Employment Insurance
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Employment Insurance (EI) provides temporary financial assistance to unemployed Canadians who have lost their job through no fault of their own, while they look for work or upgrade their skills.
Canadians who are sick, pregnant, or caring for a newborn or adopted child, as well as those who must care for a family member who is seriously ill with a significant risk of death, may also be assisted by Employment Insurance.
Types of Employment Insurance benefits
There are several types of benefits available to Canadians, depending on their situation.
- Employment Insurance Regular Benefits are available to individuals who lose their jobs through no fault of their own (for example, due to shortage of work, seasonal layoffs, or mass layoffs) and who are available for and able to work, but can’t find a job.
- Employment Insurance Maternity and Parental Benefits provide support to individuals who are pregnant, have recently given birth, are adopting a child, or are caring for a newborn.
- Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits are for individuals who are unable to work because of sickness, injury, or quarantine.
- Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits are available to people who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill with a significant risk of death.
- Employment Insurance Fishing Benefits provide support to qualifying, self-employed fishers who are actively seeking work.
Employment Insurance Initiatives
- Employment Insurance Special Benefits for Self-Employed People
Registered and qualified self-employed Canadians can access Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits: maternity, parental, sickness, and compassionate care. - Extension of EI Regular Benefits for Long-Tenured Workers
EI eligible long-tenured workers may be eligible to additional benefits if they have contributed to the Employment Insurance (EI) program for a significant period of time and have previously made limited use of EI regular benefits. - Extension of Eligibility Period for Employment Insurance Parental Benefits for Military Families
If your parental leave has been deferred or interrupted because of an imperative military requirement, the parental eligibility period during which Employment Insurance (EI) parental benefit can be paid may be extended by one week for every week that you are unable to collect EI parental benefits
General Employment Insurance Information
- Employment Insurance A-Z
- Employment Insurance Forms
- Employment Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
- Employment Insurance Publications
- Hours Required to Qualify for Benefits
- While on Employment Insurance
Related information
- Employment Insurance and Workers and/or Residents Outside Canada
Certain individuals who reside outside Canada may be eligible for EI if their job is insured under Canada’s EI program. - Employment Insurance Family Supplement
The EI Family Supplement provides additional benefits to low-income families with children. - Employment Insurance Information for Employers
Find information about Records of Employment, programs to assist employers, help for employers to protect the EI fund, and more. - Contact Employment Insurance
Find answers to frequently asked questions, and how to contact Employment Insurance representatives by telephone, by mail, or in person. - Appealing an Employment Insurance Decision
You can appeal a decision concerning your EI claim for benefits. Find information on how to file and prepare for an appeal. - Employment Insurance Act and Regulations
Read the Employment Insurance Act and Regulations, as well as past amendments. - Employment Insurance Digest of Benefit Entitlement Principles
The Digest of Entitlement Principles contains the principles applied by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada when making decisions on claims for benefits under the EI legislation. See also: