Annex 6: Key studies referenced in the report

Author(s), year

ESDC: Labour Market Information Directorate, 2026

Objective(s)

This study analyzes the wage expectations and income trajectories of unemployed individuals to assess if the EI program is playing its role of mitigating the effects of unemployment by supporting unemployed workers to find appropriate job matches at income levels like their pre-unemployment income.

Key finding(s)

• Using data from the Employment Insurance Coverage Survey (EICS), the study found that between 2001 and 2019, approximately 51.7% of unemployed recipients were willing to accept jobs offering 75% of their previous wage while 16.4% sought jobs matching or exceeding their last wage; for unemployed non-recipients, these figures were 41.8%, and 24.7%, respectively. Unemployed recipients faced more pressure to accept lower wages
• Wage expectations were influenced by several key factors, for example:
  • unemployed individuals, irrespective of EI receipt, were more willing to accept jobs offering 75% of their previous wages rather than waiting for wages at least equivalent to their previous wage if they were: male; older in age; responsible for fewer children aged 17 and under; married to an employed spouse but members of families with multiple unemployed individuals; holders of a bachelor's degree or higher; immigrants; more attached to their previous employer (that is, had a longer tenure or worked more hours); spending more time searching for a job; residents of Alberta; or looking for jobs outside of their province of residence
• unemployed recipients with higher amounts or longer durations of EI benefits were more likely to accept jobs at reduced wages, and higher unemployment rates increased this likelihood for unemployed recipients but not for unemployed non-recipients
• Tax data from the Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database (CEEDD) indicated that most unemployed individuals managed to earn at least as much as they did before unemployment. Only a small share (0.1%) of unemployed recipients earned 75% of their previous employment earnings within a year post-unemployment, while 57.4% earned at least as much; for unemployed non-recipients, these figures were 0.1% and 62.2%, respectively
• Unemployed non-recipients had higher median household incomes than unemployed recipients before their unemployment spells. However, following unemployment, the gap in their median household incomes narrowed

Availability

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Key finding(s)

• The share of FS recipients has decreased from 6.0% in 2007 to 2.0% in 2022. Adjusting the maximum net family income threshold for inflation would increase the share of claimants by 2.2 percentage points (p.p.) on average per year over the study period (from 1.5 p.p. in 2007 to 2.9 p.p. in 2022)
• Potential new recipients would be more likely to be older, male, have fewer children, work in the manufacturing and construction industries and be less likely to be single
• The average weekly FS top-up has increased from $40 in 2007 to $43 in 2022. If FS was adjusted for inflation, the average weekly FS benefit would have increased to $46 in 2022. The average FS benefits would increase the most for women, recipients starting with sickness or maternity/parental benefits, recipients who were single, recipients under 30 years old, recipients in the Service industry, and recipients residing in the Atlantic provinces
• On average, only 51.8% of claimants with children under Low-Income Measures were eligible to receive the FS. This share decreased over the study period, from 61.0% in 2007 to 30.7% in 2021. If the threshold was adjusted for inflation, the share of claimants with children under the LIM eligible to the FS would increase to 61.8% in 2021

Availability

A PDF version of this document can be ordered by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you use a TTY, call 1-800-926-9105. The PDF version can only be sent via e-mail. Please note there will be a certain delay before receiving the documents.

Author(s), year

ESDC: Evaluation Directorate, 2021

Objective(s)

This study examines the characteristics of employers and employees who take part in the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Program and their utilization of Employment Insurance benefits.

Key finding(s)

• Between 2008 and 2017, the number of firms with an active registered SUB plan increased from 5,714 to 7,782—an annual average of around 6,800 active firms—which represents a little over 0.5% of all firms in Canada
• Registered SUB plans for illness, injury or quarantine account for around 63% of all plans while SUB plans for temporary stoppage of work, training or plans where there are a combination of top-up plans account for around 10%, 7% and 20% respectively
• Overall, EI claims which receive top-up payments through registered SUB plans account for around 3% of all EI claims or between 40,000 and 60,000 claims per year. However, the analysis found that only 13% of EI claims from firms with registered SUB plans received top-up payments
• Claimants who receive top-up payments for regular benefit claims are more likely to return to the same firm after a claim as compared to those who worked for non-SUB firms. A positive relationship is observed between job tenure and SUB claim whereby individuals tend to stay with an employer longer if they are part of a SUB firm

Availability

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Author(s), year

ESDC: Labour Market Information Directorate, 2022

Objective(s)

This study aims to understand the experiences of immigrants and Canadian-born workers with the EI program. This study uses data from the Employment Insurance Coverage Survey (EICS) and from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) from 2006 to 2019.

