Chapter 4: Program administration and delivery

From the date that the appeal is filed

• Standard: To make decisions within 45 days
• Target: The Social Security Tribunal (SST) aims to meet this standard 80% of the time
• Performance in 2024-25: SST met this standard 47.6% of the time (compared to 14.1% in 2023-24), with an average processing time of 55 days (compared to 108 in 2023-24)
  • When including group appeals, the SST met this goal 46% of the time, with an average processing time of 65.4 days

Following a hearing

• Standard: To make decisions within 15 days after a hearing
• Target: SST aims to meet this standard 80% of the time
• Performance in 2024-25: SST met this goal 75.6% of the time (up from 66.6% in 2023-24), averaging 12.2 days to issue a decision after the hearing compared with 17.9 days in 2023-24
  • When including group appeals, the SST met this goal 75.2% of the time, averaging 12.8 days to issue a decision after the hearing
• For more information, consult section 4.6.2

Leave to appeal decisions

• Standard: To make decisions within 45 days
• Target: SST aims to meet this standard 80% of the time
• Performance in 2024-25: SST met this goal 92% of the time (compared with 23.5% in 2023-24), with an average processing time of 21.1 days (compared to 67.2 days in 2023-24)

Final decisions

• Standard: To make decisions within 150 days of the leave to appeal decision
• Target: SST aims to meet this standard 80% of the time
• Performance in 2024-25: the SST met this goal 90.2% of the time (compared to 81.1% in 2023-24), with an average processing time of 91.6 days (compared to 113.3 days in 2023-24)
  • Including group appeals, the SST met this goal 42.6% of the time, with an average processing time of 149.4 days

• Standard: To send final decisions within 60 days of the hearing
• Target: SST aims to meet this standard 80% of the time
• Performance in 2024-25: the SST met this goal 88.5% of the time, with an average processing time of 29.6 days
• For more information, consult section 4.6.2

Community Outreach and Liaison Service

Community Outreach and Liaison Service (COLS) expands the reach of Service Canada by connecting with communities, particularly those with limited access to traditional service delivery. Direct support to at-risk populations, Indigenous communities, those impacted by hazardous weather events, and employers and employees facing labour market challenges will find support via COLS. COLS thrives on building relationships with community partners and organizations to increase awareness of and access to programs and services such as EI. COLS staff may travel to various communities to offer support and information, or host events to connect with people in their own environments.

The COLS program supports:

• northern, remote, and on-reserve Indigenous communities and urban Indigenous populations
• underserved populations—those who generally have more barriers to accessing government programs and services
• employers and workers facing labour market adjustments
• communities experiencing emergency situations

Outreach staff gather information about labour market events and the affected employers to establish points of contact to start developing a plan to provide services to all impacted workers. Through collaboration with provincial and territorial governments, COLS staff deliver information sessions and application assistance to support workers through the different steps and stages of applying for federal programs, including EI.

Through these outreach events, workers receive immediate access to essential programs and information enabling them to make informed decisions about their next steps, such as EI, job search support (Job Bank), and pension information. Employers are offered information on layoff mitigation options, including work-sharing and the workforce reduction program. They are also provided with support to host EI information sessions and application clinics for their employees.

In 2024-25, 1,210 EI-related information sessions were conducted through COLS, to over 20,700 participants.

For more on COLS information sessions in 2024-25, consult Annexes 4.3.1e–h.

Service Canada Outreach Support Centre

The Service Canada Outreach Support Centre (OSC) is a toll-free service that offers tailored information and support to individuals living in Indigenous and remote communities, as well as those who face barriers to accessing government services. These barriers may include limited access to technology, language differences, cultural considerations, disabilities, or other challenges that make in-person or online services difficult to use. The OSC provides tailored assistance with a range of Service Canada programs and benefits, including EI. Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a stopgap measure, it is now a permanent component of the COLS service delivery model.

In 2024-25, the OSC expanded Service Canada’s reach in communities by partnering with various national and community organizations, including 2-1-1, who can transfer clients directly to the OSC for assistance with Service Canada programs and services, including EI.

In 2024-25, the OSC received 20,512 calls and completed 24,635 service requests.

Of these service requests:

• 1,833 were for EI information
• 7,876 were for EI related service requests

In 2024-25, the OSC met its service standard (90% of calls answered within 5 minutes), with 98% of calls answered within 5 minutes, compared with 97% last fiscal year.

As of March 31, 2025, 382 unique Indigenous communities received services through the OSC. From these communities, 1,950 callers were assisted with 2,023 EI service requests, which include:

• 235 information requests
• 272 application assistance
• 1,516 follow up/first point of contact resolution

For the breakdown of the OSC EI requests by regions, consult Annex 4.3.1i.

Service Referral Initiative

The Service Referral Initiative (SRI) entails working with community organizations to help identify at-‍risk and vulnerable individuals who may be eligible for federal services and benefits and referring them directly to a Service Canada representative for personalized support. These clients are those who experience barriers to service and cannot access benefits through other service channels. COLS staff actively promote the SRI and collaborate with Service Delivery Partners (SDPs) to improve access to benefits. By offering a more targeted and accessible approach, the SRI helps ensure that underserved clients receive the support they need.

During 2024-25, Service Canada received 1,830 referrals from its partners, of which 293 were related to EI.

Call volume

Text description

In 2024-25, the EI Call Centre Received 14.7 million calls. Of these, 8.3 million calls were resolved in the Interactive Voice Response System and 6.1 million calls were answered by a Call Centre Representative

The EI Call Centre received 14.7 million calls in 2024-25, slightly down from 15 million the previous year. This continued decline was due to improvements in the speed and efficiencies in EI claims processing, resulting in fewer claimants calling back for updates. Continued shorter wait times also helped reduce the number of calls because clients had their calls answered in a timely manner instead of hanging up and trying again later.

Interactive Voice Response system

The EI Call Centre is equipped with an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. This system allows claimants to self-serve by:

• authenticating themselves
• updating their access code
• checking their application status
• getting details about their file
• completing their biweekly claimant's reports

In 2024-25, 56.2% of calls (8.3 million) were resolved^{Footnote 4} in the IVR system without the need to speak to a representative. This is a decrease in the percentage of calls resolved in the IVR, compared to 57.3% in 2023-24 (consult Annex 4.3.2a).

Representatives are available to guide claimants through issues not resolved by self-service. For 2024-25, the top 5 reasons claimants requested representative-assisted services were regarding:

1. questions about the status of a claim/decision (21.4%)
2. support to complete an electronic claimant's report started through a self-service option (7.5%)
3. support to complete a claimant report (7%)
4. questions about the status of an expected payment (5.9%)
5. help on how to file an application (5.4%)

Calls answered

In 2024-25, calls answered by a call centre representative increased slightly to 6.1 million calls, compared to 6 million in 2023-24 (consult Annex 4.3.2b).

The call centre exceeded the service level for the second consecutive year, answering 87.5% of calls within 10 minutes of entering the queue to speak to a representative.

In 2024-25, the average call length, at about 16.8 minutes, was similar to 2023-24, at about 17 minutes. Call length is affected by the nature and complexity of the calls received. Call length is also affected by the proportion of new staff, who generally have longer calls than more experienced representatives. In 2024-25, the number of call centre representatives who had at least a year of experience remained high though it decreased to 84.5% (from 86.7% in 2023-24).

Representative availability and caller wait times are two important performance indicators for call centres:

• representative availability represents the percentage of call attempts that are successfully placed in queue to wait to speak to a representative^{Footnote 5}
• caller wait times represent the amount of time a caller is in queue waiting to speak to a call centre representative

In 2024-25, representative availability remained at virtually 100% for the second year in a row. Also, in 2024-25, the average annual wait time in the queue to speak to a representative was 3.4 minutes, creeping down slightly from 4 minutes in 2023-24. For information on the rate of callers who chose to hang-up, rather than wait to speak to a representative, consult Annex 4.3.2c.

The changes and improvements to representative availability and caller wait times are directly related to the following initiatives:

• the 2019-20 migration to the modernized call centre platform, the Hosted Contact Centre Solution (HCCS)
• upgrades to queue capacity
• maintaining a higher staffing level

Factors affecting Call Centre performance

There were fewer calls received from claimants waiting for EI claim decisions in 2024-25. Claim status enquiries are directly correlated with the volume of EI applications or claims pending review that are awaiting a decision.

Calls resolved at first point of contact

Once a client connects to a call centre representative, most of their telephone enquiries are resolved at that initial point of contact. However, there are occasionally cases where the call centre environment is not well suited to handle a request. When this occurs, the call centre representative sends the request to EI processing officers for appropriate follow-up actions.

The EI Call Centre tracks the volume of calls resolved at first point of contact. A call is considered resolved if the representative can address the client's enquiry during the telephone interaction.

During 2024-25, the percentage of calls that were resolved by a call centre representative with no additional follow-up required was 3.2% higher at 94.1% (consult Annex 4.3.2d). This increase is due to a continued high ratio of experienced call centre staff to newer staff. Having more experienced staff means that call centre representatives can make decisions in more cases, submit fewer callback requests and tend to contact advisors for help less frequently, leaving the assist line more available for new staff and more complicated enquiries. Call Centres also implemented initiatives for the upskilling of staff, which included new procedures allowing them additional authorities and refresher training to clarify and solidify knowledge for more complex activities that are part of existing work. Additionally, more easily-resolved calls—such as completing a claimant report or questions about the status of a payment—and significantly fewer calls related to the status of a claim/decision (21.4% compared to 27% in 2023-24) were received in 2024-25, contributing to the increased resolution rate.

Call volume

Clients made 568,248 calls to the ECC in 2024-25. This volume includes:

• calls answered by ECC representatives
• calls for which the self-serve option resolved the clients' needs
• calls for which the caller chose to abandon while waiting to speak to a representative
• calls prevented from accessing a representative

In 2024-25, 33% of calls (186,355) were resolved^{Footnote 6} in the IVR system without the need to speak to a representative. This is similar to 2023-24 with 34% resolved in the IVR.

Calls answered

The ECC answered 371,094 calls in 2024-25, which is 22,086 additional calls compared to 2023-24.

In 2024-25, virtually 100% of clients who opted to speak to an ECC representative were placed in a queue, compared to 99.9% the previous year.

The ECC has the same service-level target as the EI Call Centre, which is to answer 80% of calls within 10 minutes. The ECC answered 92.1% of calls within 10 minutes, which is 6.5% higher than the previous fiscal year. The average length of time clients had to wait in the queue to speak to a representative decreased to 2.1 minutes from 3.7 minutes in 2023-24. The number of clients who chose to hang up after being placed in queue to speak to a representative decreased to 10,407 from 19,002 calls the previous year.

In 2024-25, the top service offering remained the same compared to the previous year. Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is still ECC's main service offering, while record of employment on the Web (ROE Web) is the second. The number of ROEs issued^{Footnote 7} remained stable for 2023-24 and 2024-25, with nearly 12 million ROEs issued. The following are the top 5 individual reasons employers called the ECC to speak to a representative for assistance:

1. to request changes or updates to their Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application (14.1%)
2. to enquire about ROE Web registration and login (13.54%)
3. to order paper ROE forms (10.21%)
4. to enquire about the status of an application for an LMIA through the TFWP (9.22%)
5. to receive help about block-specific information on ROEs (7.97%)

To identify the specific reasons for which employers contact ECC, each main service offering is divided into call topic categories. As shown above, the 2 main call topics to ECC were related to TFWP (specifically, requests regarding LMIA applications) and enquiries about ROE Web registration and login. Nonetheless, in fiscal year 2024-25 calls related to TFWP enquiries increased while ROE enquiries remained stable.

Coping skills and crisis intervention training for call centre employees

A suite of courses has been developed for employees in call centres, designed to help them with matters related to working in a call centre environment, such as coping skills. These training efforts have been implemented to ensure that call centre employees are supported and provided with the appropriate tools to help them maintain positive mental health.

