The Canuck EI Thread

[JillA 2]

Did anyone apply for EI before leaving Canada? Or are you supposed to apply after you move? I know you have to apply within 4 wks of last day worked. Not sure how all that's going to fall into place when I have my interview and such. Tim is coming up when it happens, ( I'm so happy!!) and then we'll fly back to the States together after about a week. Little early to tell though, exactly the play by play...

You have to apply from your US address, after your K-1 has been activated at the border.

You will need supporting documentation, but you do NOT need to wait until you get that documentation to apply. Apply as SOON as you land in the US and your K-1 is active, so you can claim EI for the full duration of the visa.

What documentation actually? I'm guessing this will be obvious??

Did anyone apply for EI before leaving Canada? Or are you supposed to apply after you move? I know you have to apply within 4 wks of last day worked. Not sure how all that's going to fall into place when I have my interview and such. Tim is coming up when it happens, ( I'm so happy!!) and then we'll fly back to the States together after about a week. Little early to tell though, exactly the play by play...

Don't apply while in Canada, but try to apply 1-2 days after your US arrival. You'll only get 90 days and the clock starts ticking the moment you arrive.

90 days to receive EI? or 90 days to apply for it? Just trying to figure out if I only have 3 months of it or not..

The documentation is your ROE from current employer and I-94 which you will get upon Visa activation. Also a copy of your Visa. They need the original ROE, but apply online first.

You get the EI for 90 days upon crossing the border, and they stop giving it to you after 90 days (they determine this date based on your I-94) until you receive your EAD or Green Card. Therefore you must apply ASAP upon USA arrival, or else you'll miss good days you are eligible to receive it.

Edited February 5, 2009 by JillA

[Galateia 1]

You apply for EI based on your I-94 (the paper they staple to your visa with your entry date stamp on it). The I-94 expires 90 days from the date the stamp is put on it, and you EI payments dry up when that I-94 expires.

So apply as soon as you get into the US. If you can't apply the day you arrive, (day 1 of 90) apply the next day, so you can get 89 days of EI!

The supporting documentation will be obvious. You will need the ROE (Record of Employment) that your old employer will give you, but all that supporting stuff can be mailed in whenever you eventually get it. Like we said DO NOT WAIT!!

I repeat, DO NOT WAIT!! Apply RIGHT AWAY or you are p*ssing away days you could have been getting EI. Apply online as soon as you can get your travel-weary fingers on a computer.

I also needed to send in another piece of paper showing my "best weeks" of employment as I worked for an hourly wage so my paycheck was different every week. This worked out well as I got to include weeks I got bonuses and overtime, and my vacation pay-out, so some weeks were much higher than others, so I got to have them base my EI payments off the super-high weeks and thus got more money.

If you had a salary job with exactly the same pay every week no matter what, then you won't need to send in the Best Weeks stuff.

Again, APPLY RIGHT AWAY, sweat the small stuff later after your online application is in. After you have applied online, then they will tell you what supporting documentation you need.

I got my documentation into them so late they ended up giving me like 1.5 months worth of EI in one chunk, because the pay outs count from the date you APPLIED ONLINE and not the date that they got all the paperwork you cobbled together later. Woo!

Does that help?

[BH45 0]

Quick question to all of you wonderful ppl who have been through this already.....When claiming earnings, do we need to convert it to Canadian funds? If so, what do we use as an exchange rate?

Thanks,

[TimandJoyce 1]

Thank you so much for all your help. It's answered lots of my questions!!! I'll just send Tim the link for applying online so that he can add it to his favourites, and then I'll apply the DAY I arrive, regardless of the time. No doubt I can have my ROE before I leave so that will help too. I'll mention to my boss of the "best days worked" I'm hourly..so some paycheques are better than others!!

Don't want to sound too greedy..but I wouldn't mind as much money back as I can possible get!! Not to mention somewhere along the way I'll have to to a 2009 Cdn taxes...but I'll worry about that one a little later.......

[Galateia 1]

Thank you so much for all your help. It's answered lots of my questions!!! I'll just send Tim the link for applying online so that he can add it to his favourites, and then I'll apply the DAY I arrive, regardless of the time. No doubt I can have my ROE before I leave so that will help too. I'll mention to my boss of the "best days worked" I'm hourly..so some paycheques are better than others!!

Don't want to sound too greedy..but I wouldn't mind as much money back as I can possible get!! Not to mention somewhere along the way I'll have to to a 2009 Cdn taxes...but I'll worry about that one a little later.......

Your boss won't have anything to do with the Best Weeks, you will need to look at your pay stubs and calculate it from there. It's gross, not net, btw.

