Employment Insurance (EI) program statistics
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First-time recipients7,100
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Active recipients1,102,460
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Gross benefit paid to recipients since April 1, 202610.16 billion
All data is updated weekly and is current as of August 23, 2026
Notes
- First-time recipients are individuals receiving an EI payment for the first time since April 1, 2026.
- Active recipients are individuals currently receiving EI payments
- Total gross benefit dollars are cumulative since April 1, 2026
On this page
List of tables
- Table 1: EI application processing statistics
- Table 2: EI benefits – Number of recipients by benefit type
- Table 3: EI benefits – Gross benefit paid to recipients by benefit type (millions)
- Table 4: EI active recipients by province or territory and age group – Number of active recipients
- Table 5: EI active recipients by province or territory and age group – Percentage of active recipients
- Table 6: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and age group – Gross benefit paid (millions)
- Table 7: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and age group – Percentage of gross benefit
- Table 8: EI active recipients by province or territory and gender – Number of active recipients
- Table 9: EI active recipients by province or territory and gender – Percentage of active recipients
- Table 10: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and gender – Gross benefit paid (millions)
- Table 11: EI gross benefit paid to active recipients by province or territory and gender – Percentage of gross benefit
Application processing statistics
| Employment Insurance (EI) program | Week starting on August 17, 2026 | Cumulative from April 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Registered applications | 43,770 | 1,239,300 |
| Processed applications | 51,240 | 1,219,210 |
| Claims established (approved applications) | 39,110 | 857,030 |
| Recipients | Not applicable | 1,781,590 |
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, 2026
- All numbers are rounded to the nearest 10
EI benefits statistics by type
| EI benefits | Active recipients | Cumulative recipients since April 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 728,950 | 1,201,270 |
| Sickness | 139,400 | 239,580 |
| Fishing | 12,040 | 19,360 |
| Maternity and parental | 212,940 | 305,650 |
| Caregiving | 8,610 | 16,580 |
| Self employed | 1,220 | 1,740 |
| Total | 1,102,460 | 1,781,590 |
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
- Cumulative recipients from April 1 represent individuals who started receiving EI payments since the beginning of the fiscal year
- 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
| EI benefits | Gross benefit paid to active recipients | Cumulative benefit paid to recipients since April 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 6,814.25 | 6,296.51 |
| Sickness | 1,093.19 | 1,243.55 |
| Fishing | 72.08 | 124.64 |
| Maternity and parental | 3,270.17 | 2,402.61 |
| Caregiving | 62.91 | 83.81 |
| Self employed | 13.21 | 10.25 |
| Total | 11,325.82 | 10,161.23 |
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 and gross benefit paid to active recipients represent the total amount paid to them
- Cumulative benefit paid to recipients since April 1 represent the amount of EI paid to recipients this fiscal year
- A recipient is someone who receives at least one payment
EI recipients statistics
Active recipients by province or territory and age group
| Provinces and territories | Under 25 | 25 - 34 Years | 35 - 44 Years | 45 - 54 Years | 55 - 64 Years | 65 and Older | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 2,430 | 6,800 | 7,240 | 8,620 | 12,460 | 5,480 | 43,030 |
