4. Apply for EI benefits
Question and answer
Can I get EI if I quit my job?- do not have to wait one week to get your first payment
- can get EI benefits and separation earnings, such as termination, severance, and vacation pay, at the same time
For claims that start between June 15, 2025, and June 12, 2027, you may also get an extra 20 weeks, up to a maximum of 65 weeks, of EI regular benefits if you:
- got at least one week of regular benefits
- got fewer than 36 weeks of EI regular or fishing benefits in the 3 years before your claim starts
- paid at least 30% of the annual maximum EI premiums for at least 7 of the 10 years before your claim starts
There's a new temporary measure for claims that start between October 11, 2026, and October 9, 2027, if you left your most recent job through no fault of your own. You can get EI payments based on any hours and earnings from all during your .
Read more about temporary EI measures.
Be sure to apply as soon as you have at least 7 days without work or pay.
If you wait more than 4 weeks to apply, it may be harder to get approved for EI. If you're approved, you might get less money. This is because there will be a large period of time where you have no hours worked and no money earned.
If you can show there was a good reason why you could not apply within 4 weeks, Service Canada might accept your application as though it was filed right away. This is called an “antedate”.
To get your application antedated, you must file an Application to Antedate Claim for Benefit. In the form, you should explain why you could not file your application on time. You should also show that you did what a reasonable person would have done to figure out the rules and apply on time.
Apply to Service Canada
To apply for EI benefits you must fill out an application online. If you do not have internet access at home, you can apply at:
- a Service Canada Office using one of their internet kiosks, or
- at a public internet access site like a library.
Before you go to the Service Canada Office in your area, you should call to find out if you need to make an appointment. If you do not speak English or French, bring someone who can translate for you.
If you quit your job, you'll have to provide some additional information and details including:
- why you quit
- what you did to try to fix the problem at work before you left
- if you tried to get other work before you quit
Service Canada staff might interview you by phone or in person. They may also contact your employer. Then they'll decide if you quit with .
If they decide that you quit without just cause, they'll send you a letter that says you're “disqualified” from receiving regular EI benefits. But you might still be eligible for special benefits like:
- Sickness benefits if you're unable to work because of illness, injury, or quarantine.
- Maternity benefits if you're pregnant or have recently given birth.
- Parental benefits if you're a parent and are caring for a newborn child or a child you recently adopted.
- Compassionate care benefits if you need time off work to provide care or support to a family member who could die in the next 6 months.
- Family caregiver benefit for children or adults if you need time off work to provide care or support to your critically ill child or adult family member.
If you're denied EI, you might be able to that decision. To appeal means to ask for a different decision. To appeal, you must send a request to Service Canada in writing within 30 days.