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Employment Insurance (EI) Program statistics

All data is updated weekly and is current as of January 10, 2021.

Week of January 4 first-time beneficiaries

28,050

Active beneficiaries

2,115,880

Total gross dollars since September 27, 2020

11.56 billion

Notes:

  1. A first time beneficiary is an individual receiving an EI payment for the first time since the COVID emergency benefits began on March 15, 2020 and that has not received any COVID-19 benefits.
  2. Active beneficiaries are individuals currently receiving EI payments.
  3. Total gross dollars begins on September 27, 2020 as that was the date the EI program reverted back to its' pre-CERB operations.
Table 1: EI application processing
Employment Insurance (EI) program Week starting on January 4, 2020 Cumulative from September 27, 2020
Registered applications 162,380 3,050,270
Processed applications 162,100 2,924,360
Claims established (approved applications) 141,250 2,501,360
Beneficiaries Not applicable 2,645,760
Notes for table 1
  1. A registered application removes unnecessary duplicate requests for EI benefits that some individuals submit. It represents actual requests for EI benefits and initiates the process of determining EI eligibility and entitlement.
  2. A processed application represents the adjudication of a registered application that results in an initial decision. Every registered application will be adjudicated; however, high volumes can cause a processing backlog where an application registered in one week is not processed until a subsequet week.
  3. A claim established is a processed application with a decision to pay the claim as it met the criteria of the EI Program. As not all processed applications meet the EI program criteria, the number of claims established will be less than the number of processed applications.
  4. A beneficiary is someone who receives at least 1 payment. To receive EI payments, a beneficiary must file their bi-weekly report. Each bi-weekly filing enables up to 2 weeks of EI payments in arrears depending on the content of the filing. An individual who never files their bi-weekly report will not receive a payment and therefore will not become a beneficiary. As payments are 2 weeks in arrears, the last completed EI week will never show any beneficiaries.
  5. This data is operational in nature and will fluctuate over time. In any given week, the number of registered applications and processed applications will not equal each other due to timing and volume.
  6. Cumulative totals begin on September 27, 2020 as that was the date the EI program reverted back to its' pre-CERB operations and when the new Canada Recovery Benefits started.
  7. All numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.
Table 2: EI benefits
EI benefits Active benefits Cumulative benefits from September 27, 2020
Beneficiaries Benefit (millions of dollars) Beneficiaries Benefit (millions of dollars)
Regular 1,823,620 9,052.38 2,051,720 9,291.16
Sickness 93,350 396.08 116,930 429.62
Fishing 14,220 62.13 18,980 116.08
Maternity and parental 176,060 2,205.87 228,510 1,226.37
Caregiving benefits and leave 6,540 39.86 9,340 39.89
Self employed 620 5.56 770 3.39
Emergency Response Benefit (delivered by Service Canada) - ended 3,000 12.50 900,790 453.56
Total 2,115,880 11,774.39 2,645,760 11,560.07
Notes for table 2
  1. A beneficiary is someone who receives at least 1 payment.
  2. Active benefits represent individuals currently receiving EI payments. Their corresponding benefit ($) represent all gross dollars paid over the life of the claim.
