National Payroll Institute PF1 Payroll Fundamentals 1Exam Exam Practice Test

Anne has both an automobile standby charge (because the car was made available) and an operating expense benefit (because the employer paid operating costs and she did not reimburse).

1) Standby charge (leased auto): Lease cost for standby charge purposes includes GST and excludes insurance.

Monthly lease incl. GST = $198.60 × 1.05 = $208.53.

Standby charge per month = 2/3 × $208.53 = $139.02.

Days available ÷ 30 = 365 ÷ 30 = 12.17, rounded to 12.

Annual standby charge = $139.02 × 12 = $1,668.24.

2) Operating expense benefit: Personal km = 34,134 − 15,805 = 18,329.

Optional method requires the automobile be used primarily (>50%) for business; Anne’s business use is under 50%, so the optional method does not apply and the fixed rate must be used.

Fixed rate (2026) = $0.34/km → 18,329 × 0.34 = $6,231.86.

Total taxable benefit = $1,668.24 + $6,231.86 = $7,900.10.

Step 1 — Mara’s gross earnings / taxable earnings components

Semi-monthly salary = $54,500.00 ÷ 24 = $2,270.83

Life insurance coverage = 2 × $54,500 = $109,000

Monthly premium (excl. tax) = 109 × $0.57 = $62.13

9% insurance premium tax = $62.13 × 1.09 = $67.72

Semi-monthly taxable benefit = $67.72 ÷ 2 = $33.86

Health premium (excl. tax) = $260.00

9% insurance premium tax = $260.00 × 1.09 = $283.40

Semi-monthly taxable benefit (Quebec) = $283.40 ÷ 2 = $141.70

GTE (total taxable in Quebec) = 2,270.83 + 33.86 + 141.70 = $2,446.39

Step 2 — Pensionable earnings (PE)

For this calculation, treat salary + taxable group term life as pensionable for QPP withholding, while EI remains non-insurable for non-cash benefits.

PE = 2,270.83 + 33.86 = $2,304.69

Step 3 — Insurable earnings (IE)

IE = salary only = $2,270.83

Step 4 — Net taxable income (CRA) (NTI)

Federal taxable income uses salary plus taxable benefits used for federal withholding tables here.

NTI (CRA) = $2,304.69

Step 5 — Net taxable income (RQ) (NTI)

NTI (RQ) = $2,446.39

Step 6 — QPP contribution

Use the QPP employee rate (basic + additional) and apply the basic exemption prorated per pay period.

Basic exemption per semi-monthly period = $3,500 ÷ 24 = $145.83

Contributory earnings = PE − 145.83 = 2,304.69 − 145.83 = $2,158.86

QPP = 2,158.86 × 6.4% = $138.17

QPP = $138.17

Step 7 — EI premium

Quebec EI employee rate for 2026: 1.30%.

EI = 2,270.83 × 0.0130 = $29.52

Step 8 — QPIP premium

Use the Revenu Québec employee QPIP rate shown for 2026.

QPIP = 2,270.83 × 0.00430 = $9.76

Step 9 — Federal income tax

From the CRA Quebec federal tax deductions table (24 pay periods), at pay $2,304.69 (range 2288–2306) and claim code 3, the federal tax is:

Federal tax = $139.95

Step 10 — Quebec provincial income tax

From TP-1015.TI.24 (24 pay periods) at remuneration $2,446.39 (range 2445.00–2464.99) and deduction code C, the tax is:

Quebec tax = $214.81

Step 11 — Total deductions

QPP 138.17

EI 29.52

QPIP 9.76

Federal 139.95

Quebec 214.81

= $532.21

Total deductions = $532.21

Step 12 — Net pay

Net pay is based on cash pay (salary) minus deductions (tax still applies even when part of taxable income is a benefit).

Net pay = 2,270.83 − 532.21 = $1,738.62

Even though the question uses the word “reimbursed,” the key fact isno receipts. In CRA terms, when an employee is paid a set amount or is not required to substantiate the expense, the payment functions like anallowance, not an accountable reimbursement. CRA’s guidance on uniforms/special or protective clothing states these amounts aregenerally taxable, and only in specific circumstances under CRA administrative policy would they be non-taxable.

CRA interpretations also reinforce that where employeesdo not have to provide receipts, a clothing allowance is generally ataxable employment benefit; non-taxable treatment is linked to substantiation and meeting strict conditions (for example, safety footwear with receipts).

So, because Helen’s payment isnot supported by receipts, it is best classified as ataxable allowance(option A). Payroll should include the amount in taxable income, apply required withholdings as applicable, and ensure policy/records support whatever treatment is used.

