cap. A worker paid $200,000 has $121,700 reported as insurable; the $78,300 above the cap is uninsurable. Construction sole proprietors and partners report their own labour earnings up to the same cap.

What WSIB rate do construction contractors pay in Ontario for 2026?

WSIB groups construction into six classes, each with one published rate per $100 of insurable payroll for 2026: Foundation, structure and building exterior (G3) $3.55; Residential building construction (G1) $2.18; Specialty trades (G5) $2.15; Infrastructure (G2) $1.72; Non-residential building construction (G6) $1.61; Building equipment — electrical, plumbing, HVAC (G4) $1.54. Your actual rate is then adjusted by experience rating based on your claims history relative to the class average.

What is the maximum insurable earnings cap for WSIB in 2026?

For 2026 the WSIB maximum insurable earnings ceiling is $121,700 per worker per year (up from $117,000 in 2025 and $112,500 in 2024). Premiums are calculated only on the first $121,700 of each worker's annual earnings; anything above is uninsurable. Overtime, vacation pay, and bonuses count toward the cap. WSIB adjusts the ceiling annually based on changes in the average industrial wage in Ontario.

How does WSIB experience rating change my premium?

Under the Rate Framework (in force since 2020), WSIB sets one rate for your class, then moves your individual rate along risk bands each year based on how your claims costs compare to the class average over the prior years. Fewer and less-costly claims move you below the class rate (a rebate); worse claims move you above it (a surcharge). This replaced the older NEER (large-employer) and MAP (small-employer) programs. A well-run contractor can sit well under the class rate, while a poor claims record can push the rate materially higher — which is why return-to-work and safety programs are direct cost controls.

When are WSIB premiums due?

WSIB reporting is monthly for employers with annual premium over $1,500 and quarterly for those under. Monthly filers report and pay by the last day of the month after the reporting period (January is due by the end of February). Quarterly filers report by the last day of the month after the quarter end (Q1 ending March 31 is due by April 30). Late reporting and payment draw interest and penalties under WSIA s. 152, and directors can face personal liability for unpaid amounts under WSIA s. 158.

What happens if I under-report insurable earnings?

WSIB audits employer payroll routinely and on a triggered basis (claim discrepancies, class changes, T4 cross-match with CRA). Under-reporting brings backdated premium for the audit period, interest compounded from each due date, and penalties under WSIA s. 152 — plus reclassification to a higher class if hidden activity is found and possible personal liability of directors under s. 158. Voluntary disclosure before an audit sharply reduces penalties; deliberate concealment is treated as fraud.

Part of ToolFluency’s library of free online tools for WSIB & OHSA. No account needed, no data leaves your device.