All new call centre employees receive 2 full days of training relating to coping skills as part of their initial training curriculum. The intent is to prepare employees by helping them develop active listening skills, call de-escalation techniques, strategies to help manage and control their personal reactions, as well as provide them with resources and tools to help support their own wellness.

Additionally, every call centre employee benefits from the availability of a one-time training course relating to dealing with crisis in a call centre environment.

The objectives of this 1-day session are to:

• help employees improve their ability to recognize an emotional or mental crisis in themselves, their co-workers, or their clients
• identify and apply coping mechanisms to help them through a crisis
• identify and apply tools to de-escalate issues present because of a crisis
• identify available resources to support the call centre representative

The Department also ensures that ongoing support is available to employees as they progress in their call centre careers with the implementation of a 3-year training cycle. Two full-day training sessions are offered to employees each fiscal year. Training content reinforces the technical, interpersonal, and self-care skills that employees may need to foster a positive work environment and support their mental health and well-being.

EI regular benefits pages

EI regular benefits pages had 7.8 million visits in 2024-25. There were 5.8% more visits than in 2023-24. Of those visitors, 41% went on to start applications using AppliWeb, identical to the rate seen in 2023-24.

Maternity and parental benefits pages

When applying for maternity and parental benefits, claimants can access the estimator tool, which provides an interactive calculator that potential claimants can use to estimate how much they could receive.

In 2024-25, the data shows that:

• 372,009 clients used the estimator tool, generating 774,773 estimates
• there were 2.7 million visits to the EI maternity and parental benefits information pages, a 4.1% increase from 2023-24
• 16.4% of visitors to the maternity and parental benefits pages went on to start applications for benefits

EI sickness benefits pages

EI sickness benefits pages had 2.5 million visits in 2024-25, which is the same as in the previous year. About 7.2% of those visitors went on to start applications.

Reaching out to Canadians

In a continued effort to connect with and engage Canadians, Service Canada is using alternate online channels, like social media, to reach EI clients faster. In 2024-25 the Department enhanced its social media management system's analytical and reporting functionalities. As a result, EI-related client traffic on social media platforms has been steadily increasing, reflecting a growing demand for timely, accessible information through these channels.

AppliWeb

AppliWeb is the online tool EI claimants can use at any time to submit applications. Claimants can access AppliWeb from anywhere offering internet access, including in SCCs. Information shared by claimants is automatically transferred to their EI files and used to support claim processing automation.^{Footnote 8}

In 2024-25, 98.2% of EI applications were submitted online using AppliWeb.

Text description

In 2024-25, 98.2% of EI applications were submitted online using AppliWeb

For more on AppliWeb, consult Annex 4.3.3a.

Electronic reporting

Every 2 weeks, claimants must complete EI reports and provide responses to a series of questions. Their answers confirm their ongoing entitlement to benefits.

Electronic reports can be completed using the telephone reporting service or the internet reporting service. While both services are simple, secure, and always available, the internet reporting service offers additional electronic questionnaires. Instead of having to contact the call centre, claimants are prompted to provide supplemental information directly in their online reports. The information is instantly transferred to their EI file and may result in faster payment processing for claimants.

In 2024-25, the internet reporting service remained the preferred reporting method for EI at 86.8%. The remaining 13.2% of reports were completed by telephone.

Text description

Fiscal year	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
Percentage of EI reports completed online	90.7	86.6	84.7	85.9	86.8
Percentage of EI reports completed on the phone	9.3	13.4	15.3	14.1	13.2

My Service Canada Account

My Service Canada Account (MSCA) is a secure online portal that can be accessed through Canada.ca and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This portal contributes to Service Canada’s ability to deliver accessible, accurate, and timely services. MSCA allows users to view and update their information for EI as well as for other government programs.

Using MSCA, EI claimants can:

• check the status of their claims and transactions, including payment information
• receive information from Service Canada about their EI claim
• view previous EI claim information
• view and print their T4E tax slip and their electronic records of employment
• upload supporting documents for their EI claim and also view and print their uploaded documents
• view and print an electronic copy of many of the EI decision letters sent to them by mail

The EI services on MSCA are promoted through Canada.ca, on AppliWeb, via the EI Call Centre, and in communications sent to claimants.

For more information on MSCA, consult Annexes 4.3.3b–c.

Enhancement of document upload for EI claimants

Every year, the EI program receives millions of paper documents, by mail or in person, at Service Canada Centres. Staff must manually sort and enter these documents into EI files.

Since 2021, claimants can electronically submit supporting documents directly to their EI files using AppliWeb or MSCA. The document upload tool:

• is a simpler and faster alternative for claimants
• allows documents to be immediately viewable in the file without manual intervention from staff

Text description

Documents accepted electronically for EI

• Medical documentation
• Proof of employment
• Proof of authorization to work in Canada
• Proof of identity
• Documentation related to pregnancy, parental leave, and preventive withdrawal
• Teaching and self-employment documentation
• Third-party authorization

Claimants can upload supporting documents directly to AppliWeb when submitting an EI application online. They can also upload other documents requested at any time using MSCA.

• * Erratum: The numbers of "claimants who have used Document Upload" and "documents uploaded" provided in the 2023-24 EI Monitoring and Assessment Report mistakenly included uploads made internally through another EI processing system.

On March 16, 2024, the AppliWeb instructions were updated to clarify when claimants need to provide supporting documents for their claim (such as medical certificates). This update aimed to reduce the number of unnecessary documents being uploaded which causes additional work. In 2024-25, the number of documents uploaded to AppliWeb decreased by over 30%.

Online Security

After its launch in 2020-21, multi-factor authentication was made mandatory for all MSCA users in 2021-22. This security measure remains in place in 2024-25 and continues to help to protect users’ personal information and prevent unauthorized access to MSCA.

Online accessibility

In 2024-25, ESDC continues to provide online standards using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 for Web accessibility, this includes:

• top-level AAA features for Accessibility Standards on the web
• continuous work with the blind and visually impaired community on improvements to the Job Bank mobile app
• voice-based services as an assistive technology
  • publishing voice-ready content onto Canada.ca
  • search engine optimization for voice content

Electronic records of employment

Service Canada encourages employers to issue electronic records of employment (eROEs) through the ROE Web application as it offers many advantages, including:

• no need for employers to order, fill, and send paper ROEs
• no need for employees to provide their paper ROEs to Service Canada
• instant transfer of information to EI files
• reduction of errors from the manual input of paper ROEs

In 2024-25, 42,450 employers registered for ROE Web, maintaining strong engagement comparable to 42,559 in 2023-24. By the end of 2024-25, total employer registrations reached 607,677, up from 577,532 the previous year. Since 2022-23, more than 98% of ROEs are issued electronically, demonstrating widespread adoption of ROE Web among employers and the ongoing shift toward efficient digital service delivery.

For more on eROEs, consult Annexes 4.4.1b–c.

Artificial intelligence to review records of employment

When issuing ROEs for their employees, many employers include text comments to provide additional information. When screening the ROEs, the claim automation process stops when these added comments are detected. Staff must then review and process the comments manually.

In 2020, Service Canada started using an AI model to process employer comments on ROEs. The AI model reduces the need for human intervention and supports claim processing automation.

The AI model is updated periodically to ensure it operates effectively. Its most recent version was implemented in January 2024. In 2024-25, the use of the AI model led to a reduction of 30.7% in the number of work items^{Footnote 9} that otherwise would have required processing by EI officers. The AI model achieved an accuracy rate of 99.6%^{Footnote 10} in 2024-25.

Claims pending review

Service Canada regularly receives new information regarding EI claims that have already been processed. Officers then review the information and determine if the claims require any changes. Due to increased claim volumes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department focused on processing new claims to ensure claimants were receiving timely benefits. As a result, fewer officers had been assigned to the processing of claims pending review, significantly increasing inventories in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Managing claims pending review is challenging. These claims are more complex to process, require fully trained and highly experienced staff, and offer few possibilities for automation.

