Last Updated On 2 April 2026, 9:33 AM EDT (Toronto Time)
The Government of Canada has extended three temporary Employment Insurance relief measures beyond April 2026, giving workers more breathing room as tariffs continue to weigh on jobs and incomes.
The extension means some claimants will still benefit from a waived waiting period, severance treatment relief, and extra weeks of regular EI benefits.
These temporary Employment Insurance measures protected laid-off workers from the worst financial impacts of U.S. tariffs and were scheduled to expire in April 2026.
For workers who lost their jobs in the auto sector, steel manufacturing, lumber, agriculture, and dozens of other industries caught in the crossfire of trade disputes.
The extension is expected to benefit more than 811,000 additional claims combined.
If you are a Canadian worker who has been laid off, is facing a layoff, or works in a tariff-affected industry, these three rules could save you thousands of dollars in 2026.
Here’s what changed, who qualifies, how much money is at stake, and what you need to do before the new deadline.
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In March 2025, the federal government introduced three emergency Employment Insurance measures through a pilot project to protect Canadian workers whose jobs were directly or indirectly affected by U.S. tariffs.
The tariffs have affected Canadian steel, aluminium, auto parts, lumber, and agricultural sectors, contributing to layoffs and reduced work across the country.
The original measures were set to expire in the fall of 2025, but were extended once before to April 11, 2026.
Now, with trade uncertainty continuing and no resolution to the tariff disputes in sight, Ottawa has extended them again to October 10, 2026.
Minister of Jobs and Families Patty Hajdu stated that the EI program remains a critical safety net designed to be there when Canadians need it most.
The extension means that workers who file new EI claims between now and October 10, 2026, will continue to benefit from all three temporary measures.
Under normal EI rules, when you file a claim for regular benefits, there is a mandatory one-week waiting period during which you receive no payment.
This waiting period functions like a deductible in other insurance programs.
For a worker receiving the maximum weekly EI regular benefit in 2026, that one-week delay can mean missing out on up to $729 in income support.
Under the extended temporary measure, this waiting period is completely waived for claims established between March 30, 2025, and October 10, 2026.
That means you start receiving EI benefits from the very first week of your claim.
The government estimates that 632,000 additional claims will benefit from this waiver during the extension period alone.
For a single worker at the maximum benefit rate, skipping the waiting period puts $729 directly in your pocket that you would normally never receive.
For lower-income workers, the amount will be less but is still significant when you are trying to cover rent, groceries, and bills in the first week after losing your job.
There is one exception to be aware of.
If your employer has a Supplemental Unemployment Benefit plan that requires you to be on claim before top-up payments begin, you may choose to serve the waiting period voluntarily to maximize your total income.
Consult with your employer’s HR department if you have a SUB plan before deciding.
This is the measure that could save some workers the most money.
Under normal EI rules, when you receive separation payments from your employer such as severance pay, vacation payouts, or pay in lieu of notice, those amounts are considered separation earnings.
These separation earnings are allocated starting from your last day of work and effectively delay or reduce your EI benefits.
In practical terms, a worker who receives 12 weeks of severance pay under normal rules would not start receiving EI regular benefits until those 12 weeks have passed.
Under the extended temporary measure, this treatment is completely suspended for claims established, or allocations commencing, between March 30, 2025, and October 10, 2026.
You can receive your full severance lump sum and your weekly EI payments at the same time.
The government estimates that 136,000 additional claims will benefit from this measure during the extension period.
For a worker who receives a large severance package and qualifies for the maximum EI benefit of $729 per week, this measure could mean thousands of dollars in additional EI income that would otherwise have been delayed under normal rules.
For example, a worker with 10 weeks of severance and the maximum EI weekly rate could receive up to $7,290 in EI benefits during that period under the temporary rules.
This is an illustrative estimate based on the 2026 maximum weekly EI benefit.
This is especially important for workers in industries like auto manufacturing, steel production, and forestry, where severance packages are common and layoffs are directly tied to tariff impacts.
The third temporary measure provides 20 additional weeks of regular EI benefits to qualifying long-tenured workers.
This brings the maximum possible benefit period from the standard 45 weeks up to 65 weeks.
The extended measure applies to claims starting on or after June 15, 2025, until October 10, 2026.
The government estimates that 43,500 additional claims will benefit from the extra weeks during the extension period.
To qualify as a long-tenured worker, you must meet all of the following criteria.
