Employment insurance, or EI, is a program, also known as the EI program, in Canada that offers benefit payments to qualified individuals when they lose employment without any fault, such as a lay-off or similar circumstances.
| EI Payment Dates | Quick Facts |
|---|---|
| When do I get my EI payments? | Your EI payment is issued every 2 weeks after you complete your online EI report. You will be paid either through direct deposit (within 2 business days) or by mailed cheque (up to 2 weeks). Your bi-weekly EI payments cover the previous 2 weeks of job search activities. |
| Example Scenario | Online EI report date: January 5, 2023 EI payment date (direct deposit): January 19 to 21, 2023 EI payment date (cheque): January 23 to February 3, 2023 |
These payments are government funded through deductions from your paycheck and contributions from your employer. One of the most important questions people have when applying for EI benefits is when they will receive payment, mostly through direct deposit into their bank account.
When you lose your job unexpectedly, due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a layoff, natural disaster, restructuring, or a shortage of work, you may be able to receive EI payments for a specific time frame based on how long you’ve worked at your most recent job.
The amount you receive is based on a percentage of your previous income, before taxes, with a maximum limit, until you either qualify for another benefit plan or find a new job. EI programs encourage individuals to search for work depending on where they live.
You may qualify for various programs or assistance to find employment, self-employment opportunities, and other work-related options.
If you become injured or sick, you may qualify for EI benefits for a limited time, and there are employment insurance plans for people who need time off from work to care for an ill parent, child, or family member.
EI payment dates are issued once every two weeks after you complete your bi-weekly EI report, which is done and submitted online. While you can receive payment by cheque in the mail, which can take longer (up to one week later than the direct deposit date), the most common and convenient way to receive EI benefit payments is by direct deposit into your bank account.
If you submit your report late, you can expect a delay in your payment as a result, and in cases where no reports are filed, a discontinuance of your benefits until reports are filed. EI will not pay you in advance so that when you receive a deposit, it reflects the last two weeks, which must be reported to provide details on your job searches and related activities.
Once you have your EI payments set up, you should receive them promptly, every two weeks, with no delays, except when there is a national or statutory holiday, which may cause the deposit to be delayed by just one day due to processing at the EI office and bank hours.
In most cases, national holidays fall on a Monday or Friday, which may not impact your payment significantly.
If you’re uncertain why you didn’t receive your benefit on the next EI payment date, there are several possible reasons. One of the most common reasons for missing your EI next payment date is not setting up the correct bank account details for direct deposit or not adding your bank account through My Service Canada Account.
While you may receive EI payments by cheque in the mail, setting up your banking information is best to avoid delays and improve secure, safe payments.
If you move, change your bank account, or fail to submit your report promptly, you’ll likely notice your payment comes late or may be missed altogether. If you suspect incomplete or incorrect information on file, it’s essential to contact Service Canada and check your account details to ensure everything is accurate.
How do you complete your EI report to ensure your payment is received? Each report is completed once every two weeks and requires you to declare your gross earnings while collecting EI benefits.
This income can include anything from part-time or casual employment, salary, hourly wages, or self-employment income. It’s important to report accurate earnings every two weeks, as this will impact your benefit eligibility and may reduce your benefits based on your total gross earnings.
When you collect regular EI benefits, you must indicate that you are ready to work and actively looking for employment. These reports do not always apply if you collect EI for different reasons, due to maternity or parental leave, illness, or injury.
Suppose you report that you cannot work while collecting regular EI benefits. In that case, you must call an EI service center to discuss your situation and determine if you remain eligible for further payments.
When applying for EI benefits, you’ll need a SIN (social insurance number), a four-digit access code sent by mail, and information on past employment, including an ROE (record of employment) for every job within the last fifty-two weeks or one year.
In some cases, additional information may be required to assess your eligibility for benefits. You must complete your first report within three weeks when approved to receive EI payments.
When you complete your first report, EI payment dates should begin about 28 days after your application, provided you remain eligible. If you do not qualify for EI benefits, you’ll receive a notification about your application and may discuss other options or circumstances about your case.
It’s also important to declare your income to be paid the correct benefit amount and avoid the risk of overpayment. You’ll be required to repay the additional amount if you receive too many EI benefits.
Your EI payment schedule should remain consistent throughout your qualifying period and only stop for specific reasons. The most common reason is when you’ve received all the benefit payments you’re entitled to based on your application.
You’ll likely receive notice of how many weeks you’ll receive and when they are about to end so that you can prepare ahead. If you stop filing reports or begin working full-time or part-time, where your income exceeds the EI payments, benefits will also cease.
If you request that your EI benefits stop because you no longer need them or have other funding, it will end your payments. Other reasons may include if you receive insurance payments, move out of the country, or there are reasons later discovered that determine you are no longer eligible for EI payments. If you are not approved to receive EI payments and disagree, you can request that Service Canada reconsider your application.