| Prince Edward Island | 640 | 2,360 | 2,020 | 1,800 | 2,130 | 1,180 | 10,130 |
| Nova Scotia | 2,450 | 10,860 | 9,190 | 7,490 | 8,570 | 3,610 | 42,180 |
| New Brunswick | 2,760 | 10,170 | 9,370 | 9,070 | 11,160 | 4,300 | 46,830 |
| Quebec | 11,130 | 45,680 | 55,800 | 50,210 | 50,240 | 19,440 | 232,500 |
| Ontario | 18,180 | 135,390 | 104,120 | 64,000 | 59,850 | 19,520 | 401,060 |
| Manitoba | 2,680 | 12,160 | 10,250 | 7,370 | 6,100 | 1,840 | 40,400 |
| Saskatchewan | 1,890 | 9,210 | 7,470 | 4,750 | 3,970 | 1,360 | 28,660 |
| Alberta | 6,640 | 39,170 | 32,440 | 20,140 | 15,850 | 4,770 | 119,020 |
| British Columbia | 6,670 | 43,130 | 37,370 | 22,210 | 19,640 | 6,190 | 135,200 |
| Yukon | 40 | 360 | 300 | 90 | 80 | 30 | 890 |
| Northwest Territories | 80 | 380 | 300 | 150 | 140 | 40 | 1,090 |
| Nunavut | 80 | 250 | 210 | 110 | 80 | 30 | 750 |
| Not Applicable | 50 | 390 | 210 | 40 | 20 | 20 | 740 |
| Total | 55,730 | 316,310 | 276,290 | 196,060 | 190,290 | 67,820 | 1,102,460 |
| Provinces and territories | Under 25 | 25 - 34 Years | 35 - 44 Years | 45 - 54 Years | 55 - 64 Years | 65 and Older | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 5.7% | 15.8% | 16.8% | 20.0% | 29.0% | 12.7% | 3.9% |
| Prince Edward Island | 6.3% | 23.3% | 19.9% | 17.8% | 21.0% | 11.6% | 0.9% |
| Nova Scotia | 5.8% | 25.8% | 21.8% | 17.8% | 20.3% | 8.6% | 3.8% |
| New Brunswick | 5.9% | 21.7% | 20.0% | 19.4% | 23.8% | 9.2% | 4.2% |
| Quebec | 4.8% | 19.6% | 24.0% | 21.6% | 21.6% | 8.4% | 21.1% |
| Ontario | 4.5% | 33.8% | 26.0% | 16.0% | 14.9% | 4.9% | 36.4% |
| Manitoba | 6.6% | 30.1% | 25.4% | 18.2% | 15.1% | 4.6% | 3.7% |
| Saskatchewan | 6.6% | 32.2% | 26.1% | 16.6% | 13.8% | 4.8% | 2.6% |
| Alberta | 5.6% | 32.9% | 27.3% | 16.9% | 13.3% | 4.0% | 10.8% |
| British Columbia | 4.9% | 31.9% | 27.6% | 16.4% | 14.5% | 4.6% | 12.3% |
| Yukon | 4.5% | 40.4% | 33.1% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 3.5% | 0.1% |
| Northwest Territories | 6.9% | 35.1% | 27.9% | 13.6% | 12.5% | 4.0% | 0.1% |
| Nunavut | 11.1% | 32.6% | 27.3% | 15.2% | 10.5% | 3.3% | 0.1% |
| Not Applicable | 6.9% | 53.4% | 28.6% | 5.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 0.1% |
| Total | 5.1% | 28.7% | 25.1% | 17.8% | 17.3% | 6.2% | 100.0% |
| Provinces and territories | Under 25 | 25 - 34 Years | 35 - 44 Years | 45 - 54 Years | 55 - 64 Years | 65 and Older | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 22.68 | 81.36 | 78.11 | 87.66 | 133.35 | 56.32 | 459.47 |
| Prince Edward Island | 6.36 | 28.52 | 21.21 | 17.61 | 21.94 | 12.09 | 107.75 |
| Nova Scotia | 18.50 | 120.79 | 88.14 | 63.86 | 76.71 | 30.69 | 398.70 |
| New Brunswick | 24.28 | 114.24 | 93.79 | 88.54 | 116.49 | 47.03 | 484.37 |
| Quebec | 66.06 | 341.32 | 436.41 | 404.92 | 445.62 | 167.47 | 1,861.80 |
| Ontario | 153.65 | 1,668.16 | 1,200.87 | 616.16 | 608.97 | 182.63 | 4,430.45 |
| Manitoba | 20.33 | 135.70 | 95.18 | 56.25 | 51.62 | 15.72 | 374.80 |
| Saskatchewan | 17.22 | 113.08 | 76.93 | 42.41 | 37.69 | 12.66 | 299.98 |
| Alberta | 60.32 | 502.37 | 379.54 | 204.64 | 176.52 | 52.90 | 1,376.29 |
| British Columbia | 55.70 | 537.75 | 423.12 | 207.57 | 202.67 | 64.87 | 1,491.69 |
| Yukon | 0.39 | 4.83 | 4.01 | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.39 | 11.57 |
| Northwest Territories | 0.85 | 5.38 | 4.29 | 1.88 | 1.64 | 0.51 | 14.55 |
| Nunavut | 0.84 | 2.93 | 2.46 | 1.45 | 0.97 | 0.28 | 8.94 |
| Not Applicable | 0.32 | 3.21 | 1.61 | 0.24 | 0.06 | 0.02 | 5.46 |
| Total | 447.50 | 3,659.65 | 2,905.67 | 1,794.17 | 1,875.25 | 643.58 | 11,325.82 |
| Provinces and territories | Under 25 | 25 - 34 Years | 35 - 44 Years | 45 - 54 Years | 55 - 64 Years | 65 and Older | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 4.9% | 17.7% | 17.0% | 19.1% | 29.0% | 12.3% | 4.1% |
| Prince Edward Island | 5.9% | 26.5% | 19.7% | 16.3% | 20.4% | 11.2% | 1.0% |