You must have paid at least 30% of the maximum annual EI premium in at least 7 of the last 10 years before your qualifying period.
You must have received 35 weeks or less of EI regular or fishing benefits in the 260 weeks before the start of your benefit period.
The 30% threshold is based on maximum annual EI premiums for each year, which means you need to have earned a significant amount of insurable income in most of the past decade.
This typically means a steady employment history with limited gaps.
For older workers, specialized professionals, and people in regions with limited job opportunities, the extra 20 weeks can be the difference between finding new employment and running out of income support entirely.
At the current maximum weekly EI benefit of $729, 20 additional weeks represents up to $14,580 in extra income support.
How Much Money Each Measure Could Save You
| EI Temporary Measure | What It Does | Estimated Savings at Maximum Benefit Rate | Claims Expected to Benefit |
| Waived one-week waiting period | You receive benefits from week one instead of week two | Up to $729 per claim | 632,000 additional claims |
| Suspended severance treatment | Severance, vacation pay, and pay in lieu of notice do not delay or reduce your EI benefits | Varies widely; could be $5,000 to $20,000+, depending on severance amount | 136,000 additional claims |
| 20 extra weeks for long-tenured workers | Maximum benefit period increases from 45 weeks to 65 weeks | Up to $14,580 in additional weeks of income support | 43,500 additional claims |
| Measure | Eligible Claim Period | Previous Expiry | New Extended Deadline |
| Waived waiting period | Claims established between March 30, 2025 and October 10, 2026 | April 11, 2026 | October 10, 2026 |
| Suspended severance treatment | Claims established, or allocations commencing, between March 30, 2025 and October 10, 2026 | April 11, 2026 | October 10, 2026 |
| 20 extra weeks for long-tenured workers | Claims starting on or after June 15, 2025 until October 10, 2026 | April 11, 2026 | October 10, 2026 |
Understanding the current EI benefit calculations helps you estimate exactly how much money these extended measures could put in your pocket.
The 2026 EI rates and figures are already in effect and apply to all new claims filed this year.
| EI Figure | 2026 Amount | 2025 Amount | Change |
| Maximum insurable earnings | $68,900 | $65,700 | +$3,200 |
| Maximum weekly benefit (regular) | $729 | $695 | +$34 |
| EI benefit rate | 55% of average insurable weekly earnings | 55% | No change |
| Maximum annual employee premium (outside Quebec) | $1,123.07 | $1,077.48 | +$45.59 |
| Employer premium rate | 1.4x employee premium | 1.4x | No change |
| Maximum regular benefit weeks (standard) | 14 to 45 weeks | 14 to 45 weeks | No change |
| Maximum regular benefit weeks (with long-tenured extension) | Up to 65 weeks | Up to 65 weeks | No change |
To receive the maximum $729 weekly benefit, you need average weekly insurable earnings of approximately $1,326 or more.
If your weekly earnings are lower, your benefit will be 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings.
In addition to the three EI temporary measures, the federal government has also extended additional flexibilities to the Work Sharing Program until March 31, 2027.
The Work Sharing Program allows employers to avoid layoffs during temporary downturns by sharing reduced work among employees, with EI providing partial income support for the reduced hours.
As of March 14, 2026, roughly 1,500 Work Sharing applications have been approved for businesses affected by tariffs since the start of 2025.
These approved applications cover more than 54,000 workers across the country.
The government estimates that the program has helped prevent approximately 20,000 layoffs.
Under the special tariff measures, the maximum duration of a Work Sharing agreement has been extended to 76 weeks.
The required cooling-off period between successive agreements has been waived while special measures are in place.
Employer and employee eligibility has been expanded to include seasonal and cyclical contexts.
Employers with active Work Sharing agreements can now apply for the new Worker Retention Grant, a temporary tariff measure announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in November 2025.
The grant allows employers to top up the income of participating employees so they can maintain income levels closer to their normal wages while taking training during their non-work hours.
The top-up can bring worker income to approximately 70% of their reduced earnings.
This means that workers on reduced hours through Work Sharing can receive EI benefits for their reduced hours plus an employer top-up funded by the grant plus training opportunities to build new skills.
The combination of Work Sharing, EI benefits, and the Worker Retention Grant creates a comprehensive support system that keeps workers employed, maintains their income, and prepares them for future economic shifts.
As part of the government’s broader tariff response, six Workforce Alliances are being established to mobilize industry leaders, workers, and training institutions around a shared national vision.
