EI question

[Stuart and Thea 95]

The sticky above is way too long to view, not to mention that half of it is archived and I can't access it anyway, so I'm hoping that someone can answer my question without me having to snore through 22 pages. (I have my settings to max post per page too!)

I applied for my EI online 2 weeks ago, and will be applying for my AOS in a week and a bit. I still haven't gotten any emails or mail from EI, should I have by now?

I know that I need to let them know when my EAD is approved so that I can start collecting payments, but I have heard that I am supposed to be looking for work before I get it physically or I lose out on some payments?? How long after I apply for it with my AOS, will it be approved so that I can legally do this when I won't actually have it in hand yet?

Can someone in the know create a newer up to date sticky so that we're not having to find the relevant posts among hundreds? It is no longer helpful!

[canadian_wife 1,822]

From when I collected EI, you have to be 'ready, willing and able' to work. You currently may be ready and willing but you are unable to work, maybe that is the delay. Much like the USCIS process, if they are missing some information (like your 'able to work' aspect of your file) then their response may take longer

Since you do not have your EAD you technically can't do anything, look for work nor collect EI. Since you are not able to work, you cannot get EI payments for this time.

Good luck

[Stuart and Thea 95]

I had expected to be getting cards to return to them saying that I was unable to work, and yes, I was aware that I would't be getting payments till later, but what my question actually was is will I not get any kind of a confirmation at all that they have received my application??

And again, I know that I can't work until I get my EAD, but when I file for the AOS with the EAD, I know some people wait 3 months or longer before they get a card saying they can work but EI tells them that they should have been looking because they were approved for work, so what I was actually asking is, when do I know that I have EAD confirmation if I don't get my card till later down the line??

Please respond to the questions I am asking, and not to the ones you misread me asking.

[Erin & Marc 0]

My husband has been in the states a few weeks and we recently got married. Is he eligible for EI? Canada or U.S.? We are about to send in out AOS paperwork as well. If there money available we want it too..lol.

[Colleens 40]

I had expected to be getting cards to return to them saying that I was unable to work, and yes, I was aware that I would't be getting payments till later, but what my question actually was is will I not get any kind of a confirmation at all that they have received my application??

And again, I know that I can't work until I get my EAD, but when I file for the AOS with the EAD, I know some people wait 3 months or longer before they get a card saying they can work but EI tells them that they should have been looking because they were approved for work, so what I was actually asking is, when do I know that I have EAD confirmation if I don't get my card till later down the line??

Please respond to the questions I am asking, and not to the ones you misread me asking.

Yes you should still be recieving cards eventhough you are still awaiting your EAD. You would answer the questions on the back, but when it comes to the one that asks about work you would slelct "no" and put something like "unable to work, awaiting employment authorization".

I can't remember how long it took me to start recieving the cards, but you can call the out of country office and ask them about it. I did have a card with the phone # on it, but have just recently thrown it away. If you call Service Canada you can ask them for the out of country #. I always had to leave a message on the answering machine and they usually got back to me later that day or the next (it might take longer if you call today due to the holidays).

As for looking for work early, I would suggest that you start a very preliminary search (posting a resume on monster, contacting an employment agency registering with them, but explain your situation). It took me close to 7 months to get my EAD. I applied in May and the paperwork was approved in Aug, but due to a backlog at the ASC it took forever for me to get a biometrics appt (I needed to get the congressman involved to get one). When I recieved my EAD card at the end of Oct, the date on it was Aug, and that is the date that EI uses for when you become eligable, so had I started a job search back then (and not waited until I had my card) I would have got 8 weeks of back payments from EI. But you have to be able to prove you were looking for a job.

Unfortunately there is no way to know when your paperwork has been approved. And even if you knew it was approved, you would have to supply your EAD card to your employer prior to starting work.

[Colleens 40]

My husband has been in the states a few weeks and we recently got married. Is he eligible for EI? Canada or U.S.? We are about to send in out AOS paperwork as well. If there money available we want it too..lol.

If he is from Canada and has met the criteria for qualifying for EI he can claim it. He had to have applied within 4 weeks of his last day of work, and he won't be able to recieve payments until he has his EAD, but it would give a bit of income while he is looking for employement in the US.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I had expected to be getting cards to return to them saying that I was unable to work, and yes, I was aware that I would't be getting payments till later, but what my question actually was is will I not get any kind of a confirmation at all that they have received my application??