In 2022-23, the Department implemented a multi-year strategy to reduce the inventory of claims pending review to a sustainable level and to improve its capacity to meet service standards. Building on the progress made on workforce productivity and efficient workload management during the first 2 years of the strategy, the Department achieved its goal of returning to targeted sustainable inventory levels in 2024-25.

• * A work item is a task to be completed by an EI officer on a claim. There may be several work items associated with a single EI claim.

Now that the workload has returned to manageable levels and most officers are skilled and trained to handle most tasks related to EI claims, the Department is better prepared to respond quickly to client needs and meet service standards.

Hiring and training

After 2 years of hiring new officers for EI processing and providing intensive training as part of the multi-year strategy, 2024-25 was a year for stabilizing the workforce:

• no new officers were hired
• attrition and turnover rates continued to decline
• the proportion of experienced officers continued to increase

Text description

Date	On March 31, 2021	On March 31, 2022	On March 31, 2023	On March 31, 2024	On March 31, 2025
0–12 months of EI experience	887 (28.0%)	1,414 (45.1%)	2,160 (50.0%)	1,015 (23.7%)	511 (12.7%)
More than 12 months of EI experience	2,281 (72.0%)	1,728 (54.9%)	2,160 (50.0%)	3,266 (78.3%)	3,507 (87.3%)

The training program for EI processing officers is comprised of multiple modules staggered over time. The format is designed to:

• manage efficient onboarding and training of officers
• remain flexible in the face of legislative changes
• support managers’ plans for future hiring needs

New officers must go through extensive training, and it takes up to 2 years before they are able to perform all the duties of an EI processing officer. The number of EI officers trained to process complex claims pending review tripled within 2 years, from 681 on March 31, 2023, to 2,038 on March 31, 2025.

Integrated Workload and Workforce

ESDC continues to advance integrated workload strategies and initiatives that optimize the workforce and improve service delivery. In 2022-23, the Department implemented the Integrated Workload and Workforce (IWW) model. This model includes initiatives that integrate the work of call centre and processing officers to better plan and manage workload peaks.

Within the IWW model, officers are assigned where they are needed most: answering the phone during busy periods or processing EI claims. Officers are trained to provide both call-taking and processing activities, enabling them to complete more work on behalf of the claimant and increasing first-contact resolution. IWW initiatives lead to more efficient services for claimants.

• * A work item is a task to be completed by an EI officer on a claim. There may be several work items associated with a single EI claim.

In 2024-25, additional officers were trained and upskilled as part of the IWW model, increasing the workforce capable of handling both calls and processing related activities.

Claimant error rate

This fiscal year, the monetary impact of claimant errors was estimated at 3.8% of total EI payout. While a small number of the errors identified were based on information available to the department when the claim was initially established, most claimant errors were identified through additional fact-finding completed by the Quality Services team and occurred while the claimant was in receipt of benefits.

These errors typically involve clients incorrectly reporting earnings while in receipt of benefits, or failing to declare the refusal of a job, quitting a job, or being dismissed from a job. Service Canada remains actively engaged in exploring strategies to identify ways to reduce the frequency of these issues.

Employer error rate

Employer errors were estimated to account for 0.6% of total EI payout in 2024-25. These errors typically result from incorrect information reported by the employer on the ROE, such as the number of hours worked, insured earnings, or dates of employment. Such inaccuracies can lead to incorrect claim start dates or miscalculations of entitlement weeks and benefit rates.

To identify employer errors, PAAR reviewers validate all ROEs used to establish claims of files included in the EI PAAR sample with the employers. Electronic ROEs reduce the occurrence of errors and represent approximately 98% of the ROEs validated through the PAAR process. The department continues to analyze employer errors to better understand their causes, assess their financial impact, and explore ways to prevent them.

Service Canada error rate

Errors attributed to Service Canada processing staff were estimated to account for 2.3% of total EI payout in 2024-25. While the types of Service Canada errors vary from year to year, two consistently recurring errors have been identified in the EI PAAR: 

• failing to obtain additional information from the employer or the client when the information provided is missing or unclear
• non-compliance—these are situations where the decision does not comply with the EI Act, Regulations, and operational policies

The EI Quality Council is actively engaged with its EI partners, working to implement solutions that improve policies, procedures, and tools, with the goal of effectively mitigating the error rate.

