Lori Meadows
University students may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in Canada if they meet certain criteria. To receive EI benefits, individuals must typically be unemployed, willing to work, and actively seeking employment. Full-time students who are also employed may be eligible for EI benefits if they have enough insurable hours. However, as of August 5, 2021, students approved by Service Canada are not required to be available for or looking for work while attending school. Additionally, long-tenured workers who have received limited EI benefits in the past five years and meet specific payment criteria may be eligible for EI while pursuing their studies. Students must declare their training and provide proof of enrollment, and they may need permission from their provincial or territorial government to receive EI benefits while in school.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Must be unemployed, able and willing to work, and actively looking for suitable employment |
| Full-time student | Must have enough insurable hours |
| Training | Must declare that you are taking training when you apply for EI benefits |
| Long-tenured worker | Must have received fewer than 36 weeks of EI benefits in the last 5 years and paid at least 30% of the maximum EI annual premium in 7 of the last 10 years |
| Financial resources | Must be able to pay for all training costs, including tuition and books |
| Approval | Must be approved by Service Canada |
| Availability | Must be available for work and looking for work while at school |
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What You'll Learn
Full-time student status
Generally, full-time students are not eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. This is because full-time students are not available for full-time work and they are classified as either full-time students or full-time workers, even if they can manage to do both.
However, there have been exceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, where Service Canada approved all school/training programs until September of the following year. Additionally, some students have reported receiving EI while enrolled in full-time studies, with some sources suggesting that taking a low number of courses may allow for EI eligibility. Furthermore, students with long-tenured work experience and fewer than 35 weeks of EI payments over the last five years may be granted permission from Service Canada to receive EI while studying.
Students who qualify for EI benefits and wish to continue receiving them while attending school full-time must seek approval from their respective authorities, such as Alberta Seniors, Community, and Social Services (SCSS) in Alberta, Canada, before their studies commence.
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EI eligibility criteria
To be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, you must be unemployed, able and actively looking for suitable employment. If you are taking training, you must declare it and prove that you are willing to work and continue looking for a job. If you are taking full-time training, you may need to get permission from your provincial or territorial government to continue receiving EI benefits.
As of August 5, 2018, if Service Canada approves your request, you will not have to be available for work or look for work while at school. To be eligible, you must meet specific criteria: you must be receiving or be eligible to receive EI regular benefits, and you must be a long-tenured worker. A long-tenured worker is someone who has received fewer than 36 weeks of EI regular and/or fishing benefits in the last 5 years and has paid at least 30% of the maximum EI annual premium in 7 of the last 10 years.
You must also choose a program offered by an approved educational institution located in Canada, which can be found on the lists of Designated Educational Institutions or Certified Educational Institutions. It is important to note that each educational institution decides what is considered a full-time program. You should request permission before the course or training program start date so you can continue to receive EI benefits.
In addition, you must have the financial resources to pay for all training costs, including tuition and books. If you are taking training, you must declare it when you apply for EI benefits through your My Service Canada Account (MSCA), directly with an agent, or when completing your EI reports. If you are requesting permission to take full-time training, you must complete the Training Course Information questionnaire and submit it using MSCA or mail it to your local Service Canada Centre.
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Declaring training
As a general rule, to be entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, you must show that you are unemployed, able and willing to work, and actively looking for suitable employment. If you are taking training on your own initiative, you must declare your training and prove that you are still able and willing to work and are continuing to look for a job to continue receiving EI benefits. You must be ready to make arrangements to work if you receive a job offer and adjust or cancel your training plans if necessary.
There are a few ways to declare that you are taking training. You can do so when you apply for EI benefits via your profile on your My Service Canada Account (MSCA), directly with an agent on the phone or in person, or when you complete your EI reports online or by phone. Additionally, you must complete the Training Course Information questionnaire and submit it using your MSCA or by mailing or delivering it to your local Service Canada Centre.
