Fewer eligible for Employment Insurance benefits
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
Related information
The economic downturn has led Canadians to worry about their job security. For those who lose their jobs, Employment Insurance (EI) may offer benefits, provided they have contributed to the program, had a job separation that met the criteria to receive benefits and worked enough insurable hours.
Dropping rates of eligibility were reported in every province except Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in 2010. Of the 913,000 unemployed individuals who had contributed, 746,000 met the criteria for benefits. Of those, 83.9% worked enough hours to qualify, down from 86.2% in 2009. Among the provinces, Nova Scotia had the highest rate at 94.3% and British Columbia had the lowest at 77.7%, the province's lowest rate since 2005.
Youths (aged 15 to 24) were less likely to qualify for EI because many quit work to go to school, while others have not worked enough hours to qualify. Among unemployed youths in 2011, 44.4% did not contribute to EI in 2010.
- Date modified: