The Real-time Payroll feasibility study
About the study
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is leading the two-year Real-time Payroll study. The study examines whether payroll information generated through employers' regular payroll activities can be used in place of certain information employers currently provide to support Employment Insurance (EI) administration.
The study will also explore the broader potential of payroll information to support income reporting across government. This will help us understand whether other programs that rely on income information could benefit from payroll data, while creating no additional reporting requirements for employers.
Our goal is to reduce administrative burden for employers while maintaining accurate and timely EI services for Canadians. The study will not change EI legislation, regulations, reporting requirements, claims, or payments. No live EI claims will be affected.
Why we are doing the study
Employers already generate payroll information as part of their regular payroll activities. Today, employers must provide a Record of Employment (ROE) and may also be required to provide additional information to support EI administration. This can require employers to provide the same information more than once and respond to additional requests for information. We are studying whether payroll information already available in employers' systems can be used to support EI administration while reducing employer burden and maintaining accurate EI benefits for Canadians.
What information we are studying
The study focuses on payroll information relevant to ESDC's responsibilities under the Employment Insurance Act.
This may include information such as:
- insurable earnings
- hours of insurable employment
- employment-related payroll information used to administer EI
The study does not require employers to collect new information. It is examining how information already generated through normal payroll activities could potentially support program administration.
Working with employers and payroll providers
We are engaging employers, payroll service providers, software vendors and other partners across Canada. These organizations may be invited to participate in study activities that will contribute to the study's findings. Participation is voluntary and intended solely to support the study's research objectives. Employer participation will help us better understand operational impacts, technical requirements and opportunities to reduce reporting burden.
How this study relates to ePayroll
The Real-time Payroll study builds on research and engagement conducted through the Government of Canada's ePayroll initiative. Between 2021 and 2024, federal departments worked with employers, payroll service providers, software vendors, Indigenous organizations and other stakeholders to explore opportunities to modernize payroll and income reporting. That work examined how payroll information could support more efficient program administration, reduce reporting burden and improve service delivery. Lessons learned through those consultations and research activities informed the design of the Real-time Payroll study. While ePayroll explored broader approaches to payroll and income reporting across government, the Real-time Payroll study focuses on Employment and Social Development Canada's responsibilities for Employment Insurance administration.
How we will use the results
The study will generate evidence to help ESDC assess whether payroll information generated through employers' regular payroll activities can be used in place of certain information employers currently provide to support EI administration, and what would be required to support such an approach. While EI administration is the primary focus of the study, the findings will also help assess whether payroll information could be used by other government programs that rely on income information. The results will help the Government of Canada better understand the broader potential use of payroll information to improve program administration and inform future discussions on income reporting across government. The study does not assume or require any future changes to Employment Insurance or other government programs.
Contact us
Email the Real-time Payroll Secretariat: ESDC.NC-RTP.PDO-BLP.PTR.NC.ESDC@servicecanada.gc.ca