I didn't have my paystubs anymore and it was a giant headache to figure out which weeks and then ask my employer's head office to find my gross for those weeks. Oy.

[TimandJoyce 1]

Your boss won't have anything to do with the Best Weeks, you will need to look at your pay stubs and calculate it from there. It's gross, not net, btw.

I didn't have my paystubs anymore and it was a giant headache to figure out which weeks and then ask my employer's head office to find my gross for those weeks. Oy.

Ugh! Pay stubs...of course...like I would keep those!! Then that's for sure I'd better mention to my boss!! She's been my "new" boss since Aug. of 2007, so thankfully I only have to go through her. Hopefully that won't be too much trouble...

Hey..silly question here...but it's ok to be married during those 90 days, right? We really hope we'll be married within a couple weeks of arrival.

[JillA 2]

Your boss won't have anything to do with the Best Weeks, you will need to look at your pay stubs and calculate it from there. It's gross, not net, btw.

I didn't have my paystubs anymore and it was a giant headache to figure out which weeks and then ask my employer's head office to find my gross for those weeks. Oy.

Ugh! Pay stubs...of course...like I would keep those!! Then that's for sure I'd better mention to my boss!! She's been my "new" boss since Aug. of 2007, so thankfully I only have to go through her. Hopefully that won't be too much trouble...

Hey..silly question here...but it's ok to be married during those 90 days, right? We really hope we'll be married within a couple weeks of arrival.

I got married 7 days after my arrival here, and put that on my application and was approved.

[Galateia 1]

Your boss won't have anything to do with the Best Weeks, you will need to look at your pay stubs and calculate it from there. It's gross, not net, btw.

I didn't have my paystubs anymore and it was a giant headache to figure out which weeks and then ask my employer's head office to find my gross for those weeks. Oy.

Ugh! Pay stubs...of course...like I would keep those!! Then that's for sure I'd better mention to my boss!! She's been my "new" boss since Aug. of 2007, so thankfully I only have to go through her. Hopefully that won't be too much trouble...

Hey..silly question here...but it's ok to be married during those 90 days, right? We really hope we'll be married within a couple weeks of arrival.

I got married within 48 hrs of arriving. I applied before I got married. No problems.

[Emancipation 2]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-isl...-ei-crisis.html

woah...

[JillA 2]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-isl...-ei-crisis.html

woah...

Interesting.... I find it really odd that "we" are entitled to EI after voluntarily leaving the country. I'm not complaining because I appreciate the $$, but I think it should first go to Canadians LIVING in Canada.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-isl...-ei-crisis.html

woah...

Interesting.... I find it really odd that "we" are entitled to EI after voluntarily leaving the country. I'm not complaining because I appreciate the $$, but I think it should first go to Canadians LIVING in Canada.

I have to disagree (respectfully tho ) I think those who pay into it are entitled. At least that's how I feel. I've never used it in all these years and I needed a little help when moving here . It was for a limited time so i'll never feel bad about it - of course there are always those who will abuse it - and I don't respect them.

[Texanadian 10]

Considering that Canada EI had a 50 billion dollar surplus the last time I checked, I don't see any problem with Canadians who've paid in being able to collect regardless of which country they live in. It's hard enough that we're not allowed to work between day 91-EAD approved.

Reading the story in the link and hearing about people living in Canada waiting 6 weeks. Ouch. The 2 week waiting period is hard enough, although most people can make it. But 6 weeks? That's tough. People have regular bills that need to be paid.

I didn't get my first payment for 7 months. At least I knew that the immigration process was going to take awhile and worked as much overtime as I could the year before I left. No vacation days taken that year too.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Texanadian

[July09Bride 1]

Forgive me if I missed this somewhere... what about EI for someone who has been self-employed since October/November of 2008? How does he do that? If someone could provide a link, that would be awesome!!!

We are awaiting the interview for his K-1 in Montreal, and that could be awhile. So, we're okay for now. But, we would like to have all of our ducks in a row for when we do ge the interview and he crosses the border.

Thank you SOOOOO much!

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Hi there - I do not remember the exact rules of how EI works for those who are self employed (he probably worked for someone else before being self-employed?) . I assume you're the American and your future hubster is Canadian? Have him go take a look at the Service Canada website which links in to EI. Lots there to read. He could contact a local office as well I would think

[Emancipation 2]

Forgive me if I missed this somewhere... what about EI for someone who has been self-employed since October/November of 2008? How does he do that? If someone could provide a link, that would be awesome!!!

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/t4001/t4001-08e.pdf

(Pg 14ff)

I believe that if you are the owner of a company you can't claim EI (you are not eligible for benefits nor do you pay into the system).