Key finding(s)

• Immigrants had higher unemployment rates but lower employment rates than Canadian-born workers
• A lower share of immigrants were in insurable employment, were eligible for EI benefits, made a claim for EI benefits and received EI regular benefits compared to their Canadian-born counterparts
• A higher share of immigrants received maternity or parental benefits
• On average, immigrants had a higher claim duration than Canadian-born workers. However, the average total amount they received in benefits was lower

Availability

A PDF version of this document can be ordered by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you use a TTY, call 1-800-926-9105. The PDF version can only be sent via e-mail. Please note there will be a certain delay before receiving the documents.

Author(s), year

ESDC: Employment Insurance Policy Directorate, 2026

Objective(s)

This study examines the long-term trends in disqualifications and disentitlements and the characteristics of claimants who had disqualifications and disentitlements imposed on their EI claim.

Key finding(s)

• Trends in disqualifications and disentitlements:
  • based on Statistics Canada's public data, from the early 2000s up to 2019, the average monthly number of disqualifications and disentitlements followed a similar trend as that of the average monthly number of EI beneficiaries. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend was reversed: the number of EI beneficiaries increased significantly in 2020 and 2021, while the number of disqualifications and disentitlement declined
  • based on EI administrative data, between 2010 and 2023, a total of 7.6 million of disqualifications and disentitlements were imposed on 3.5 million of EI regular claims (17.1% of all regular claims established). During the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant decrease: only 6.2% and 10.1% of EI regular claims established in 2020 and 2021, respectively, had disqualifications and disentitlements.
• Based on EI administrative data:
  • of all the disqualifications and disentitlements imposed between 2010 and 2023, 6.5% were disqualifications and 93.5% were disentitlements. These findings are different from Statistics Canada's public tables due to methodological differences
  • for regular claims with disqualifications and disentitlements, there were, on average, 2.2 disqualifications and disentitlements per claim established between 2010 and 2023
  • from 2018 to 2023, the proportion of EI regular claims with disqualifications and disentitlements was higher than the national average for claimants living in Quebec and British Columbia, women, claimants aged 25 to 34 and occasional claimants

Availability

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Author(s), year

ESDC: Labour Market Information Directorate, 2026

Objective(s)

The purpose of this study is to better understand the system of federal financial supports that apprentices can access during their time in the program, and to examine the relationship between receipt of EI Regular Benefits - Apprentices (EI-A) and apprenticeship outcomes like completion and post-program income.

Key finding(s)

• This study uses data from the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform (ELMLP); and finds that only 4 to 5% of apprentices access all forms of federal supports (EI-A, Canada Apprenticeship Loans - CAL, Apprenticeship Incentive and Completion Grants - AIG and ACG) over the course of their session in the program
  • Uptake of federal supports rises from 11 to 16% when excluding loans
  • 9 to 11% of completers accessed all forms of support, rising to 26 to 36% when excluding loans
  • Apprentices in trades eligible for Red Seal designations were more likely to receive EI-A (around 30% more likely)
• Apprentices who received EI-A during their session were more likely to complete their program, had higher income 2 years and 5 years post completion, and were more likely to work in their field of study after leaving the program than those who did not
  • Apprentices who received EI-A at least once over the course of their session were 22.3% more likely to complete
  • Similarly, apprentices who received EI-A at least once during their session earned 9.7% more 2 years after leaving the program and 5.7% 5 years after
  • Apprentices who received EI-A were 10.7% more likely to be working in their field of study 2 years after leaving the program
• Apprentices who left the program in 2020 had received $5,800 in EI-A benefits, $7,100 in CAL, and 1.7 Apprenticeship Incentive Grants ($1,000 per grant, $1,500 for women) on average over the course of their session
  • Apprentices in trades eligible for Red Seal endorsement received $600 more in EI-A benefits on average
  • Completers received $2,600 more in EI-A and $600 more in CAL
  • Women received $2,900 less in EI-A and $800 less in CAL

Availability

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Author(s), year

ESDC: Evaluation Directorate, 2026

Objective(s)

This study explores Work-Sharing program's role in preventing layoffs and the effectiveness of the special measures introduced during Covid-19.