A payment made to “catch up” wages because a pay increase was processed late is a retroactive payment. The CRA provides different income tax calculation approaches depending on the payment type and specifically lists “Retroactive payments” as its own category, separate from regular tax-table calculations, lump-sum, and bonus/irregular methods.

For bonuses and retroactive pay increases, the CRA also points employers to the Payroll Deductions Online Calculator (PDOC) to calculate CPP, EI, and income tax correctly, which aligns with using the appropriate CRA method for retroactive amounts.

Because this situation is explicitly a retroactive adjustment (two pay periods late), the correct choice is the Retroactive tax method (option C), not the bonus/irregular method, not the lump-sum method, and not the regular tax tables.

The CRA defines a benefit as something the employee receives when the employer pays for or gives something that is personal in nature (a good or service), either directly to the employee or through a third party. CRA’s T4130 guide describes a benefit as a good or service you give (or arrange for) such as free use of employer property, and it is the value of that benefit that may need to be included in the employee’s income if taxable.

This matches the wording in the question: “dollar values attributed to something the employer has either provided…or paid for…on an employee’s behalf.” By contrast, earnings are pay for work performed (salary, wages, commissions). Allowances are fixed amounts paid to help cover anticipated expenses without receipts (often taxable unless an exception applies). Expense reimbursements repay actual business expenses (typically supported by receipts) and are generally not treated as earnings.

So the correct classification is Benefits.

Regular salary, vacation pay, and commissions are generally treated as income from employment because they are amounts paid for services performed during employment. In contrast, what many people call “severance pay” is often classified by the CRA as a retiring allowance—an amount paid when or after an employee retires or loses their job, in recognition of long service or for the loss of employment.

This distinction matters in payroll because a retiring allowance has its own rules for withholding and potential RRSP/RPP transfer eligibility, and it is not treated the same way as normal employment income earned while actively employed. CRA technical guidance also draws lines between amounts that are employment income versus retiring allowance depending on the nature/timing of the payment.

So, among the options listed, severance pay (when it is a retiring allowance) is the one that is not considered income from employment in the way salary/vacation pay/commissions are.

For payroll income tax purposes, net taxable income starts with the employee’s gross taxable income and then subtracts only those deductions that are deductible for income tax and can be recognized at source. CRA payroll guidance shows this approach by subtracting items such as RPP contributions and union dues when determining net taxable income for calculating income tax deductions.

Gross taxable income (weekly): $750.00.

RPP contributions are deductible (the amounts reported from box 20 of the T4 are generally deductible).

Regular union dues are deductible; however, the CRA states that deductible annual union/professional dues do not include special assessments or charges for anything other than ordinary operating costs. A levy specifically for constructing a new union hall is a special assessment, so it is not deductible as union dues.

So the deductions that reduce federal taxable income here are: $18.00 (union dues) + $20.00 (RPP) = $38.00.

Net federal taxable income = $750.00 − $38.00 = $712.00.

Service Canada’s ROE guidance states that an employer must issue an ROE each time an employee experiences an interruption of earnings and when Service Canada requests one. This makes option A true.

For paper ROEs, the ROE guide is explicit about deadlines: you must issue a paper ROE within 5 calendar days of (1) the first day of an interruption of earnings, or (2) the day the employer becomes aware that an interruption of earnings has occurred. This confirms option B.

An interruption of earnings generally occurs under the 7-day rule—when an employee has had or is anticipated to have 7 consecutive calendar days with no work and no insurable earnings from the employer. That’s why option C is also true: once the employer becomes aware the 7-day threshold is met (or will be met), the ROE requirement is triggered, and the paper ROE must be issued within the time limit above.

Service Canada’s ROE Guide defines an interruption of earnings under the “7-day rule.” It occurs when an employee has had, or is expected to have, 7 consecutive calendar days with no work and no insurable earnings from the employer.

This is specifically calendar days, not business days. That means weekends and holidays count in the seven-day sequence. The rule commonly applies when employees quit, are laid off, or are terminated, and it helps determine when an employer must issue an ROE (subject to certain listed exceptions and special situations, such as some employees with non-standard work patterns or employees mainly paid by commission).

From a payroll operations standpoint, correctly identifying the interruption of earnings is critical because it triggers ROE deadlines and affects the employee’s ability to access EI benefits without delay. So the correct answer is Seven calendar days (option D).

