The Canuck EI Thread

[charmed2006 31]

1) You go onto the service Canada website and it explains

2) they need to send your ROE (record of employment) to Service Canada which every employer is required to do within XX period of time. then you have 4 weeks from your last work day to apply for EI

3) because you are K1 it's 60-90 days to get your EAD from the AOS date which can be filed as soon as you have your marriage certificate. Please read up on the AOS. SSN should be gotten as soon as you arrive as it's a) harder to get after marriage and b) can't be gotten between 2 weeks before the I-94 expires and your EAD arriving. I-94 expires 90 days after arrival.

Thank you!

[BatmanFlow 481]

I have an odd question I guess.

I will have to quit my job and move with my wife to USA (personal reasons) while we wait for our case complete and interview. We got a checklist and they got the documents with scan date of December 8th. I am hoping we get a march interview.

I will have to quit my job mid january. I know I have to apply for EI within 4 weeks, but can I delay providing my EAD until I make my POE in march? or is that not possible?

thank you for any help!

[Lakehouse 293]

I have an odd question I guess.

I will have to quit my job and move with my wife to USA (personal reasons) while we wait for our case complete and interview. We got a checklist and they got the documents with scan date of December 8th. I am hoping we get a march interview.

I will have to quit my job mid january. I know I have to apply for EI within 4 weeks, but can I delay providing my EAD until I make my POE in march? or is that not possible?

thank you for any help!

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but the applicant cannot 'move' to the US while awaiting immigration, otherwise we all would have done that!

You can visit for up to 6 months if the border officer allows the full time, as per visitation rules and regs that I'm sure you've read about on this site.

So either you mean you're going down to the US intending to 'visit' until immigration is complete, or there is something I don't understand.

As far as EI, and as a CR1/IR1 you don't get an EAD, you get your visa stamp/ green card, which is what EI wants to see. I believe they'll need to see a copy of that visa stamp as soon as possible after POE in order to start your payments.

[BatmanFlow 481]

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but the applicant cannot 'move' to the US while awaiting immigration, otherwise we all would have done that!

You can visit for up to 6 months if the border officer allows the full time, as per visitation rules and regs that I'm sure you've read about on this site.

So either you mean you're going down to the US intending to 'visit' until immigration is complete, or there is something I don't understand.

As far as EI, and as a CR1/IR1 you don't get an EAD, you get your visa stamp/ green card, which is what EI wants to see. I believe they'll need to see a copy of that visa stamp as soon as possible after POE in order to start your payments.

Thank you for your response!

Yes I meant I will visit her for about a month and a half (if border agents let me get through).

My only concern is that their might be a deadline of by when I need to provide the proof of visa stamp.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Its not going to take much for EI to figure things out, as your ROE is going to have ur last day worked on it......and there will be a inked stamp with date on it that the POE officer stamps on the I-551 which notes the dated you endorsed (activated) the visa. Maybe ur employer could keep you on the books until ur interview date, not sure how legal that is............ And not sure on the "4 week" thing, I realize it is a number that has floated around here a fair bit......I do know a fair while back (couple yrs now) that 1 gal was denied EI as she quite her job well in advance.......

[BatmanFlow 481]

Its not going to take much for EI to figure things out, as your ROE is going to have ur last day worked on it......and there will be a inked stamp with date on it that the POE officer stamps on the I-551 which notes the dated you endorsed (activated) the visa. Maybe ur employer could keep you on the books until ur interview date, not sure how legal that is............ And not sure on the "4 week" thing, I realize it is a number that has floated around here a fair bit......I do know a fair while back (couple yrs now) that 1 gal was denied EI as she quite her job well in advance.......

Thank you. I will likely skip applying for EI then.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Why not apply--all they can say is no.....

[NikLR 13,227]

The 4 week thing is the rule on the service canada website, however applying later generally just means a loss of benefits.

You apply, then later give them the proof they need of the stamp when they ask. That still took a month more in my case I think and I applied right after I got my visa and moved the next weekend.

So I'd you wait to apply in 4 weeks, you have time. You worked and deserve to get some back that you've paid in.

Edited December 12, 2014 by NLR

[BatmanFlow 481]

Why not apply--all they can say is no.....

The 4 week thing is the rule on the service canada website, however applying later generally just means a loss of benefits.

You apply, then later give them the proof they need of the stamp when they ask. That still took a month more in my case I think and I applied right after I got my visa and moved the next weekend.

So I'd you wait to apply in 4 weeks, you have time. You worked and deserve to get some back that you've paid in.

Thank you for both the responses! I will apply and see how everything plays out.

[Flames9_RN 358]

They may say no based on how long u quit ur job...one can always appeal as well...........

They may say no based on how long u quit ur job...one can always appeal as well...........

[Sweetmelissa 82]

Got my first EI deposit today after months of fruitless callbacks lol - thank you everyone for the help, I couldn't have done it without this thread.

Here is a rough timeline of my EI adventures:

July 23rd - letter of resignation given to place of employment

July 28th - submitted EI claim on website (in Canada)

August 14th - POE Chicago IL with K1 Visa

August 23rd - married

September 10th - NOA1 for AOS/EAD/AP

October 1st - biometrics

Mid October - received questionnaire in mail: faxed in completed questionnaire, copy of passport biographical page and copy of K1 visa

November 18th - EAD/AP approved

November 20th - EAD card received and faxed to Service Canada

December 18th - first deposit! (because of two week waiting period)

[Sylea 30]

Ok I made my POE December 25th (a VERY merry Xmas!) and applied online for my EI same night, after going into my Service Canada account and seeing my ROE had been filed by my employer.