And again, I know that I can't work until I get my EAD, but when I file for the AOS with the EAD, I know some people wait 3 months or longer before they get a card saying they can work but EI tells them that they should have been looking because they were approved for work, so what I was actually asking is, when do I know that I have EAD confirmation if I don't get my card till later down the line??

Please respond to the questions I am asking, and not to the ones you misread me asking.

If you want the correct answer and don't want to read through the posts and dont want other peoples input, then one should simply call the EI people

[Stuart and Thea 95]

Yes you should still be recieving cards eventhough you are still awaiting your EAD. You would answer the questions on the back, but when it comes to the one that asks about work you would slelct "no" and put something like "unable to work, awaiting employment authorization".

I can't remember how long it took me to start recieving the cards, but you can call the out of country office and ask them about it. I did have a card with the phone # on it, but have just recently thrown it away. If you call Service Canada you can ask them for the out of country #. I always had to leave a message on the answering machine and they usually got back to me later that day or the next (it might take longer if you call today due to the holidays).

As for looking for work early, I would suggest that you start a very preliminary search (posting a resume on monster, contacting an employment agency registering with them, but explain your situation). It took me close to 7 months to get my EAD. I applied in May and the paperwork was approved in Aug, but due to a backlog at the ASC it took forever for me to get a biometrics appt (I needed to get the congressman involved to get one). When I recieved my EAD card at the end of Oct, the date on it was Aug, and that is the date that EI uses for when you become eligable, so had I started a job search back then (and not waited until I had my card) I would have got 8 weeks of back payments from EI. But you have to be able to prove you were looking for a job.

Unfortunately there is no way to know when your paperwork has been approved. And even if you knew it was approved, you would have to supply your EAD card to your employer prior to starting work.

Thankyou, that's exactly what I was looking for. I had thought that I might have gotten a confirmation email from EI or something, but I guess I'll wait till Tuesday and see when I can expect the cards to start arriving. As to the EAD thing, wow, that long? I was really hoping that I would get something sooner, hopefully I won't have to wait so long.

If you want the correct answer and don't want to read through the posts and dont want other peoples input, then one should simply call the EI people

I do want other people's input, but to be told that I won't be getting any payments yet, when I wasn't asking to know when I would be getting payments was really not the input I was looking for. Had someone told me that they use vinegar in milk to substitute for buttermilk in baking, or that a creeping water meter means that you may have a small leak in one of your toilets, it would have been just as relevant to my question as the answer that was given, though, they at least would have been helpful to me.

As to not reading the entire thread, I mentioned that half of the thread is archived and not available to me, as I am not PERMITTED to read it when I click the link in the first post, and the rest of the thread is too long to be of any benefit for those of us trying to navigate it. I'm sorry if you think it's lazy of me to ask on here without doing my own research first, but this IS supposed to be a help board is it not? I would call it USING other people's input by asking, not choosing to NOT use their input...

I would recommend that the sticky be redone, if there is someone knowledgeable to do it.

I don't have a phone. I will be able to get the use of one come Tuesday, when I expect the office to be open, but it's really not possible for me to call them today, so I turned here for help.

[Stuart and Thea 95]

My husband has been in the states a few weeks and we recently got married. Is he eligible for EI? Canada or U.S.? We are about to send in out AOS paperwork as well. If there money available we want it too..lol.

EI link for applying when not living in Canada

You should find some useful information on there, and if he didn't apply within 4 weeks, I would still apply, he paid into it and should be able to collect from it, if he moved to be able to live with you. I only got through 4 or 5 pages of the EI sticky before getting too frustrated, but there ARE helpful people on here when you have a question, you just have to wait for those willing to help instead of chastise you.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

EI link for applying when not living in Canada

You should find some useful information on there, and if he didn't apply within 4 weeks, I would still apply, he paid into it and should be able to collect from it, if he moved to be able to live with you. I only got through 4 or 5 pages of the EI sticky before getting too frustrated, but there ARE helpful people on here when you have a question, you just have to wait for those willing to help instead of chastise you.

Um...I didn't chastise you, I answered your question. Sorry if I offended you but no need to be snarky is there?

Good luck

[Stuart and Thea 95]

No, I felt chastised by Flames, not by you. Assuming that by not reading the entire sticky that I was unwilling to accept help pissed me off, when I'm here ASKING for help..

