Prepare to apply

Complete and submit your online application right away. If you apply more than 4 weeks after your last day of work, you may lose benefits.

When you apply, you'll need:

If you applied for EI benefits in the past year

If you started a new EI claim within the last 52 weeks and there are still weeks payable on that claim, we'll automatically reactivate (renew) your existing claim when you submit your application.

If your claim is reactivated, and you work after the start of that claim, you may be able to establish a new claim when your existing claim runs out.

In some cases, it may be to your advantage to cancel or end your old claim and start a new claim, because this may increase the amount of your benefits or the length of your benefit period.

It is important to consider:

• in order to establish a new claim, you must meet the qualifying conditions
• if a new claim is established instead of reactivating your existing claim, the remaining weeks payable on the existing claim will be lost
• additionally, a 1-week unpaid waiting period must be served on a new claim before you're entitled to receive payment

If we reactivate your existing claim

You may also have to provide the following details:

• the salary amount you received, before deductions, for the last week you worked (from Sunday to your last day of work), including insurable tips and commissions
• any other amount you received or will receive, such as:
  • vacation pay
  • severance pay
  • pension payments
  • pay in lieu of notice
  • other money

Sign up for direct deposit

When you apply for EI benefits, be sure to sign up for direct deposit to get your payments deposited automatically into your bank account 2 business days after we process your EI report.

If you don't sign up for direct deposit at the time you complete your EI application, you can sign up any time after you apply by:

• completing the eServiceCanada service request form
• contacting the call centre
• visiting a Service Canada office

Apply online

To find out if you're eligible to receive EI regular benefits, you must submit an application. The online application takes about 1 hour to complete.

If you don't complete the application all at once, you can come back to it later using the temporary password that you receive when you start.

Your information is saved for 72 hours (3 days) from the time you start. If you don't submit the application within this time:

• it will be deleted, and
• you'll have to start a new application

When you apply for EI benefits, you'll be asked for your email address. If we need more information about your claim and can't reach you by phone, we'll send you a toll-free number in an email, asking you to call us.

Apply

Provide supporting information

A benefit statement and access code will arrive by mail

Once your application is received, we'll mail you a benefit statement with a 4-digit access code. You'll need this code and your SIN to follow up on your application and to complete your reports every 2 weeks. Receiving an EI benefit statement doesn't mean that we've made a decision about your claim.

Check the status of your application

To check the status of your application, you can:

• register or sign into MSCA
• contact Service Canada