Employment Insurance (EI) program statistics

All data is current as of March 24, 2024.

Notes
  • First-time recipients are individuals receiving an EI payment for the first time since April 1, 2023.
  • Active recipients are individuals currently receiving EI payments
  • Total gross benefit dollars are cumulative since April 1, 2023

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List of tables

Application processing statistics

Table 1: EI application processing statistics
Employment Insurance (EI) program Week starting on March 18, 2024 Cumulative from April 1, 2023
Registered applications 51,720 3,116,490
Processed applications 51,700 3,118,630
Claims established (approved applications) 29,330 2,320,630
Recipients Not applicable 2,473,780
Notes for table 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
  • 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 may not be processed until a subsequent week
  • 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
  • A recipient is someone who receives at least one payment. To receive EI payments, a recipient must file their bi-weekly report. Each bi-weekly filing enables up to two 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 recipient. As payments are two weeks in arrears, the last completed EI week will never show any recipients
  • This data is operational in nature and will fluctuate over time. For any given week, the number of registered applications and processed applications will not be equal due to timing and volume
  • Cumulative totals are as of April 1, 2023
  • All numbers are rounded to the nearest 10

EI benefits statistics by type

Table 2: EI benefits – Number of recipients by benefit type
EI benefits Active recipients Cumulative recipients since April 1, 2023
Regular 721,390 1,669,240
Sickness 116,230 361,750
Fishing 16,270 22,450
Maternity and parental 190,170 412,470
Caregiving 6,730 25,560
Self employed 830 1,940
Total 1,051,610 2,473,780
Notes for table 2
  • A recipient is someone who receives at least one payment
  • Recipients can receive more than one type of benefit. For example, a recipient who is receiving EI maternity benefits can change to receive EI caregiving benefits. Regardless of which benefit type a recipient receives, they are only eligible to receive one benefit type per week
  • Active recipients represent individuals currently receiving EI payments
  • All values are rounded to the nearest 10 and are recalculated every week. Rounding may cause a small difference between the total and the sum of individual values
Table 3: EI benefits – Gross benefit paid to recipients by benefit type (millions)
EI benefits Gross benefit paid to active recipients Gross benefit paid to recipients since April 1, 2023
Regular 4,789.47 12,334.56
Sickness 734.75 2,246.56
Fishing 144.97 362.35
Maternity and parental 2,641.33 4,848.85
Caregiving 40.95 147.50
Self employed 7.84 16.21
Total 8,359.31 19,956.55
Notes for table 3
  • Gross benefit paid (millions) represents the amount paid, before tax. EI deducts tax at source for all EI benefits. Rounding may cause a small difference between the total and the sum of individual values
  • Active recipients represent individuals currently receiving EI payments
  • A recipient is someone who receives at least one payment

EI recipients statistics

Active recipients by province or territory and age group

Table 4: EI active recipients by province or territory and age group – Number of active recipients
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
Newfoundland and Labrador 4,400 8,660 8,870 11,570 16,210 6,280 55,990
Prince Edward Island 1,810 3,080 2,440 2,430 3,280 1,910 14,940
Nova Scotia 4,210 11,650 8,800 7,800 9,810 3,820 46,090
New Brunswick 4,680 11,270 9,770 10,350 13,640 4,990 54,700
Quebec 18,560 54,910 52,760 45,710 55,480 18,800 246,210
Ontario 29,130 126,850 80,400 46,400 47,260 13,190 343,230
Manitoba 4,400 12,450 7,720 4,550 4,440 1,430 34,980
Saskatchewan 3,580 10,360 6,510 3,850 3,990 1,640 29,930
Alberta 11,480 40,470 27,080 14,500 13,110 3,710 110,350
British Columbia 8,950 39,220 27,760 14,950 15,270 4,850 111,000
Yukon 120 430 360 170 200 70 1,350
Northwest Territories 100 420 300 180 140 50 1,200
Nunavut 80 240 170 100 60 20 680
Not applicable 70 530 300 70 20 20 1,020
Total 91,560 320,530 233,240 162,630 182,920 60,770 1,051,610