[Colleens 40]

Thankyou, that's exactly what I was looking for. I had thought that I might have gotten a confirmation email from EI or something, but I guess I'll wait till Tuesday and see when I can expect the cards to start arriving. As to the EAD thing, wow, that long? I was really hoping that I would get something sooner, hopefully I won't have to wait so long.

I am pretty sure I recieved a letter in the mail, but I can't remember how long it took, sorry I can't be or more help there. But again my EI case was a bit different since I was laid off from my job and recieved a 6 month severance package, so I didn't qualify for EI until the end of that 6 months. Here is the # for the interstate office....I found it in another thread 1-877-486-1650

My case for EAD was not typical, so I doubt that you will have such a long wait. There are a handful of ASC's that tend to get backed up and it takes FOREVER to get an appt for biometrics, and that was my issue. I had to contact our congressman for help getting an appt since I was about 7.5 months pregnant, so if I ended up having to have in interview I couldn't have done the 6hr drive to the local USCIS office!! They did waive my requirement for an appt...I guess having a baby was sufficient proof of a bona fide marriage

[Flames9_RN 358]

No, I felt chastised by Flames, not by you. Assuming that by not reading the entire sticky that I was unwilling to accept help pissed me off, when I'm here ASKING for help..

lol, I was just replying to ur:

"The sticky above is way too long to view, not to mention that half of it is archived and I can't access it anyway, so I'm hoping that someone can answer my question without me having to snore through 22 pages. (I have my settings to max post per page too!)"

and your "Please respond to the questions I am asking, and not to the ones you misread me asking."

I always find it interesting when people post that they cant be bothered to read through the forum (22 pages) its as if their time is so valuable,lol

Edited December 30, 2011 by Flames9_RN

[Stuart and Thea 95]

Flames, it's not that my time is too valuable, but the sticky starts years ago and continues on for ages! If I follow the advice at the beginning of the sticky, how am I to know it's up to date? Am I missing something if I read through it all and my eyes start to glaze over? I can guarantee you I am. There are 858 posts in there!! Should I just read the end of it?

I only got through a few pages before I ended up thoroughly confused and deciding that I need to go about this a different way, so I read the gov't EI pages, and ask questions on here.

There are a lot of people who have gone through this already, and asking the ones willing to help me is not saying my time is too precious to read the sticky, it's saying: the sticky is too long and confusing, there is no direction to it, and navigating the info in there is inefficient. Please help me to be more efficient by answering the questions that I have asked. If I didn't ask it, then I didn't think of it yet or I already knew it and didn't need to be told again.

I guess if you insist that I figure it out alone and not seek advice here, and others agree with you and stop giving it, then I'll be resigned to read through the sticky and hope that I get it right. But I can tell you that when someone else asks for help and I know the answer to their question, I'll give it to them, knowing how hard it is to find current info on here, and how daunting it is to only have half the info available to read through, and finding many instances of contradictions within.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Flames, it's not that my time is too valuable, but the sticky starts years ago and continues on for ages! If I follow the advice at the beginning of the sticky, how am I to know it's up to date? Am I missing something if I read through it all and my eyes start to glaze over? I can guarantee you I am. There are 858 posts in there!! Should I just read the end of it?

I only got through a few pages before I ended up thoroughly confused and deciding that I need to go about this a different way, so I read the gov't EI pages, and ask questions on here.

There are a lot of people who have gone through this already, and asking the ones willing to help me is not saying my time is too precious to read the sticky, it's saying: the sticky is too long and confusing, there is no direction to it, and navigating the info in there is inefficient. Please help me to be more efficient by answering the questions that I have asked. If I didn't ask it, then I didn't think of it yet or I already knew it and didn't need to be told again.

I guess if you insist that I figure it out alone and not seek advice here, and others agree with you and stop giving it, then I'll be resigned to read through the sticky and hope that I get it right. But I can tell you that when someone else asks for help and I know the answer to their question, I'll give it to them, knowing how hard it is to find current info on here, and how daunting it is to only have half the info available to read through, and finding many instances of contradictions within.

Honestly, I don't care what you do,lol

All I am saying--in a non chastising manner----is that if someone is going to say---I dont want to read through the posts AND please only offer me the advice I want to hear, then maybe you should contact the EI people yourself. The one person took time to post something and you complained about it, as you already knew that! Not a very thankful reply to that person. Oh well, not my problem. best of luck