I'll assume that because of the holidays I would not expect to see any updates on my Service Canada account showing that my EI application had been submitted, but can anyone tell me next steps??

Do I need to telephone the international number to follow up on my online application?? And do they accept a faxed copy of my passport showing my CR-1 entry stamp and 1 year residency (while waiting for my card)....

Just curious and anxious to get my claim established!

And I have to say, finally being here with my husband after 6 years long distance is just surreal!!

Peace all.

[NikLR 13,227]

They will contact you via mail.

With the next steps

[Lakehouse 293]

Ok I made my POE December 25th (a VERY merry Xmas!) and applied online for my EI same night, after going into my Service Canada account and seeing my ROE had been filed by my employer.

I'll assume that because of the holidays I would not expect to see any updates on my Service Canada account showing that my EI application had been submitted, but can anyone tell me next steps??

Do I need to telephone the international number to follow up on my online application?? And do they accept a faxed copy of my passport showing my CR-1 entry stamp and 1 year residency (while waiting for my card)....

Just curious and anxious to get my claim established!

And I have to say, finally being here with my husband after 6 years long distance is just surreal!!

Peace all.

Yes, as NLR stated, they contact you by mail, requesting that you complete and return an enclosed Interstate USA employment Authorization Questionnaire.

It will request:

-your citizenship and proof (passport ID works)

-your POE date and the timeframe after that which you weren't 'available' to work due to moving/travel, etc.

-If you entered with a Visa, the type, when issued and expiration date (**I will comment on this below...)

-asks you for a copy of the visa.

-asks if you've applied for the green card/ date, and requests you forward a copy of the green card when able (**also see below for my comments...)

-asks what date you are available to look for/accept full time employment in the US.

-asks what employment you have already pursued.

You'll then start receiving regular mail from them, each 2 weeks, but you don't have to fill out the info on the forms or mail them back, as you just make the phone call reports to 1-877-486-1650, which is a recording, and they call you back usually later the same day, especially if you call early! (They will instruct you on which day every two weeks that you must call... I call every second Friday and maybe that's standard).

My comments about the visa expiration date and green card are related, as the expiration date on my visa was Dec 11, 2014 (6 months after POE), and since I still don't have the green card in hand due to a back-log (go figure) at USCIS, I ran into an issue where they were suggesting they'd cancel my benefits as of Dec 11.

I contacted USCIS a few times, and it was stated that the expiration date of the visa is merely an expiration for 'entry' to the US, not the expiration of the visa itself, which is clearly stated on my stamp on that visa page as well as in a statement found on that visa (lasting until July 2015).

Hence I explained that to EI Canada, they rechecked the copy of my visa page, and my benefits resumed...

so just a head's up on that little glitch due to a delay in green card production/processing on USCIS's end.

Good luck

[Sylea 30]

Yes, as NLR stated, they contact you by mail, requesting that you complete and return an enclosed Interstate USA employment Authorization Questionnaire.

It will request:

-your citizenship and proof (passport ID works)

-your POE date and the timeframe after that which you weren't 'available' to work due to moving/travel, etc.

-If you entered with a Visa, the type, when issued and expiration date (**I will comment on this below...)

-asks you for a copy of the visa.

-asks if you've applied for the green card/ date, and requests you forward a copy of the green card when able (**also see below for my comments...)

-asks what date you are available to look for/accept full time employment in the US.

-asks what employment you have already pursued.

You'll then start receiving regular mail from them, each 2 weeks, but you don't have to fill out the info on the forms or mail them back, as you just make the phone call reports to 1-877-486-1650, which is a recording, and they call you back usually later the same day, especially if you call early! (They will instruct you on which day every two weeks that you must call... I call every second Friday and maybe that's standard).

My comments about the visa expiration date and green card are related, as the expiration date on my visa was Dec 11, 2014 (6 months after POE), and since I still don't have the green card in hand due to a back-log (go figure) at USCIS, I ran into an issue where they were suggesting they'd cancel my benefits as of Dec 11.

I contacted USCIS a few times, and it was stated that the expiration date of the visa is merely an expiration for 'entry' to the US, not the expiration of the visa itself, which is clearly stated on my stamp on that visa page as well as in a statement found on that visa (lasting until July 2015).

Hence I explained that to EI Canada, they rechecked the copy of my visa page, and my benefits resumed...

so just a head's up on that little glitch due to a delay in green card production/processing on USCIS's end.

Good luck

Thanks NLR and Lakehouse (Lakehouse, I owe you a private email, thanks so much for the beautiful E-card! ) - so if I understand NLR correctly, my online application WAS accepted and now I just wait for postal mail?? It's frustrating to not be able to follow anything on the Service Canada website. How long does it usually take to get the mail from them??

Interesting about the visa expiration date - I read mine that 'as of endorsement date' the stamp on my CR-1 visa makes it a temp green card good for a year, so Dec 2015. I will follow up/watch for this info.

I would guess that you may have had someone handling your file who wasn't familiar with these types of claims.

Anyway, thanks to you both, I'll let you know how it all proceeds.

Peace all.