Unemployment Benefits in Canada
Workers who lose their job through no fault of their own and have enough insurable hours can get Employment Insurance regular benefits from Service Canada: 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to $729 a week, for 14 to 45 weeks.
✓ From official pages ✓ Each part says when we checked
At a glance
Service Canada (Employment and Social Development Canada)
Employment Insurance, toll-free within Canada and the United States
The job market in Canada
The International Labour Organization's estimates put Canada 125th lowest of 183 countries for unemployment in 2025; the world's rate was 4.9%.
Canada's unemployment rate over the years · every country, ranked
What to do first
- Register with the public employment service, Service Canada. Official page
- Apply for Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits: apply online with Service Canada, then complete a report every 2 weeks. Official page
- Keep up with the job-search rule while you claim (below), and keep a record of where you applied.
- Search the government's job listings on Job Bank. Official page
- Questions: call 1-800-206-7218 (Employment Insurance, toll-free within Canada and the United States).
Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits
Who can get it. People employed in insurable employment who lost their job through no fault of their own and worked between 420 and 700 hours of insurable employment in the last 52 weeks, depending on the regional unemployment rate.
How much. For most people, 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $729 per week.
For how long. From 14 weeks up to a maximum of 45 weeks, depending on the regional unemployment rate and insurable hours.
How to claim. Apply online with Service Canada, then complete a report every 2 weeks.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Looking for work while you claim
Claimants must be actively seeking work and keep a written record of employers they contact, including when they contact them.
Reporting. A report every 2 weeks, online (Internet Reporting Service) or by phone (Telephone Reporting Service).
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Keep my work search record for Canada
Free. It lists where you applied and what else you did to look for work, each line ready to copy into the form you report on. It is your own record: we send nothing to any government.
Help finding work
- The public employment service: Service Canada
- The government's job listings: Job Bank
Who to call
Employment Insurance, toll-free within Canada and the United States: 1-800-206-7218.
From an official page, read October 25, 2026.
Questions
Is there unemployment benefit in Canada?
Yes: Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits, paid by Service Canada (Employment and Social Development Canada).
How much is unemployment benefit in Canada?
For most people, 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $729 per week.
How long does unemployment benefit last in Canada?
From 14 weeks up to a maximum of 45 weeks, depending on the regional unemployment rate and insurable hours.
How do I claim unemployment benefit in Canada?
Apply online with Service Canada, then complete a report every 2 weeks.
Do I have to look for work while I claim in Canada?
Claimants must be actively seeking work and keep a written record of employers they contact, including when they contact them.
Who do I call about unemployment in Canada?
Employment Insurance, toll-free within Canada and the United States: 1-800-206-7218.
Where can I get help finding a job in Canada?
The public employment service is Service Canada. The government lists jobs on Job Bank.
Nearby countries
Bermuda
Greenland
St. Pierre & Miquelon
Where this comes from
Every part of this page was read on an official website, and each links the page it came from and the day we checked it. Rules and amounts change, so check that page before you rely on a figure. Jobareer is not part of any government and cannot see or change a claim.
See also: unemployment rate by country · Canada's unemployment rate · unemployment in the US, state by state.