| Nova Scotia | 4.6% | 30.3% | 22.1% | 16.0% | 19.2% | 7.7% | 3.5% |
| New Brunswick | 5.0% | 23.6% | 19.4% | 18.3% | 24.1% | 9.7% | 4.3% |
| Quebec | 3.5% | 18.3% | 23.4% | 21.7% | 23.9% | 9.0% | 16.4% |
| Ontario | 3.5% | 37.7% | 27.1% | 13.9% | 13.7% | 4.1% | 39.1% |
| Manitoba | 5.4% | 36.2% | 25.4% | 15.0% | 13.8% | 4.2% | 3.3% |
| Saskatchewan | 5.7% | 37.7% | 25.6% | 14.1% | 12.6% | 4.2% | 2.6% |
| Alberta | 4.4% | 36.5% | 27.6% | 14.9% | 12.8% | 3.8% | 12.2% |
| British Columbia | 3.7% | 36.0% | 28.4% | 13.9% | 13.6% | 4.3% | 13.2% |
| Yukon | 3.4% | 41.7% | 34.6% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 3.4% | 0.1% |
| Northwest Territories | 5.9% | 37.0% | 29.5% | 12.9% | 11.3% | 3.5% | 0.1% |
| Nunavut | 9.4% | 32.8% | 27.6% | 16.2% | 10.9% | 3.1% | 0.1% |
| Not Applicable | 5.8% | 58.8% | 29.5% | 4.3% | 1.1% | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Total | 4.0% | 32.3% | 25.7% | 15.8% | 16.6% | 5.7% | 100.0% |
Active recipients by province or territory and gender
| Provinces and territories | Female gender | Male gender | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 19,340 | 23,700 | 43,030 |
| Prince Edward Island | 4,780 | 5,350 | 10,130 |
| Nova Scotia | 20,700 | 21,490 | 42,180 |
| New Brunswick | 23,530 | 23,300 | 46,830 |
| Quebec | 107,520 | 124,980 | 232,500 |
| Ontario | 258,170 | 142,900 | 401,060 |
| Manitoba | 26,100 | 14,310 | 40,400 |
| Saskatchewan | 19,030 | 9,630 | 28,660 |
| Alberta | 75,390 | 43,630 | 119,020 |
| British Columbia | 85,280 | 49,920 | 135,200 |
| Yukon | 580 | 310 | 890 |
| Northwest Territories | 630 | 460 | 1,090 |
| Nunavut | 390 | 360 | 750 |
| Not Applicable | 140 | 570 | 710 |
| Total | 641,560 | 460,900 | 1,102,460 |
| Provinces and territories | Female gender | Male gender | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 44.9% | 55.1% | 3.9% |
| Prince Edward Island | 47.2% | 52.8% | 0.9% |
| Nova Scotia | 49.1% | 50.9% | 3.8% |
| New Brunswick | 50.2% | 49.8% | 4.2% |
| Quebec | 46.2% | 53.8% | 21.1% |
| Ontario | 64.4% | 35.6% | 36.4% |
| Manitoba | 64.6% | 35.4% | 3.7% |
| Saskatchewan | 66.4% | 33.6% | 2.6% |
| Alberta | 63.3% | 36.7% | 10.8% |
| British Columbia | 63.1% | 36.9% | 12.3% |
| Yukon | 65.0% | 35.0% | 0.1% |
| Northwest Territories | 57.5% | 42.5% | 0.1% |
| Nunavut | 52.1% | 47.9% | 0.1% |
| Not Applicable | 19.5% | 80.5% | 0.1% |
| Total | 58.2% | 41.8% | 100.0% |
| Provinces and territories | Female gender | Male gender | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 199.39 | 260.07 | 459.47 |
| Prince Edward Island | 50.45 | 57.30 | 107.75 |
| Nova Scotia | 204.68 | 194.02 | 398.70 |
| New Brunswick | 234.05 | 250.31 | 484.37 |
| Quebec | 767.70 | 1,094.10 | 1,861.80 |
| Ontario | 2,958.91 | 1,471.53 | 4,430.45 |
| Manitoba | 249.68 | 125.12 | 374.80 |
| Saskatchewan | 201.53 | 98.45 | 299.98 |
| Alberta | 875.33 | 500.97 | 1,376.29 |
| British Columbia | 975.68 | 516.01 | 1,491.69 |
| Yukon | 8.29 | 3.28 | 11.57 |
| Northwest Territories | 8.75 | 5.80 | 14.55 |
| Nunavut | 4.76 | 4.18 | 8.94 |
| Not Applicable | 1.98 | 3.48 | 5.46 |
| Total | 6,741.18 | 4,584.64 | 11,325.82 |
| Provinces and territories | Female gender | Male gender | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 43.4% | 56.6% | 4.1% |
| Prince Edward Island | 46.8% | 53.2% | 1.0% |
| Nova Scotia | 51.3% | 48.7% | 3.5% |
| New Brunswick | 48.3% | 51.7% | 4.3% |
| Quebec | 41.2% | 58.8% | 16.4% |
| Ontario | 66.8% | 33.2% | 39.1% |
| Manitoba | 66.6% | 33.4% | 3.3% |
| Saskatchewan | 67.2% | 32.8% | 2.6% |
| Alberta | 63.6% | 36.4% | 12.2% |
| British Columbia | 65.4% | 34.6% | 13.2% |
| Yukon | 71.6% | 28.4% | 0.1% |
| Northwest Territories | 60.1% | 39.9% | 0.1% |
| Nunavut | 53.3% | 46.7% | 0.1% |
| Not Applicable | 36.3% | 63.7% | 0.0% |
| Total | 59.5% | 40.5% | 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