Availability

Your Responsibility to Be Available for Work

For you to be eligible to receive regular benefits you must prove that you are available to work for each regular working day that you wish to receive benefits. You may not be considered available if you have restrictions on your availability that limit your chance of finding suitable employment.

Availability is determined by three factors:

• the desire to return to the labour market as soon as a suitable job is offered
  
• the expression of that desire through efforts to find a suitable job
  
• not setting personal conditions that might unduly limit the chances of returning to the labour market.

Some examples of conditions that may interfere with your availability are:

• taking a course of instruction that has not been approved by EI
  
• being out of the country or away from you usual area of residence
  
• providing childcare during your usual working hours
  
• restricting the number of hours or days you wish to work

Back to top