Income Security (Legal Information for Indigenous People)

Employment Insurance

The EI Application is online and takes about 40 minutes. As a general rule, apply within 4 weeks of stopping work https://www.canada.ca/en/ services/benefits/ei/ei-regular-benefit/apply.html

Regular Benefits

• Eligible if you lise work through no fault of your own (shortage of work, laid off, etc.) and
• You have the required amount of hours in the last 52 weeks (a minimum of 420 hours) but changes back to pre-Covid rules September 24, 2022

Sickness Benefits

• Eligible if unable to work for medical reasons
• Have enough hours
• Medical note

Maternity

• Eligible when pregnant or caring for newborn
• Have enough hours

Caregiver Benefits

• Providing care for critically ill or injured family member
• Have enough hours
• Medical note

Parental Benefits

• Eligible when parents are away from work to care for their newborn or newly adopted child
• Have enough hours

Fishing EI

• Have made the required earnings $2500 from fishing
• Apply within four weeks from end of fishing

Compassionate Care Benefits

• Providing care for family member in need of end-of- life care
• Have enough hours
• Medical note

General Tips

Apply ASAP. You do not need to wait for your ROE. You will want to confirm that it has been sent. You will not get money from EI until the ROE is received.

A person who is younger than the legal age of majority, 19 in British Columbia. See "age of majority."