Regular and group appeals

The SST manages and tracks EI appeals in 2 categories:

• regular appeals
  • An appeal that is not a part of a group is considered a regular appeal
• group appeals
  • Group appeals usually arise from a single employment situation that affects many people
  • Group appeals are more complex and require more time to complete than regular appeals

Volume of appeals

In 2024-25, the General Division, EI section received 3,908 appeals (including 95 files that were part of group appeals) and concluded 4,272 appeals (including 135 files that were part of group appeals). This resulted in a decrease in inventory from 963 active appeals (including 134 files that were part of group appeals) in March 2024, to 599 active appeals (including 94 files that were part of group appeals) in March 2025. For more information, consult Annex 4.6.2a.

Service standards, performance, and appellant satisfaction

Experience surveys indicate that in 2024-25, overall satisfaction for EI appellants was at 91% (down from 96% in 2023-24), with a 22% response rate and a margin of error of ± 3.5%; 19 times out of 20.

The General Division, EI section has the following service standards:

• decisions are made within 45 days from when an appeal is filed with the SST, 80% of the time
  • For 2024-25, the SST met this goal 47.6% of the time (up from 14.1% in 2023-24), with an average processing time of 55.4 days (down from 108.0 days in 2023-24)
  • When including group appeals, the SST met this goal 46% of the time, with an average processing time of 65.4 days
  • Through 2024-25, the SST steadily improved this standard, from 35.7% (59.4 days) in April 2024 to 80.2% (37.3 days) in March 2025 (excluding group appeals) 

Text description

Month of the 2024-25 fiscal year	Apr 2024	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024	Aug 2024	Sep 2024	Oct 2024	Nov 2024	Dec 2024	Jan 2025	Feb 2025	Mar 2025
Percentage of time decisions were made within 45 days	35.7	30.7	29.9	38.2	38.6	39.4	44.6	47.7	60.0	60.2	73.7	80.2

For more information on decisions issued 45 days following an appeal, consult Annex 4.6.2b.

• Decisions are made within 15 days of the hearing, 80% of the time
  • For 2024-25, the SST met this goal 75.6% of the time (up from 66.6% in 2023-24), averaging 12.2 days to issue a decision after the hearing compared with 17.9 days in 2023-24
    • When including group appeals, the SST met this goal 75.2% of the time, averaging 12.8 days to issue a decision after the hearing
  • Through 2024-25, the SST steadily improved this standard from 72.6% in April 2024 to 77.9% in March 2025 (excluding group appeals)

Text description

Month of the 2024-25 fiscal year	Apr 2024	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024	Aug 2024	Sep 2024	Oct 2024	Nov 2024	Dec 2024	Jan 2025	Feb 2025	Mar 2025
Percentage of time decisions were made within 15 days of a hearing	72.6	75.5	68.8	76.5	79.5	73.1	74.4	72.6	78.7	76.9	81.0	77.9

For more information on decisions issued within 15 days of a hearing, consult Annex 4.6.2c–d.

Appeal issues at the General Division, EI Section

In 2024-25, the General Division, EI section concluded appeals that examined a range of issues. The most common issues are indicated in chart 11, below:

Text description

Most common issues in appeals concluded at the General Division, EI Section in 2024-25	Percentage
Disqualification for misconduct or quit	32.3
Availability (disentitlement to benefits)	19.9
Benefit periods	14.8
Earnings, allocation, and deductions from benefits	10.7
Qualifying for benefits	6.4
Special benefits	5.3
Penalties and warnings	4.8
EI ERB Part VII.4	4.8
Other disentitlements	4.0
Late reconsiderations	3.0
Payment of benefits	2.2

Outcomes at the General Division, EI section

In 2024-25, at the General Division, EI section, 39.5% of appeals were allowed, 53.2% were dismissed, 4.4% were withdrawn, 1.9% were late appeals that were denied, and 1.0% were concluded for other reasons.