  3. Beneficiaries can move between EI benefits over time. For example, a beneficiary who is on maternity could move to caregiving benefits for the next benefit period to care for a family member. Regardless of which benefit a beneficiary moves to, they are only eligible to receive one EI benefit type in the same period. As a result, beneficiary totals are recalculated to derive a unique count of beneficiaries across all benefits and over time.
  4. All beneficiary counts are rounded to the nearest 10. Values between 1 and 20 are displayed as 20 to protect the privacy of small populations.
  5. Benefit ($) represents the gross amount paid, rounded to the nearest thousand. These amounts do not include tax withholds. EI withholds tax at source for all EI benefits except for the emergency response benefit.
Table 3: EI beneficiary count for active beneficiaries by province/territory and age group
Provinces and territories Under 25 25 to 34 years 35 to 44 years 45 to 54 years 55 to 64 years 65 and Older Total
Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage
Newfoundland and Labrador 6,840 9.6% 11,980 16.9% 12,040 17.0% 15,180 21.4% 18,450 26.0% 6,400 9.0% 70,890 3.4%
Prince Edward Island 3,480 18.3% 3,690 19.3% 2,950 15.4% 3,050 16.0% 3,890 20.4% 2,020 10.6% 19,090 0.9%
Nova Scotia 8,510 11.5% 18,040 24.3% 13,690 18.4% 13,330 18.0% 15,250 20.5% 5,450 7.3% 74,270 3.5%
New Brunswick 13,270 16.1% 16,030 19.4% 13,830 16.7% 15,030 18.2% 18,460 22.4% 5,970 7.2% 82,580 3.9%
Quebec 60,490 12.2% 106,700 21.6% 96,420 19.5% 88,540 17.9% 106,660 21.6% 36,010 7.3% 494,820 23.4%
Ontario 95,630 13.2% 208,220 28.7% 147,100 20.3% 117,090 16.1% 119,020 16.4% 38,420 5.3% 725,470 34.3%
Manitoba 13,230 17.6% 21,610 28.7% 14,900 19.8% 11,240 14.9% 10,650 14.1% 3,660 4.9% 75,280 3.6%
Saskatchewan 7,360 13.2% 16,950 30.4% 11,790 21.1% 8,400 15.1% 8,130 14.6% 3,170 5.7% 55,800 2.6%
Alberta 36,760 13.6% 77,720 28.7% 61,240 22.6% 43,300 16.0% 39,550 14.6% 11,870 4.4% 270,450 12.8%
British Columbia 27,530 11.4% 66,490 27.6% 51,190 21.2% 39,390 16.3% 41,630 17.3% 14,740 6.1% 240,970 11.4%
Yukon 230 10.0% 700 31.1% 520 23.1% 320 14.0% 360 15.8% 140 6.0% 2,260 0.1%
Northwest Territories 240 10.2% 750 31.1% 520 21.6% 410 17.1% 390 16.1% 90 3.9% 2,390 0.1%
Nunavut 160 15.3% 360 34.2% 240 22.4% 180 16.9% 100 9.3% 20 1.9% 1,050 0.0%
Not applicable 20 3.8% 210 35.5% 200 34.1% 80 13.7% 60 9.5% 20 3.5% 580 0.0%
Total 273,750 12.9% 549,420 26.0% 426,620 20.2% 355,550 16.8% 382,580 18.1% 127,980 6.0% 2,115,880 100.0%
Table 4: EI gross benefit dollars for active beneficiaries by province/territory and age group
Provinces and territories Under 25 25 to 34 years 35 to 44 years 45 to 54 years 55 to 64 years 65 and Older Total
Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage
Newfoundland and Labrador 35.46 9.5% 72.57 19.4% 64.81 17.3% 72.87 19.5% 93.11 24.9% 34.85 9.3% 373.67 3.2%
Prince Edward Island 18.76 18.8% 22.67 22.7% 16.07 16.1% 14.22 14.2% 18.33 18.3% 9.92 9.9% 99.97 0.8%
Nova Scotia 43.59 10.6% 115.56 28.1% 81.19 19.8% 66.35 16.2% 75.51 18.4% 28.54 6.9% 410.73 3.5%
New Brunswick 73.59 17.1% 98.75 22.9% 72.79 16.9% 68.60 15.9% 86.44 20.0% 30.96 7.2% 431.13 3.7%
Quebec 262.22 12.0% 456.32 20.9% 413.75 19.0% 387.23 17.8% 478.53 21.9% 182.80 8.4% 2,180.86 18.5%
Ontario 475.87 11.0% 1,448.46 33.4% 988.72 22.8% 597.19 13.8% 613.46 14.2% 209.75 4.8% 4,333.45 36.8%
Manitoba 63.52 14.8% 145.65 34.0% 91.76 21.4% 55.34 12.9% 52.54 12.3% 19.68 4.6% 428.49 3.6%
Saskatchewan 39.62 11.3% 127.29 36.4% 76.51 21.9% 44.75 12.8% 43.63 12.5% 17.65 5.1% 349.45 3.0%
Alberta 178.59 10.8% 539.65 32.8% 395.26 24.0% 238.64 14.5% 224.76 13.6% 69.79 4.2% 1,646.69 14.0%
British Columbia 142.85 9.7% 464.18 31.4% 352.13 23.8% 211.52 14.3% 223.44 15.1% 82.97 5.6% 1,477.10 12.5%
Yukon 1.15 8.0% 4.94 34.4% 3.68 25.6% 1.78 12.4% 2.05 14.3% 0.77 5.4% 14.37 0.1%
Northwest Territories 1.48 9.0% 5.79 35.1% 3.88 23.5% 2.45 14.9% 2.28 13.8% 0.62 3.7% 16.49 0.1%
Nunavut 1.11 14.4% 2.96 38.3% 1.79 23.2% 1.18 15.2% 0.60 7.7% 0.09 1.1% 7.72 0.1%