Are you eligible to receive EI payments in Canada? You’ll need to meet essential criteria to become eligible for employment insurance benefits. At a minimum, you must have 420 hours of work within the last year, and they must be insurable.
You must have paid into EI benefits through payroll deductions or contributed on your own as a self-employed freelancer or contractor. The minimum time frame you can be off work to qualify for these benefits is when you’re off work for seven consecutive days, either by getting laid off due to a shortage of work or illness.
If you lose your job and need EI benefits, it’s essential that your loss of employment was through no fault of your own, and you must be looking for work. You won’t be qualified to receive EI payments if you quit your job, are dismissed for misconduct, and are out of work due to a lockout, strike, or boycott.
Other reasons may disqualify you from receiving these benefits, which must be discussed with an agent at Service Canada to determine if other options are available.
EI payment dates are essentially consistent every two weeks as long as you file your report regularly. While you’ll receive payments, usually by direct deposit, every two weeks, this EI payment schedule varies based on when you begin receiving payments, file your reports, and apply date and time.
It can be challenging to keep track of your payments, especially if you’re eligible for other benefits, including CERB during 2020 and other incentives and tax credits from then until now. Generally, you’ll receive your first EI payment 28 days after filing your application.
Fortunately, EI benefit applications are easy to file online or by phone, which only takes a few minutes, ensuring that you’ll receive your payment on time and without delay. In some cases, the amount of EI applications during economic downturns and 2020 can cause unexpected delays in processing, which can be difficult for some individuals, especially when you need to plan and budget your expenses.
If you qualified to receive CERB payments during 2020 while receiving EI payments, in most cases, these payments were transferred into single payments and paid in the same frequency every two weeks. If your first EI payment is delayed, especially after 28 days, you may receive retroactive pay to include all eligible weeks up to the first payment date.
This may also happen if you are initially denied EI benefits, and your application is later considered eligible, which means you may receive back-pay for benefits you should have received weeks, even months earlier.
Generally, you’ll receive about 55% of your gross income based on the average bi-weekly pay of the last year of employment. It’s also important to report any weeks or gaps in employment within the last year, as this will help calculate the overall amount of gross earnings and the percentage you’re entitled to without miscalculations. As of January 2022, you can receive a maximum of $638 weekly.
Your weekly benefit amount is based on the weeks that you earned the most money, including commissions, tips, and bonus income, which is based on your ROE or record of employment, and divided by the number of weeks, and multiplied by 55% to determine the weekly benefit amount.
These benefits are based on insurable earnings, so if you earned income not subject to EI deductions, you wouldn’t be eligible for EI benefits based on these payments. The number of weeks (or best weeks) varies based on your region and unemployment rate.
If you are considered to have a low income and have children, you may be eligible for EI family supplements if your income is $25,921 annually or less. Other factors include whether you or your spouse received Canada Child Benefit and whether you are eligible for other incentives or benefits based on your household income and other criteria.
The factors determining the EI family supplement rate and the benefit amount are based on your annual income, the number of children you have, their ages, and other information. If your income increases over time, the amount of EI family supplement you’re eligible for will decrease gradually until you are no longer eligible to receive further payments.
EI payments are subject to tax deductions, which is consistent with all EI benefits, whether you file for maternity or parental benefits, payments for illness or injury, caring for an ailing family member, or regular EI benefits. The amount of tax deducted varies based on where you live, including federal, provincial, or territorial taxes.
The minimum EI you can receive when you lose your job through no fault of your own is 14 weeks, and up to 45 weeks is the maximum amount. In some cases, depending on the unemployment rates in your region, you may be eligible for up to 52 weeks.
It’s also important to consider other factors about your employment and how your income affects your EI benefits, including seasonal workers, temporary layoffs, reduced hours, and other details.
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Your EI payment is issued every 2 weeks after you complete your online EI report. You will be paid either through direct deposit (within 2 business days) or by mailed cheque (up to 2 weeks). Your bi-weekly EI payments cover the previous 2 weeks of job search activities. Online EI report date: January 5, 2023 EI payment date (direct deposit): January 19 to 21, 2023 EI payment date (cheque): January 23 to February 3, 2023
Your next EI payment date depends on how soon you file your bi-weekly report and when your payments are typically paid. You can generally expect EI funds by direct deposit into your account on the same day, every two weeks, or a bit longer if received by cheque in the mail.
EI payment dates vary based on when you apply for EI benefits and begin to receive payments by mail or direct deposit.
Your first payment date is a good way to track when you should receive subsequent EI payments, usually once every two weeks.
Yes. Generally, all statutory holidays, including provincial holidays, will impact when your EI payments are deposited or sent by mail.
Your EI payment is issued every 2 weeks after you complete your online EI report. You will be paid either through direct deposit (within 2 business days) or by mailed cheque (up to 2 weeks). Your bi-weekly EI payments cover the previous 2 weeks of job search activities. Online EI report date: January 5, 2022 EI payment date (direct deposit): January 19 to 21, 2022 EI payment date (cheque): January 23 to February 3, 2022
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