EI: no waiting week and severance not deducted to 2027

Published October 13, 2026 · 3 min read

Ilustración: EI: sin semana de espera ni descuento por indemnización

Key pointsOttawa's temporary EI rules now run longer: no unpaid waiting week and no deduction for severance on claims starting up to October 9, 2027. Your claim start date decides which rules apply.

📘 Related guide: Your first tax return in Canada: step by step

What happened

Employment Insurance (EI) is the federal program that pays part of your income for a while if you lose your job through no fault of your own. Since 2025, Ottawa has used temporary rules to make claims easier during the tariff period. In March 2026 the government said three of them would end for claims after October 10, 2026. The Service Canada page, updated October 6, 2026, now shows longer dates:

The usual one-week unpaid waiting period is waived for claims starting up to October 9, 2027.
Severance, vacation pay and pay in lieu of notice are not deducted from your EI, for claims or allocations up to October 9, 2027.
Long-tenured workers who qualify get 20 extra weeks of regular benefits (up to 65 weeks in total) on claims starting up to June 12, 2027.
New: for claims starting October 11, 2026 to October 9, 2027, only the reason you lost your most recent job is reviewed. If it was through no fault of your own, all your insurable work in the qualifying period counts.

How it affects your wallet

EI pays 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings. For 2026 the maximum is $729 a week, based on yearly insurable earnings of up to $68,900 (that page is dated December 31, 2025). The examples below use made-up numbers to show the idea; they are not official figures.

Example, waiting week: Ana's average insurable earnings are $1,000 a week. EI would pay 55%, or $550 a week. With no waiting week, she is paid from the first week, so she receives one extra week of benefits: $550 more than under the usual rule.
Example, severance: Ana's employer gives her $6,000 in severance. Under the temporary rule it is not deducted. If she collects EI for 10 weeks, that is 10 x $550 = $5,500, on top of the $6,000 she keeps: $11,500 in total, before taxes.
Example, the cap: someone earning $68,900 or more a year has about $1,325 a week in insurable earnings. 55% of that is about $729 a week, the 2026 maximum.

What you can do

If you lose your job, apply as soon as you stop working. The date your claim starts decides which rules apply to you.
Ask your employer for your Record of Employment and keep your severance paperwork.
Read the Service Canada page on temporary measures before you apply, because the dates are specific to each measure.
Build a simple monthly budget with the EI amount, not your old paycheque, so you know your real gap.

What to keep in mind

These rules are temporary and can change again. The earlier March 2026 announcement gave October 10, 2026 as the end date, so use the Service Canada page, which was the most recent source we read. The extra 20 weeks only apply if you pass a test: fewer than 36 weeks of regular or fishing benefits in the last 3 years, and at least 30% of the maximum yearly EI premiums paid in at least 7 of the last 10 years. Not everyone qualifies for EI, and your amount depends on your own record. For your case, ask Service Canada.

Sources: Service Canada, temporary EI measures; EI benefit amount.