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Table 5: EI active recipients by province or territory and age group – Percentage of active recipients
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
Newfoundland and Labrador 7.9% 15.5% 15.8% 20.7% 29.0% 11.2% 5.3%
Prince Edward Island 12.1% 20.6% 16.3% 16.2% 21.9% 12.8% 1.4%
Nova Scotia 9.1% 25.3% 19.1% 16.9% 21.3% 8.3% 4.4%
New Brunswick 8.6% 20.6% 17.9% 18.9% 24.9% 9.1% 5.2%
Quebec 7.5% 22.3% 21.4% 18.6% 22.5% 7.6% 23.4%
Ontario 8.5% 37.0% 23.4% 13.5% 13.8% 3.8% 32.6%
Manitoba 12.6% 35.6% 22.1% 13.0% 12.7% 4.1% 3.3%
Saskatchewan 12.0% 34.6% 21.8% 12.9% 13.3% 5.5% 2.8%
Alberta 10.4% 36.7% 24.5% 13.1% 11.9% 3.4% 10.5%
British Columbia 8.1% 35.3% 25.0% 13.5% 13.8% 4.4% 10.6%
Yukon 8.9% 31.6% 26.9% 12.6% 15.0% 4.9% 0.1%
Northwest Territories 8.5% 35.0% 24.9% 15.3% 11.8% 4.4% 0.1%
Nunavut 11.1% 36.0% 25.5% 15.1% 9.3% 3.0% 0.1%
Not applicable 7.0% 51.4% 29.3% 6.4% 2.0% 2.0% 0.1%
Total 8.7% 30.5% 22.2% 15.5% 17.4% 5.8% 100.0%

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Table 6: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and age group – Gross benefit paid (millions)
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
Newfoundland and Labrador 33.41 75.90 71.11 87.84 124.68 50.79 443.73
Prince Edward Island 13.76 28.27 20.93 19.54 25.62 15.04 123.15
Nova Scotia 28.83 108.91 72.76 57.55 69.37 27.71 365.12
New Brunswick 33.49 98.59 73.32 71.42 94.41 37.43 408.67
Quebec 98.18 309.32 304.07 264.69 327.54 114.09 1,417.90
Ontario 190.74 1,317.48 752.93 302.04 299.59 80.01 2,942.80
Manitoba 31.22 126.38 70.14 33.91 32.61 10.56 304.82
Saskatchewan 26.74 112.02 61.02 30.78 31.89 12.88 275.32
Alberta 81.95 431.83 264.81 116.22 105.87 29.34 1,030.02
British Columbia 62.84 413.09 272.58 111.27 112.62 34.69 1,007.09
Yukon 0.85 4.73 3.65 1.48 1.84 0.61 13.17
Northwest Territories 0.98 5.17 3.53 2.00 1.42 0.57 13.66
Nunavut 0.81 2.87 1.98 1.16 0.69 0.08 7.60
Not applicable 0.41 3.50 1.92 0.31 0.08 0.03 6.25
Total 604.20 3,038.07 1,974.77 1,100.22 1,228.23 413.83 8,359.31

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Table 7: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and age group – Percentage of gross benefit
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
Newfoundland and Labrador 7.5% 17.1% 16.0% 19.8% 28.1% 11.4% 5.3%
Prince Edward Island 11.2% 23.0% 17.0% 15.9% 20.8% 12.2% 1.5%
Nova Scotia 7.9% 29.8% 19.9% 15.8% 19.0% 7.6% 4.4%
New Brunswick 8.2% 24.1% 17.9% 17.5% 23.1% 9.2% 4.9%
Quebec 6.9% 21.8% 21.4% 18.7% 23.1% 8.0% 17.0%
Ontario 6.5% 44.8% 25.6% 10.3% 10.2% 2.7% 35.2%
Manitoba 10.2% 41.5% 23.0% 11.1% 10.7% 3.5% 3.6%
Saskatchewan 9.7% 40.7% 22.2% 11.2% 11.6% 4.7% 3.3%
Alberta 8.0% 41.9% 25.7% 11.3% 10.3% 2.8% 12.3%
British Columbia 6.2% 41.0% 27.1% 11.0% 11.2% 3.4% 12.0%
Yukon 6.5% 35.9% 27.7% 11.3% 14.0% 4.6% 0.2%
Northwest Territories 7.1% 37.9% 25.9% 14.6% 10.4% 4.1% 0.2%
Nunavut 10.6% 37.8% 26.1% 15.3% 9.1% 1.1% 0.1%
Not applicable 6.5% 56.0% 30.6% 5.0% 1.3% 0.4% 0.1%
Total 7.2% 36.3% 23.6% 13.2% 14.7% 5.0% 100.0%

