Apply online within four weeks of your last day of work — even if your Record of Employment isn’t ready yet.
ESTIMATE
Estimates as of 3 November 2026, for information only — not legal advice or a decision on your claim; Service Canada decides eligibility and the exact amount. 2026 figures from Canada.ca: 55% benefit rate, maximum insurable earnings $68,900, maximum $729 a week (extended parental 33%, $437). Regional rates for 11 October to 7 November 2026.
Apply for EI online as soon as you stop working, and no later than four weeks after your last day of work, or you may lose benefits. You don’t need to wait for your Record of Employment (ROE): employers who file electronically send it to Service Canada directly. If you are eligible, the first payment usually arrives within 28 days of applying — and for claims starting by 9 October 2027 your first week is paid because the waiting period is waived.
The process in six steps
Most claims are filed and managed online.
4 weeks apply within28 days typical first payment2 weeks report cycle0 waiting week (2026)
Compare EI with your normal take-home pay
Open the Ontario take-home pay calculator to see your 2026 pay after federal and Ontario tax, CPP and EI premiums — the number EI is really replacing.
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN), and your mother’s maiden name if applicable.
Your mailing and home address, including postal code (it sets your EI economic region).
Names, addresses and dates of employment for all employers in the last 52 weeks, and the reason each job ended.
Your banking information for direct deposit.
For sickness benefits: your doctor’s details; for maternity/parental: the due date or birth date and your partner’s SIN if sharing.
Details of any money you received or will receive on separation (severance, vacation pay, pay in lieu of notice).
Step by step
Apply online on Canada.ca (about 60 minutes). You can apply for several benefit types on one application; you get a confirmation number at the end.
Your employer issues the ROE. Employers filing electronically must do so within 5 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which your earnings stopped; Service Canada then gets it automatically. You can view it in My Service Canada Account.
Get your access code. A letter with your 4-digit access code arrives by mail; you need it for your reports.
Receive the decision. Service Canada may call you about the reason you left or your availability. Answer honestly and keep notes.
Complete bi-weekly reports online or by phone, every two weeks, declaring work, earnings, training, travel and availability. You are paid only for weeks you report.
Get paid every two weeks by direct deposit, with tax already withheld.
The Record of Employment explained
The ROE is the form that tells Service Canada how many insurable hours and how much insurable earnings you had, and why your job ended. Key blocks: insurable hours (block 15A), insurable earnings by pay period (block 15C), and the reason code (block 16) — for example A for shortage of work, D for illness, E for quit, F for maternity, M for dismissal. The code is the employer’s description, not a decision: if you disagree, say so in your application. If an employer won’t issue an ROE, apply anyway and Service Canada can use pay stubs and other evidence.
Common mistakes that delay or cost benefits
Waiting too long. If you apply more than four weeks after your last day, you may lose benefits for the weeks before you applied. You can ask for the claim to be backdated only with good cause.
Not reporting part-time earnings, or reporting them for the week you were paid rather than worked.
Leaving Canada without telling Service Canada (you generally can’t receive regular benefits while abroad).
Missing a bi-weekly report — payments stop until it’s done.
Forgetting to apply when a contract ends because “there may be more work” — you can always stop claiming if the job comes back.
Check your take-home pay before and after
The Ontario take-home pay calculator shows your 2026 net pay after tax, CPP and EI premiums — the income your EI benefit is replacing.
Apply online on Canada.ca as soon as you stop working, and within four weeks of your last day of work. You need your SIN, employment history for the last 52 weeks and banking details.
Do I need my Record of Employment to apply for EI?
No. Apply without it; employers who file electronically send the ROE to Service Canada directly.
When will I get my first EI payment?
Usually within 28 days of applying if you are eligible and your ROE is available. For claims starting by 9 October 2027, the waiting week is waived.
How long does an employer have to issue an ROE?
For electronic ROEs, 5 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption of earnings occurred.
How often do I report while on EI?
Every two weeks, online or by phone, using the access code mailed to you.
Benefit rate and maximums: Canada.ca “EI regular benefits: How much you could receive” and the maternity/parental and sickness benefit-amount pages — 55% of average insurable weekly earnings; maximum yearly insurable earnings $68,900 from 1 January 2026 ($65,700 in 2025); maximum $729 a week ($695 in 2025); extended parental 33%, maximum $437.
Best weeks (14 to 22) and the weeks you can be paid come from the regional unemployment rate: Employment Insurance Act, Schedule I, and Service Canada’s “EI Program Characteristics” for 11 October to 7 November 2026 (rates are updated every four weeks).
2026 temporary measures: Canada Gazette Part II, SOR/2026-203 (EI Pilot Project No. 25, in force 11 October 2026) — waiting week waived and separation money not deducted for claims starting up to 9 October 2027; up to 20 extra weeks for long-tenured workers for claims starting up to 12 June 2027; only the most recent separation assessed.
Repayment (clawback): 30% of the lesser of regular benefits or net income above $86,125 (2026 = 1.25 × maximum insurable earnings). Premiums 2026: 1.63% of insurable earnings (Quebec 1.30%), maximum $1,123.07.
Tax withheld is our estimate: the weekly benefit annualized through 2026 federal and Ontario tax brackets with basic personal amounts (and the Ontario Health Premium). Service Canada’s actual deduction and your final tax depend on your total income for the year. Take-home pay while working: 2026 Ontario, from our Canada salary after tax engine.