These alliances will focus on building a workforce that is skilled, adaptable, and ready to meet Canada’s economic challenges in the following priority areas.
| Workforce Alliance | Focus Area |
| Housing and Construction | Addressing the housing crisis through skilled trades development |
| Transportation and Supply Chains | Strengthening logistics and transport workforce capacity |
| Advanced Manufacturing | Supporting workers in tariff-affected manufacturing sectors |
| Energy and Electricity | Building workforce for energy transition and grid modernization |
| Mining and Minerals | Developing critical minerals workforce for economic security |
| Care Economy | Expanding healthcare and social care workforce |
The $570 million Workforce Tariff Response funding is being delivered through provincial and territorial governments to provide targeted training and employment services.
This federal investment is funded through Employment Insurance contributions by workers and employers.
If you are currently laid off or expecting a layoff, file your EI claim as soon as possible after your last day of work.
You risk losing benefits if you wait more than four weeks after your last day of employment to submit your claim.
Apply online through the Service Canada website or contact Service Canada for assistance.
Have your Record of Employment, Social Insurance Number, banking information, and details of any severance or separation payments ready before you apply.
If you received severance pay, you do not need to wait for it to run out before applying.
Under the extended measures, your severance will not delay or reduce your EI benefits for claims established before October 10, 2026.
If you think you qualify as a long-tenured worker, gather your T4 slips from the last 10 years to verify that you paid at least 30% of the maximum annual EI premium in at least 7 of those years.
Complete your biweekly reports on time to avoid interruptions in your benefit payments.
If your employer offers a Work Sharing arrangement, consider participating as it allows you to keep your job, receive partial EI benefits, and potentially access the Worker Retention Grant for training opportunities.
Do I need to prove that my layoff was directly caused by tariffs to qualify for the extended EI measures?
No, the three temporary measures apply to all new EI regular benefit claims established within the eligible period, regardless of whether your specific layoff was caused by tariffs. If you lost your job through no fault of your own and you meet the standard EI eligibility requirements, you benefit from the waived waiting period and the suspended severance treatment automatically. The long-tenured worker extension has additional criteria based on your EI contribution history over the past 10 years but does not require a tariff-related reason for your layoff.
If I was already receiving EI benefits before the extension was announced, do I get extra weeks added to my existing claim?
The extended deadline of October 10, 2026 applies to when your claim was established, not when benefits are paid out. If your claim was established within the eligible window (March 30, 2025 to October 10, 2026 for the first two measures, or on or after June 15, 2025 for the long-tenured measure), the temporary measures already apply to your claim. If you qualified as a long-tenured worker when your claim started, the 20 extra weeks were already built into your benefit period. The extension means that new claims filed through October 10, 2026 will also qualify.
Can I receive my full severance package and EI benefits at the same time even if my severance is more than $50,000?
Yes, under the suspended severance treatment measure, there is no dollar limit on the amount of separation earnings that can be excluded. Whether your severance is $5,000 or $100,000, it will not be allocated against your EI benefits for claims established within the eligible period. This includes severance pay, vacation payouts, pay in lieu of notice, and other forms of separation earnings that would normally delay your benefits under standard EI rules.
What happens if I file my EI claim on October 11, 2026 instead of October 10?
October 10, 2026 is the hard deadline. If your claim is established on October 11, 2026 or later, standard EI rules will apply unless the government announces another extension. That means you would face the one-week waiting period, your severance would be allocated against your benefits, and you would not qualify for the 20 extra weeks as a long-tenured worker. If you know a layoff is coming, file your claim as soon as possible after your last day of work to ensure it falls within the eligible window.
My employer offered me a Work Sharing arrangement. Can I still file a regular EI claim later if the company eventually lays me off?
Yes, Work Sharing and regular EI benefits are separate. If you participate in Work Sharing and your employer later proceeds with a full layoff, you can file a new regular EI claim at that point. The temporary measures, including the waived waiting period and suspended severance treatment, would apply to your new claim as long as it is established before October 10, 2026. Participation in Work Sharing does not disqualify you from future regular EI benefits.
Fact checked: All information in this article has been verified against the official Government of Canada news release from Employment and Social Development Canada dated March 20, 2026, and related Service Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada pages on canada.ca as of April 2, 2026.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or employment advice. EI eligibility and benefit amounts vary based on individual circumstances, region, and contribution history. Contact Service Canada at 1 800 206 7218 for guidance specific to your situation.
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