Employment Insurance (EI) and Workers and/or Residents outside Canada

  

 

 

What you should know...
Who can apply 
How to file a claim for American Unemployment Insurance benefits
How to file a claim for Canadian EI benefits for people residing outside Canada
Residents of the United States
   
Maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits
Canadian government and Armed Forces personnel posted in the United States
Your permanent residence is in a country other than Canada and the United States
You are a commuter

What you should know...

Certain persons working outside Canada may be entitled to benefits under Canada’s EI program. If you are working outside Canada for a Canadian company or the Canadian government, you are usually covered by EI. You will, however, not be insured by Canada’s EI program if your job is covered by the country in which you are working.

If you are not sure whether your job is insured under Canada’s EI program, ask your employer. Ruling on employment insurability is the responsibility of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) , therefore, please call the toll-free number 1 800 959-5525 for enquiries regarding the insurability of your employment.

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Who can apply

Canada EI benefits may be paid to you when you reside outside Canada in the following situations:

• your last employment was in Canada, but you now reside in United States;
• your permanent residence is in a country other than Canada and the United States and you are applying for maternity, parental or compassionate care benefits;
• you are a commuter – a resident of Canada or the United States (U.S.) who regurlarly crosses the Canada/U.S. border between their residence and workplace.

American Unemployment Insurance benefits may be paid to you if your last employment was in the United States and you now reside in Canada. If you also had previous employment in Canada, you may be able to file a claim for Canadian EI benefits instead. You may be able to receive benefits from either Canada or the United States but not both at the same time.

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How to file a claim for American Unemployment Insurance benefits

To file a claim for American Unemployment Insurance benefits, you must contact the Telephone Information Service or go to your Service Canada Centre, you will be asked to give your name, address, phone number, Social Insurance Number (SIN) and Social Security Number (SSN) along with the name of the State from which you want to claim benefits. Depending on the State in which you last worked you may be able to file a claim directly with the State via the Internet or by phone. If the State does not accept claims via the Internet or by phone, information will be forwarded to a designated office responsible for handling such claims based on where you reside in Canada. You may also contact the designated Service Canada Centre directly.

You must provide proof that your employment in the United States was authorized as per American immigration regulations and that you are available for and actively seeking work in Canada. If you are not a Canadian resident you will be asked for proof that you are authorized to work in Canada.

A person who has worked for the American Armed Forces in the United States and wants to move or return to Canada, must file a claim for benefits at the nearest "State Workforce Development Agency" in the United States. Service Canada Centres in Canada cannot accept these claims for benefits. 

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How to file a claim for Canadian EI benefits for people residing outside Canada

You may file your claim for Canadian EI benefits on-line. 

If you are residing in the United States and claiming regular benefits you must be available and actively seeking work and, most importantly, you must provide proof that you are legally authorized to work in the United States. You will also need to submit your Record of Employment from your Canadian employer.

If you are residing outside Canada in a country other than the United States, you may be eligible for maternity, parental or compassionate care benefits only.  Regular benefits are not payable to a person residing in a country other than Canada or the United States.

All claims received from people residing outside of Canada are processed by the office in Belleville, Ontario. For more information, please call the toll-free number 1 800 206-7218.

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Residents of the United States

Regular benefits:

If you are living in the United States, Regular benefits can be paid to you up to a maximum of 36 weeks. The number of weeks payable is based on the number of insurable hours that you have accumulated in Canada during the last 52 weeks or since your last claim.

To be eligible for regular benefits you must show that you:

• have worked in a job that is insured under Canada’s EI Program; and
• in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim, you have worked between 420 and 700 hours. 
• In some instances, a minimum of 910 hours may be required to qualify. For example: 
  - if you are in the work force for the first time;
  - if you are re-entering the work force after an absence of two years. However, if you have received at least one week of maternity or parental benefits in the 208 weeks preceding the 52-week period prior to the qualifying period, you will require between 420 and 700 hours to qualify for regular benefits. For more information, please call the toll-free number 1 800 206-7218;
• You must also provide proof that you are legally authorized to work in the United States. 

The number of hours required is based on the regional rate of unemployment in the economic region where you last worked in Canada.

Particular situations: Effective December 11, 2005, if you are living in one of the 23 participating economic regions, you could qualify for regular benefits with a minimum of 840 hours instead of 910 hours. To know more...

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Number of weeks payable

Number of hours of insurable employment	Number of weeks of benefits
420 - 489	10
490 - 559	11
560 - 629	12
630 - 699	13
700 - 769	14
770 - 839	15
840 - 909	16
910 - 979	17
980 - 1049	18
1050 - 1119	19
1120 - 1189	20
1190 - 1259	21
1260 - 1329	22
1330 - 1399	23
1400 - 1434	24
1435 - 1469	25
1470 - 1504	26
1505 - 1539	27
1540 - 1574	28
1575 - 1609	29
1610 - 1644	30
1645 - 1679	31
1680 - 1714	32
1715 - 1749	33
1750 - 1784	34
1785 - 1819	35
1820 and more	36

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Maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits

Maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits can be paid to you if you are living in the United States as long as you meet the requirements for these benefits.

To be eligible for maternity, parental, sickness or compassionate care benefits you must show that you:

• have worked in a job that is insured under Canada’s EI Program; and
• have worked for 600 hours in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim.

You may file your claim for Canadian EI maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits on-line. For more information, please call the toll-free number : 1 800 206-7218.

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Canadian government and Armed Forces personnel posted in the United States

You may be entitled to regular, maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits if you or your dependants are posted in the United States and working for the Canadian goverment or for the Armed Forces. Dependants include your spouse, unmarried children under 21, unmarried full-time students under 25, and unmarried disabled children.

You may file your claim for Canadian EI benefits on-line. For more information, please call the toll-free number : 1 800 206-7218.

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Your permanent residence is in a country other than Canada and the United States

If you are permanently residing in a country other than Canada or the United States, you may be eligible for maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits if you have worked in a job in your country of residence that is insurable under Canada's EI program. 

For example, you may be a spouse of a member of the Canadian Armed Forces and working abroad for the Canadian government. If you become ill and are unable to work, you can apply for sickness benefits if you meet the requirements.

You may file a claim for Canadian EI maternity, parental, sickness or compassionate care benefits on-line. For more information, please call the toll-fre number 1  800 206-7218 or write to the following address:

If you normally reside outside Canada or the United States and your last employment was in Canada, you are eligible for maternity, parental or compassionate care benefits only.

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You are a commuter

Commuters are Canadian or American persons who regularly cross the Canada/United States border between their residence and workplace.

If you are an American living near the Canadian border and you usually commute to Canada to work, you must file a claim for Canadian EI benefits at the nearest Service Canada Centre. Your claim will be treated like that of any resident of Canada, therefore, you may be entitled to receive regular benefits or maternity, parental, sickness or compassionate care benefits.

As well, if you are a Canadian living near the American border and you usually commute to the United States to work, you must file a claim for American Unemployment Insurance benefits at the nearest "State Workforce Development Agency".