Provides temporary financial assistance for unemployed Canadians who have paid into the EI account and lost their job through no fault of their own. Maternity and Parental Benefits assist individuals who are pregnant, have recently given birth, are adopting a child, or are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child; Sickness Benefits assist individuals who are unable to work because of sickness, injury, or quarantine; Caregiving Benefits assist those who must care for a family member who is critically ill , critically injured, or in need of end-of-life care; Benefits for the Self-Employed assist individuals who are self-employed and need to take time away from business to care for themselves, their children, or other family members; Benefits for Canadians Living Abroad including pensions and employment are for those who live and work outside Canada; and Fishing Benefits assist individuals who are self-employed in fishing and actively seeking work. Applications can be made online or at any Service Canada Centre. Phone hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm local time Monday to Friday.

Temporary Employment Insurance measures have been introduced to support workers and help manage the potential economic effects of the evolving Canada-United States trade relationship. Under the temporary measures:

• the waiting period to start receiving benefits is waived for all new claims that start between March 30, 2025 and October 11, 2025;
• earnings paid because of separation from employment are not deducted from benefits for all claims or allocations starting between March 30, 2025 and October 11, 2025;
• unemployment rates for regions with rates under 13.1% will be adjusted to improve access to benefits. This applies to claims starting between April 6, 2025 and July 12, 2025.