The Government of Canada is introducing temporary measures to make employment insurance easier to access and speed up benefit payments. They are intended to help workers who may be affected by the current economic and political uncertainty.
Here is an overview of the temporary measures that could benefit workers in our industry who plan to claim employment insurance:
Fewer hours needed and more paid weeks
- As of April 6, 2025, there will be added flexibility in the required amount of hours worked to qualify for employment insurance (for some regions).
- You will also now be able to claim 4 additional weeks of EI benefits.
- These measures will be in place until July 12, 2025.
You will receive your benefits faster
- From March 30, 2025, to October 11, 2025, there will not be a waiting period. That means you won’t have to wait a week before starting to receive benefits. You will be paid as of your first week on EI.
Separation earnings will not affect your benefits
- If you receive severance pay or paid leave, you will now be able to claim EI benefits right away, even before those amounts have run out. This measure will be in place for 6 months.
Are you claiming EI benefits now? Will you soon be?
If you have any questions about your EI benefits, please reach out to our advisors.
To find out more about what your union is doing on this topic, click here (French only).
Back to news