Key finding(s)

• Special measures introduced during Covid-19 improved program access and responsiveness, contributing to more businesses participating in the program
• Between 2015 and 2024, an annual average of 5,000 layoffs were estimated to be averted by the program, peaking at nearly 19,600 in 2020. Layoff rates within 6 months after the end of a Work-Sharing claim stood at 5% in 2020, compared to 14% in 2019
• Post‑claim layoffs were generally higher during or at the onset of economic downturns and lower toward the end or recovery phases. Within‑agreement layoffs were noticeably higher in 2020 (7.7%) compared to other years (4.9% on average from 2015 to 2023, except 2020)
• Longer COVID-period agreements (1-2 years versus up to one year pre-COVID) delayed business closures and reduced short-term employee exits, but higher exits and closures later, suggesting risks were postponed, not avoided
• Regression discontinuity shows that Work-Sharing agreements established just before the end of the Covid-19 special measures had statistically significant effects relative to those created just after:
  • agreements were longer (36 weeks) and more likely to be extended, and claimants received more benefit weeks and higher benefit amounts. Reduced work hours were slightly higher resulting in higher estimated averted layoffs
  • post-claim layoffs within one year of the end of Work-Sharing claim fell by approximately 1.1 employee per agreement
  • agreements cost roughly $29,000 more in EI benefits per agreement, reflecting the longer duration and the extent to which longer agreements help reduce post-claim layoffs
• Employer survey:
  • special administrative measures were generally useful and associated with positive program experiences, including perceived benefits and overall satisfaction
  • some employers identified challenges related to documentation, eligibility requirements, and reporting, although streamlined processes were associated with shorter processing times
• Client Experience (CX) survey:
  • CX survey shows that employers primarily learned about Work‑Sharing through the Government of Canada website, with some also informed via networks, media, tariff‑related context, and information session invitations
  • differences across regions, sectors, and business‑sizes in accessing and understanding Work-Sharing information, serve as proxies for disparities in awareness and accessibility

Availability

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Author(s), year

ESDC: Intergovernmental Policy and Programs Directorate, 2025

Objective(s)

This study examines how EI Part II's Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDAs) have evolved since their introduction in 1996. The examination focuses specifically on how changes made to EI eligibility criteria, client uptake, service delivery, funding and expenditures have helped programming to evolve over time.

Key finding(s)

Eligibility and clients served

• Eligibility has expanded: Added Premiums-paid Eligible individuals (PPE) (2018) and temporary flexibilities (COVID); changes outlaid in Budget 2022 still to come
• Participation has declined, with active claimant clients falling most significantly by 62% (463,000 to 176,000) from 2009-10 to 2023-24
• The client profile shifted (2002-03 to 2023-24):
  • core-age share fell (73% to 66%)
  • older workers doubled (6% to 13%)
  • participation increased among persons with disabilities, racialized groups, and Indigenous peoples

Services provided

• Support Measures (SMs) dominate: Lower cost, lower intensity services consistently dominate when it comes to LMDA service delivery, especially during downturns
• Employment Benefits (EBs) smaller but higher cost: Higher cost, higher intensity services remain smaller in volume. Total offerings decline in times of reduced funding
• Overall shift: Continued shift toward SM services, with access maintained to EBs services

Funding and expenditures

• Base funding unchanged: Base funding has remained largely unchanged since 1996, with temporary boosts during major economic disruptions
• EBs drive expenditures: EBs remain a smaller share of services but account for most EI Part II spending, averaging around $1.2B annually (1997-98 to 2023-24)
• Pan-Canadian funding has remained relatively stable at $150 to $160M, with observable dips in 2013-15 (around $117M) and 2022-24 (around $125M), before restabilizing in 2024-25

Availability

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Author(s), year

ESDC: Integrated Workload Workforce Management Branch, 2025

Objective(s)

This study investigates delays in the transmission of Records of Employment (ROEs) by employers between 2017 and 2024, by examining compliance with regulatory requirements and the impact of non-compliance on the administration of the Employment Insurance program.

Key finding(s)

• 62.11% of ROEs associated with EI claims between 2017 and 2024 were submitted within the prescribed timelines (within 5 calendar days of the end of the pay period [final pay period] or 15 days after the first day of an interruption in earnings [last day paid])
• 61.82% of ROEs submitted to Service Canada were never used to establish a claim for benefits, while 2.38% of ROEs used on claims were late enough to significantly increase the complexity of processing and impacts for claimants
• No yearly trends in compliance with prescribed timelines were identified
• Reason for separation was a significant factor affecting timeliness of ROEs, with Strike or Lockout, Leave of Absence, Illness or Injury, and Voluntary Leaving having the highest degree of influence on whether an ROE was submitted on time
• Small firms were nearly twice as likely (92.25%) to deliver ROEs on time when compared to their large counterparts
• On average, there were 68,500 cases per year requiring a Service Canada officer's intervention relating to a missing or late ROE. Of these, 7.67% were escalated to the Integrity Services Branch (ISB) for further attention

Availability

A PDF version of this document can be ordered by calling 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232). If you use a TTY, call 1-800-926-9105. The PDF version can only be sent via e-mail. Please note there will be a certain delay before receiving the documents.