If you’ve recently lost your job, it’s a good idea to apply for Employment Insurance (EI) as quickly as possible to make sure you receive all the benefits you’re entitled to.
In fact, it’s possible to submit your EI claim even before you’ve received your Record of Employment (ROE) from your employer.
The application for EI can be completed online and takes around one hour.
Determining your benefit amount
The weekly benefit amount you will receive if your EI claim is accepted is calculated based on the following elements:
- The unemployment rate in your region
- What you were paid on a weekly basis during the eligibility period while you were working
The following calculation is applied:
- The total earnings from your best-paid workweek is divided by the number of weeks of EI you are eligible for
- The result is multiplied by 55 percent. This number is how much you will receive from EI every week
It probably won’t be possible for you to predict exactly how much you will receive from EI, but keep these elements in mind:
- The Employment Insurance base rate is 55 percent of your eligible weekly earnings
- The maximum amount of insurable annual earnings is $54,200
- The number of weeks for which you will be eligible for benefits generally varies between 14 and 45 weeks, depending on your situation
Putting the elements of your claim together
Before you can begin applying for EI, you will need to have some personal information handy.
This is what you will need:
- Your Social Insurance Number (SIN). If your number begins with “9”, you will need to provide proof of your immigration status and work permit.
- Your mother’s maiden name
- Your mailing address
- Your email address and phone number
- The name and branch number of your bank, as well as your account number (for direct deposit*)
- The names and addresses of all the employers you worked for in the past 52 weeks; the positions you filled and the start and end dates when you worked there; and the reasons why you left each job (Note: if you quit or were fired, you will need to explain your situation. Prepare a written version of the facts.)
- The most money you made per week during your eligibility period
- Your Records of Employment (Note: if your employer provides your ROE in paper format, you will need to provide copies of all the ROEs you received during the eligibility period. If your employer sends your ROE directly to Service Canada, you won’t need to provide copies.)
*Direct Deposit
Signing up for Direct Deposit allow you to get your benefits more quickly and deposited directly to your bank account.
Filing your EI claim
After verifying that you are eligible and preparing all the documentation you need, you are ready to file your claim!
Visit the Government of Canada website here to file your claim. Pay close attention to the instructions and allow yourself about an hour to fill out the forms.
Be sure that the information you provide in your claim is accurate. If you tell a lie or do not meet your obligations as part of the EI program, you risk receiving a warning, a penalty or losing your right to access EI benefits for a period of time. You may be required to pay back some or all of your benefits if you engage in fraud, and may even be subject to criminal penalties.
To follow the progress of your EI claim, sign in to your Service Canada account regularly to see the status of your claim.
If you have any trouble filing your claim, visit this page for assistance: https://www.canada.ca/fr/emploi-developpement-social/ministere/coordonnees/assurance-emploi-individus.html
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