Net pay (often called “take-home pay”) is what the employee actually receives after all withholdings and other deductions are taken from their earnings. In Canadian payroll practice, the starting point is gross earnings (regular wages plus any taxable amounts that must be included in income). From gross earnings, payroll subtracts total deductions, which include statutory deductions (such as CPP/QPP, EI, and income tax) and any authorized non-statutory deductions (for example, union dues, benefits premiums, pension contributions, or garnishments where applicable). This is why the most accurate generic formula is gross earnings − total deductions. CRA payroll guidance reflects this structure by requiring employers to calculate gross pay, determine the correct statutory deductions, and then arrive at the amount paid to the employee after those deductions are withheld and remitted.

Options C and D are incomplete or incorrect because “total tax” is only one part of deductions, and “net taxable income” is not a payroll calculation base in the way the question frames it. Option A is also incorrect because “pensionable earnings” is only relevant to CPP/QPP calculations, not the overall net pay formula.

The CRA’s prescribed interest rates are established for specific periods labelled by calendar quarter (for example, “first calendar quarter 2026”), and CRA publishes the rate schedule by quarter.

This prescribed rate is used in multiple tax contexts, including calculating taxable benefits on certain interest-free or low-interest employee/shareholder loans, and it also relates to interest charged/paid by the CRA on overdue amounts and overpayments (with different rates for different situations).

Because CRA’s publication is organized and effective by quarter (e.g., Jan 1–Mar 31; Apr 1–Jun 30; Jul 1–Sep 30; Oct 1–Dec 31), the correct answer is each calendar quarter (option D), not monthly, semi-annual, or annual.

A hiring authorization package/checklist typically ensures the organization collects the documents needed to onboard the employee and set them up correctly in payroll and HR systems. This often includes items like an offer letter, signed policies, banking details for direct deposit, emergency contacts, and required HR/legal acknowledgements. A confidentiality agreement is a common onboarding document because it protects the employer’s confidential information and can be required regardless of payroll deductions.

The other options are not good examples of “required information” for all new hires. Employees do not give “consent” for statutory deductions—deductions like CPP, EI, and income tax withholding are required by law and employers must withhold them when applicable. A “clearance certificate” is not a standard universal onboarding requirement for payroll in Canada. A T1213 is only completed in special situations where an employee requests CRA authorization to reduce tax withheld at source; it is not something most new hires must provide.

The payment type most clearly not subject to all statutory deductions is directors’ fees. CRA guidance on directors’ fees shows they are treated as a special payment with distinct deduction rules, and (depending on the situation) they may not have CPP, EI, and income tax all apply in the same way as normal employment earnings.

By contrast, retroactive adjustments and performance bonuses are treated as taxable remuneration where CRA’s tools (like PDOC) calculate CPP contributions, EI premiums, and income tax on those payments (up to annual maximums).

“Vacation pay when no time was taken” is also treated as a non-periodic payment and is included in CRA payroll deduction formulas as a type of amount on which statutory deductions are calculated (again, subject to annual maximums for CPP/EI).

So, among the options listed, directors’ fees are the one that would not necessarily be subject to all statutory deductions in the standard way.

Overtime premiums and piece-rate pay are forms of earnings because they are amounts paid for work performed. CRA’s payroll guidance confirms overtime pay is remuneration from which you must deduct statutory deductions (CPP, EI, and income tax), reflecting that overtime is treated as employment earnings.

Similarly, piecework (piece-rate pay) is a method of paying wages based on units produced rather than time. It is still compensation for labour and therefore part of gross earnings used to calculate payroll deductions and net pay. This is fundamentally different from:

Expense reimbursements, which repay employee-incurred business costs (not pay for work).

Allowances, which are predetermined amounts to help cover anticipated expenses without receipts.

Benefits, which are the value of goods/services provided by the employer or paid on the employee’s behalf.

So a premium paid for overtime hours or a piece-rate per unit produced is classified as earnings (option A).

The CRA’s wage garnishment tool is commonly issued as a Requirement to Pay (RTP) (and related instruments such as ERTP/DTP), which directs a third party (often the employer) to redirect amounts that would otherwise be paid to the employee, and send them to the government instead. CRA guidance explains that when an employee owes money, the CRA can send the employer a requirement to pay notice, and the employer must remit the amounts as instructed (or the employer can become liable).

The legal authority for the CRA to issue a Requirement to Pay is found in the Income Tax Act, including section 224, which sets out the mechanism and consequences for non-compliance.

In payroll operations, this is a communication-and-compliance issue: payroll must correctly interpret the notice, apply the withholding/remittance as directed, and communicate impacts to internal stakeholders (HR/finance) and, where appropriate, the affected employee—while ensuring the remittance is made exactly as the CRA notice requires.

For employees whose province of employment is outside Quebec (including Saskatchewan), EI premiums are calculated by multiplying the employee’s insurable earnings by the employee EI premium rate for the year, up to the annual maximum insurable earnings. For 2026, the employee EI premium rate outside Quebec is $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings (which is 1.63%).

Jasmine earns $500.00 weekly and (based on the question) we assume all earnings are insurable and she has not reached the annual maximum. Her EI premium is:

$500.00 × 1.63% = $500.00 × 0.0163 = $8.15.

This amount is deducted from the employee’s pay and later remitted to the CRA as part of the employer’s regular payroll remittance. The maximum insurable earnings for 2026 is $68,900, but at $500 per week she would only hit the maximum later in the year (if at all), so the weekly premium calculation above applies.

Termination notice requirements come from the employment standards legislation that applies to the workplace, which is tied to the jurisdiction where the employee works (province/territory), unless the workplace is federally regulated. The Government of Canada explicitly directs employers and employees to consult the employment standards for the province or territory of work if they are not in a federally regulated industry.

Within a given jurisdiction, the minimum notice (or pay in lieu) is typically based on the employee’s length of continuous employment/service. For example, under the Canada Labour Code (federally regulated workplaces), required notice increases with service (and can be replaced with wages in lieu), showing service length is a core driver of notice entitlements.

That’s why “where they live” is not the deciding factor for notice rules: the governing employment standards are based on the jurisdiction of employment (where the work is performed / the employment is regulated), and the employee’s length of service under that jurisdiction’s rules.

A “Third Party Demand” in payroll collections commonly refers to the CRA’s Demand on a Third Party (DTP)—a legal garnishment tool used to collect a person’s debt to the government by requiring a third party (such as an employer or financial institution) to redirect funds that would otherwise be paid to the debtor. CRA guidance explains that garnishments may be issued as a Requirement to Pay (RTP), Enhanced Requirement to Pay (ERTP), or Demand on a Third Party (DTP), and that these documents apply when money normally payable to someone who owes a debt to the government must instead be paid to the CRA (or other listed federal bodies).

This aligns with option B: unpaid income tax or unpaid statutory deductions (such as payroll source deductions) can lead to CRA collection action using these legal instruments.

Child support is generally enforced under provincial/territorial family support programs, not via CRA DTP as described here. Overpaid EI benefits are typically handled through EI/Service Canada recovery processes, and “third-party creditor debt” is not a CRA-administered debt.

The CRA defines a death benefit as the gross amount of any payment made on or after the death of an employee to recognize the employee’s service in an office or employment. It can be paid to a surviving spouse/common-law partner, heir, or the estate.

This is different from amounts the employee already earned before death (for example, regular wages up to the date of death, or vacation pay that was accrued/earned). CRA guidance treats wages and employment income earned up to and including the date of death as amounts to be reported on a T4 slip, not as a death benefit.

It’s also different from a life insurance payout from an insurer (which is not an employer-paid “death benefit” for payroll reporting purposes). The payroll impact is that a qualifying death benefit is generally reported as a special payment (often on a T4A), following CRA rules for deductions and reporting of death benefits.

A SIN that begins with “9” (often called a 900-series SIN) is issued to temporary workers—people who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents—and who are authorized to work in Canada. Service Canada’s employer guidance explicitly states that SINs beginning with “9” are issued to temporary workers who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents, and these SINs are valid only until the expiry date shown on the immigration document that authorizes the person to work in Canada.

Service Canada also advises employers to confirm that employees with a SIN starting with “9” remain authorized to work and that their immigration document has not expired.

So, options A–C are incorrect because a 900-series SIN is not for permanent residents (“landed immigrants”), not for Canadians whose SIN “expires,” and not based on working outside Canada. It specifically signals temporary status tied to work authorization in Canada.

In Saskatchewan (outside Quebec), EI premiums are deducted at the 2026 employee EI premium rate of $1.63 per $100 of insurable earnings (1.63%).

CRA guidance confirms that wages in lieu of termination notice are subject to EI premiums, and to determine statutory deductions you include the wages in lieu with the regular income (if any) for the pay period.

Step 1: Determine total insurable earnings in the final pay (assuming both amounts are insurable and the annual maximum won’t be exceeded):

$12,523.00 + $1,080.00 = $13,603.00.

Step 2: Calculate EI premium:

$13,603.00 × 1.63% = $13,603.00 × 0.0163 = $221.7289, which rounds to $221.73.

So, the EI premium to deduct from Feraz’s pay for this combined payment is $221.73.