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Active recipients by province or territory and gender

Table 8: EI active recipients by province or territory and gender – Number of active recipients
Provinces and territories Female gender Male gender Total
Newfoundland and Labrador 21,630 34,350 55,990
Prince Edward Island 6,050 8,890 14,940
Nova Scotia 19,090 27,000 46,090
New Brunswick 21,990 32,710 54,700
Quebec 75,030 171,180 246,210
Ontario 178,400 164,830 343,230
Manitoba 15,740 19,240 34,980
Saskatchewan 13,650 16,280 29,930
Alberta 52,580 57,770 110,350
British Columbia 58,320 52,690 111,000
Yukon 650 700 1,350
Northwest Territories 550 650 1,200
Nunavut 320 340 660
Not applicable 140 840 980
Total 464,140 587,470 1,051,610

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Table 9: EI active recipients by province or territory and gender – Percentage of active recipients
Provinces and territories Female gender Male gender Total
Newfoundland and Labrador 38.6% 61.4% 5.3%
Prince Edward Island 40.5% 59.5% 1.4%
Nova Scotia 41.4% 58.6% 4.4%
New Brunswick 40.2% 59.8% 5.2%
Quebec 30.5% 69.5% 23.4%
Ontario 52.0% 48.0% 32.6%
Manitoba 45.0% 55.0% 3.3%
Saskatchewan 45.6% 54.4% 2.8%
Alberta 47.6% 52.4% 10.5%
British Columbia 52.5% 47.5% 10.6%
Yukon 48.3% 51.7% 0.1%
Northwest Territories 45.5% 54.5% 0.1%
Nunavut 48.3% 51.7% 0.1%
Not applicable 14.2% 85.8% 0.1%
Total 44.1% 55.9% 100.0%

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Table 10: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and gender – Gross benefit paid (millions)
Provinces and territories Female gender Male gender Total
Newfoundland and Labrador 176.42 267.31 443.73
Prince Edward Island 52.01 71.14 123.15
Nova Scotia 167.55 197.58 365.12
New Brunswick 166.41 242.27 408.67
Quebec 426.79 991.11 1,417.90
Ontario 1,849.75 1,093.05 2,942.80
Manitoba 163.28 141.54 304.82
Saskatchewan 147.53 127.79 275.32
Alberta 587.70 442.32 1,030.02
British Columbia 619.89 387.20 1,007.09
Yukon 7.32 5.85 13.17
Northwest Territories 6.99 6.67 13.66
Nunavut 4.29 3.31 7.60
Not applicable 2.09 4.16 6.25
Total 4,378.01 3,981.30 8,359.31

Notes for tables 4 to 11

Table 11: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and gender – Percentage of gross benefit
Provinces and territories Female gender Male gender Total
Newfoundland and Labrador 39.8% 60.2% 5.3%
Prince Edward Island 42.2% 57.8% 1.5%
Nova Scotia 45.9% 54.1% 4.4%
New Brunswick 40.7% 59.3% 4.9%
Quebec 30.1% 69.9% 17.0%
Ontario 62.9% 37.1% 35.2%
Manitoba 53.6% 46.4% 3.6%
Saskatchewan 53.6% 46.4% 3.3%
Alberta 57.1% 42.9% 12.3%
British Columbia 61.6% 38.4% 12.0%
Yukon 55.6% 44.4% 0.2%
Northwest Territories 51.1% 48.9% 0.2%
Nunavut 56.5% 43.5% 0.1%
Not applicable 33.4% 66.6% 0.1%
Total 52.4% 47.6% 100.0%
Notes for tables 4 to 11
  • A recipient is someone who receives at least one payment
  • All values for number of recipients are rounded to the nearest 10. Rounding may cause a small difference between the total and the sum of the active recipient values
  • Gross benefit paid (millions) represents the gross amount of benefits paid, before tax. EI deducts tax at source for all EI benefits. Rounding may cause a small difference between the total and the sum of individual values
  • Not applicable is used when a recipient 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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