Text description

Outcome	% Share
Merit dismissed	53.2
Allowed	39.5
Withdrawals	4.4
Late appeal denied	1.9
Appeals concluded for other reasons	1

• Note:
  Merit dismissed – decision not in the appellant’s favour
  Allowed – decision is in the appellant’s favour
  Withdrawal – appellant either withdraws or abandons the appeal
  Late appeal denied – the Tribunal refuses the appeal filed beyond the 30-day deadline
  Appeal concluded for other reason(s) – administrative closure

Service standards and performance

The Appeal Division has the following service standards for EI files:

• leave to appeal decisions are made within 45 days of filing, 80% of the time
  • For 2024-25, the SST met this goal 92.0% of the time, which is up from 23.5% in 2023-24, with an average processing time of 21.1 days (down from 67.2 days in 2023-24)
  • Through 2024-25, the SST improved this standard from 69.6% in April 2024 to 100% in March 2025

Text description

Month of the 2024-25 fiscal year	Apr 2024	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024	Aug 2024	Sep 2024	Oct 2024	Nov 2024	Dec 2024	Jan 2025	Feb 2025	Mar 2025
Percentage of time leave to appeal decisions are made within 45 days of filing	70	77	93	89	91	100	98	100	98	100	98	100

For more information on leave to appeal decisions within 45 days of filing, consult Annex 4.6.2f.

• Final decisions are made within 150 days from the date that permission to appeal was given, 80% of the time
  • For 2024-25, the SST met this goal 90.2% of the time (up from 81.1% in 2023-24), with an average processing time of 91.6 days (down from 113.3 days in 2023-24)

Text description

Month of the 2024-25 fiscal year	Apr 2024	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024	Aug 2024	Sep 2024	Oct 2024	Nov 2024	Dec 2024	Jan 2025	Feb 2025	Mar 2025
Percentage of time final decision are made within 150 days from permission to appeal at the Appeal Division	100	95	100	75	71	100	81	96	88	100	92	88

For more information on final decisions within 150 days of permission to appeal, consult Annex 4.6.2g.

• Final decisions are sent within 60 days of the hearing, 80% of the time
  • For 2024-25, the SST met this goal 88.5% of the time, with an average processing time of 29.6 days. The SST introduced this service standard in April 2024

Text description

Month of the 2024-25 fiscal year	Apr 2024	May 2024	Jun 2024	Jul 2024	Aug 2024	Sep 2024	Oct 2024	Nov 2024	Dec 2024	Jan 2025	Feb 2025	Mar 2025
Percentage of final decisions made within 60 days of a hearing at the Appeal Division	92	86	100	74	77	91	100	94	70	100	80	93

Alternative dispute resolution at the Appeal Division

The Appeal Division may bring the parties together for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) when there is a reasonable expectation that the appeal can be resolved informally, without a hearing. For 2024-25, 5.6% (39) of concluded Appeal Division EI cases went through the ADR process. Of these cases, 61.5% (24) were resolved by ADR.

Outcomes at the Appeal Division

In 2024-25, at the Appeal Division, EI section, 17.6% of EI cases were allowed, 4.2% were agreements between parties accepted, 9.3% were dismissed, 9.6% were withdrawn, 54.6% were denied permission to appeal, 3.3% were denied late appeals, and 1.4% were concluded for other reasons.

Text description

Outcome	% Share
Leave to appeal denied	54.6
Allowed	2.9
Merit dismissals	9.3
Withdrawals	9.6
Late appeal denied	3.3
Appeals concluded for other reasons	1.4

• Note:
  Merit dismissal – decision unfavourable to the appellant
  Leave to appeal denied – the Appeal Division denies permission to appeal
  Appeal allowed – decision is in the appellant’s favour
  Withdrawal – appellant withdraws the appeal
  Late appeal denied – the Appeal Division refuses the appeal filed beyond the 30-day deadline
  Appeal concluded for other reason(s) – administrative closure