Regular (non-fishing)
CURRENT RATES FOR REGULAR BENEFITS (NON-FISHING) – 2025
How Do I Qualify for EI?
You may be entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits if you:
– Were employed in insurable employment;
– Lost your job through no fault of your own (e.g., shortage of work, seasonal or mass layoffs);
– Have been without work and without pay for at least seven consecutive days;
– Have worked the minimum required hours of insurable employment (between 420 and 700 hours, depending on your regional unemployment rate) in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim, whichever is shorter;
– Are available for and actively seeking work but unable to find a job.
For 2025, the Canada Employment Insurance Commission has set the EI premium rate at $1.64 per $100 of insurable earnings for employees and $2.30 per $100 for employers (who pay 1.4 times the employee rate). This reflects a two-cent decrease from 2024 rates ($1.66 for employees and $2.32 for employers). The maximum insurable earnings (MIE) for 2025 has increased to $65,700, up from $63,200 in 2024, meaning the maximum annual contribution is $1,077.48 for employees and $1,508.47 for employers.
Temporary Tariff Measures – 2025
In response to U.S. tariffs imposed in early 2025, the Government of Canada introduced temporary EI measures to support workers affected by economic uncertainty. Announced on March 21, 2025, these measures include:
– Waiving the EI waiting period for six months (effective from March 30, 2025, to October 11, 2025), allowing all claimant types (regular, special, fishing) to receive benefits from the first week of unemployment.
– Suspending the treatment of separation earnings for claims starting between March 30, 2025, and October 11, 2025, meaning severance or vacation pay will not be deducted from benefits during this period.
– Adjusting regional unemployment rates for claims starting between April 6, 2025, and July 12, 2025. Regions with unemployment rates below 13.1% will have their rates artificially boosted to improve access and duration of EI benefits.
These measures aim to ease financial strain on workers impacted by tariff-related job losses and are in addition to the EI Work-Sharing Program flexibilities announced on March 7, 2025, which extend agreement durations from 38 to 76 weeks until March 6, 2026.
How Are My Weekly Benefits Calculated?
To calculate your weekly EI benefit:
1. Determine your total insurable earnings for your best weeks (the weeks you earned the most, including insurable tips and commissions) based on your record(s) of employment.
2. Identify the divisor (number of best weeks) corresponding to your regional unemployment rate—typically 14 outside of St. John’s.
3. Divide your total insurable earnings for your best weeks by the divisor.
4. Multiply the result by 55% to get your weekly benefit amount.
For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit rate is $668, based on the MIE of $65,700. The minimum weekly benefit rate for regular benefits is $500. Example: If your total insurable earnings for your 14 best weeks are $14,000, your weekly benefit would be ($14,000 ÷ 14) × 55% = $550.
Note: Vacation pay and pay in lieu of notice are allocated to weeks at the start of your claim, delaying EI payments for those weeks unless covered by the temporary tariff measure suspending separation earnings (March 30 – October 11, 2025). Severance pay allocation depends on your situation and may be held in trust if recall rights apply.
Reporting Requirements
After applying for EI, you must submit bi-weekly reports to Service Canada to maintain eligibility and ensure payment. Use your Social Insurance Number and the 4-digit access code mailed to you to submit reports online or by phone. You are responsible for:
– Conducting reasonable job searches;
– Documenting job search activities;
– Accepting any offer of suitable employment.
Reports must be submitted within three weeks of the due date provided after each submission.
Duration of Benefits
The duration of your EI benefits depends on:
– The regional unemployment rate for the month your claim begins;
– The number of insurable hours accumulated in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim.
The current maximum is 50 weeks of regular benefits (increased from 45 weeks in some cases due to tariff measures), adjusted monthly based on regional rates. For example:
– In St. John’s (lower unemployment), a worker with 700 hours might get 15–38 weeks.
– In Burin (higher unemployment), 30–50 weeks may apply.
A one-week waiting period typically applies, but this is waived under the temporary tariff measures from March 30 to October 11, 2025, unless reopening a claim or under specific exemptions (e.g., Work-Sharing).
Seasonal Workers
Seasonal workers in 13 targeted EI economic regions, including parts of Newfoundland and Labrador outside St. John’s, may qualify for up to 5 additional weeks of regular benefits. This measure, extended through October 2026, applies if you’ve had at least three EI claims (regular or fishing) in the past five years, with two starting around the same time of year as your current claim.
Up to 4 Weeks Sick Benefits While on EI
You can switch to sick benefits while you are on an EI claim without a doctors note, for a total of 4 weeks combined while you are on your EI claim.