If you are taking full-time training, you may need to request permission from Service Canada or your provincial or territorial government to continue receiving EI benefits. This permission should be requested before the course start date. As of August 5, 2018, if your request is approved, you will not have to be available for or looking for work during your training. To be eligible for permission, you must meet specific criteria, including being a long-tenured worker and receiving or being eligible to receive EI regular benefits.
It is important to note that if you received permission to take training but quit or stop attending without a valid reason, you may no longer be eligible for EI benefits. Additionally, some students have reported issues with receiving EI benefits while attending university or college, with changes to programs leaving some students without funding.
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Financial resources
As a general rule, to be entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits, you must show that you are unemployed, able and willing to work, and actively looking for employment. If you are taking training, you must declare it when you apply for EI benefits. If you decide to take training on your own, you must declare your training and prove that you are still able and willing to work and are continuing to look for a job to continue receiving EI benefits.
If you are a full-time student with enough insurable hours to get EI, you can request permission from Service Canada to take full-time training when you apply for benefits. You should request permission before the course or training program start date so you can continue to receive EI benefits. If your request is approved, you will no longer have to be available for or looking for work during your training.
To be eligible for student financial assistance, you must meet the following criteria:
- You must be receiving or be eligible to receive EI regular benefits or fishing benefits.
- You must be a long-tenured worker, which means you have received fewer than 36 weeks of EI regular and/or fishing benefits in the last 5 years, and paid at least 30% of the maximum EI annual premium in 7 of the last 10 years.
- You must choose a program offered by an approved educational institution located in Canada.
It is important to note that some university students have reported being denied EI benefits, and there may be additional factors or requirements that determine eligibility. It is always a good idea to check with the relevant government department or service to ensure you meet all the necessary criteria.
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EI claims
Students in Canada can receive Employment Insurance (EI) benefits while attending university or college. However, there are certain criteria that must be met to be eligible for EI benefits. Firstly, students must be receiving or be eligible to receive EI regular benefits or fishing benefits. This means that they must be unemployed, able and willing to work, and actively looking for suitable employment. Additionally, students must be considered full-time students by their educational institution and must have received fewer than 36 weeks of EI regular and/or fishing benefits in the last 5 years. They must also have paid at least 30% of the maximum EI annual premium in 7 of the last 10 years.
If students meet the eligibility criteria, they can request permission from Service Canada to take full-time training when they apply for benefits. It is important to note that students should request permission before the start date of their training program to ensure they can continue receiving EI benefits. Students must declare that they are taking training when applying for EI benefits and may need to complete a Training Course Information questionnaire. If students decide to take training on their own, they must still declare their training and prove that they are able and willing to work and are actively looking for employment.
While receiving EI benefits, students must be ready to adjust their training plans and make arrangements to work if they receive a job offer. As of August 5, 2018, if Service Canada approves a student's request for full-time training, they will not have to be available for work or look for work while attending school. This change has caused confusion and stress for some students, as they navigate the EI claims process and ensure they meet all the necessary requirements.
It is worth noting that EI benefits for students are administered by both provincial and federal governments, and there may be variations in the specific requirements and processes depending on the province or territory. Additionally, there are other financial assistance options available for students, such as Canada Student Loans and Grants, which can provide support in addition to or separate from EI benefits.
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Frequently asked questions
To be eligible for EI benefits, you must be unemployed, able and willing to work, and actively looking for employment. If you are taking training courses, you must declare your training and prove that you are still able and willing to work and are continuing to look for a job.
It depends. Some university students have reported receiving EI benefits while enrolled in a training program. However, there have also been cases of students being denied EI benefits because they are attending university. It appears that whether or not a student is eligible for EI benefits depends on their specific circumstances.
One factor that might disqualify a university student from receiving EI benefits is if they are not considered a full-time student. Additionally, students who have already received EI benefits for a certain period may need to reapply to continue receiving support.
