Please be advised that this site is not affiliated with the Service Canada office.
It was created to provide general EI information only.

Is EI payment deposited weekly or bi-weekly?

Your EI payment is issued every 2 weeks after you have completed your online EI report. You will be paid either through direct deposit (within 2 business days) or by mailed cheque (up to 2 weeks). EI does not pay you 2 weeks in advance. Your bi-weekly EI benefits payment is to cover your past 2 weeks of job search activities.

In the situation where you were asked to complete a manual report, you will only get your payment after the paper report is received and processed at the designated EI processing office.

Sometimes, if a national holiday occurs on a Monday, you will experience your EI benefits payment delay through the direct deposit.

Learn more: Most common reason why you have not received your payment. 

How do I set up direct deposit?

If you would like to have your money direct deposit, you have to add your bank account through your My Service Canada Account.

How to properly complete your EI report?

If you have worked during the past 2 weeks, you must declare your gross earnings in your report (total worked hours x your hourly wage). Your EI benefits will be less due to the earning deduction. Later when you receive your actual salary, you don’t have to declare anymore because you have done so already.

* * * IMPORTANT * * * Please note that you must ensure your EI report is answered according to what the reporting system is expecting. For example, if you are staying home waiting for your employer to call you back to work, you must answer “yes” to the availability question. If you answered “no” the reporting system will pause your EI report and ask you to call EI call centre to clear the report. You will not be paid until the report is cleared by EI call centre agent.

More reading: EI Reporting Step by step.