Not applicable 0.10 2.3% 1.59 37.1% 1.59 37.3% 0.55 12.8% 0.36 8.4% 0.09 2.0% 4.27 0.0%
Total 1,337.90 11.4% 3,506.36 29.8% 2,563.94 21.8% 1,762.67 15.0% 1,915.04 16.3% 688.47 5.8% 11,774.39 100.0%
Table 5: EI beneficiary count for active beneficiaries by province/territory and gender
Provinces and territories Female gender Male gender Gender diverse Total
Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage Beneficiaries Percentage
Newfoundland and Labrador 29,520 41.6% 41,350 58.3% 20 0.0% 70,890 3.4%
Prince Edward Island 8,620 45.1% 10,450 54.8% 20 0.1% 19,090 0.9%
Nova Scotia 34,180 46.0% 40,010 53.9% 80 0.1% 74,270 3.5%
New Brunswick 37,770 45.7% 44,770 54.2% 40 0.0% 82,580 3.9%
Quebec 201,710 40.8% 292,860 59.2% 250 0.0% 494,820 23.4%
Ontario 400,530 55.2% 324,440 44.7% 500 0.1% 725,470 34.3%
Manitoba 38,520 51.2% 36,690 48.7% 70 0.1% 75,280 3.6%
Saskatchewan 25,810 46.2% 29,960 53.7% 40 0.1% 55,800 2.6%
Alberta 133,720 49.4% 136,560 50.5% 170 0.1% 270,450 12.8%
British Columbia 131,500 54.6% 109,260 45.3% 210 0.1% 240,970 11.4%
Yukon 1,070 47.2% 1,180 51.9% 20 0.9% 2,270 0.1%
Northwest Territories 1,030 42.5% 1,370 56.7% 20 0.8% 2,410 0.1%
Nunavut 510 48.5% 540 51.5%   0.0% 1,040 0.0%
Not applicable 190 33.5% 380 66.5%   0.0% 570 0.0%
Total 1,044,680 49.4% 1,069,820 50.6% 1,430 0.1% 2,115,880 100.0%
Table 6: EI gross benefit dollars for active beneficiaries by province/territory and gender
Provinces and territories Female gender Male gender Gender diverse Total
Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage Benefit (millions of dollars) Percentage
Newfoundland and Labrador 170.19 45.5% 203.40 54.4% 0.09 0.0% 373.67 3.2%
Prince Edward Island 49.26 49.3% 50.62 50.6% 0.08 0.1% 99.97 0.8%
Nova Scotia 209.03 50.9% 201.31 49.0% 0.39 0.1% 410.73 3.5%
New Brunswick 213.34 49.5% 217.56 50.5% 0.23 0.1% 431.13 3.7%
Quebec 966.04 44.3% 1,213.69 55.7% 1.13 0.1% 2,180.86 18.5%
Ontario 2,691.00 62.1% 1,639.83 37.8% 2.62 0.1% 4,333.45 36.8%
Manitoba 247.01 57.6% 181.12 42.3% 0.35 0.1% 428.49 3.6%
Saskatchewan 190.73 54.6% 158.52 45.4% 0.20 0.1% 349.45 3.0%
Alberta 909.72 55.2% 736.09 44.7% 0.88 0.1% 1,646.69 14.0%
British Columbia 897.80 60.8% 578.15 39.1% 1.15 0.1% 1,477.10 12.5%
Yukon 7.96 55.4% 6.39 44.5% 0.02 0.1% 14.37 0.1%
Northwest Territories 8.51 51.6% 7.98 48.4% 0.01 0.0% 16.49 0.1%
Nunavut 4.36 56.4% 3.36 43.6%   0.0% 7.72 0.1%
Not applicable 1.80 42.1% 2.47 57.9%   0.0% 4.27 0.0%
Total 6,566.74 55.8% 5,200.49 44.2% 7.16 0.1% 11,774.39 100.0%
Notes for table 3, 4, 5, and 6
  1. A beneficiary is someone who receives at least 1 payment.
  2. All beneficiary counts are rounded to the nearest 10. Values between 1 and 20 are displayed as 20 to protect the privacy of small populations. Rounding may cause a small difference between the calculated total and the sum of the individual beneficiary cell values.
  3. Benefit ($) represents the gross amount paid, rounded to the nearest thousand. These amounts do not include tax withhold. EI withholds tax at source for all EI benefits except for the emergency response benefit. Rounding may cause a small difference between the calculated total and the sum of individual benefit ($) cell values.
  4. The column 'Gender diverse' represents beneficiaries whose gender is either non-binary or not disclosed.
  5. Province and Territory of 'Not applicable' is used when a beneficiary provides an address outside of Canada. While the EI program requires individuals to reside inside Canada to qualify, some individuals may be currently out of the country on a temporary basis, or working in Canada on a temporary basis. For example:
    • a student who is temporarily abroad
    • someone temporarily working abroad, or
    • temporary worker who has fallen ill but their home address is in another country
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