I am interested to find out if people were able to get maternity leave pay. I know it says if you emigrate via spousal then you have to wait 3 years until you can get money from the government. So i am guessing this includes maternity leave as that comes from EI...am i right?

Kinda feel stupid asking this, but thought i would anyways,

Thank you.

here you go:

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=maternity+leave%2Bcanada

Rather more helpfully......

The spousal sponsorship commitment is effectively that the sponsor will ensure that you don't need to seek recourse to Social Assistance from the Canadian Govt. That's as distinct from EI which you have to pay into before you are entitled to draw anything. So within 3 years if you have sufficient EI contributions, you would be entitled to EI or Maternity/Paternity pay.

EI=Dole / Maternity pay. Social Assistance = Welfare.

so i just kinda had a look online and i guess that would mean as long as i have put in 52 weeks or something i think it said, i might MIGHT be able to get maternity leave. I am just trying to figure out things for the future.

Thank you for your comments. Any more info anyone wants to give, thats cool.

I'm not sure on the exact legal side of it etc but we moved here in July 2006... I got a job pretty much straight away and had a baby in December 2007... I qualified for EI because I had worked enough hours etc... I'm sure and don't quote me on this but as soon as you have your PR card you are just treated the same as a citizen (with regards maternity leave)

Good luck and congratulations!!!!

My 2p:

My wife had worked for 22 months full-time in BC before going on mat leave. We're still on TWP (awaiting PR application result) but there were no problems with maternity leave & payment from my wife's employer or from EI.

As long as you've done the hours and made the payments required, your TWP/PR/citizenship status is irrelevant

From memory I think 52 weeks is the qualifying period but you have to have over 420 hours employed in an insurable job in that period and then you get something like 55% of your average wage up to a maximum of about 450 a week

again thats going by memory from the last time the wife went on maternity so may not be 100% - I do know the 3 year spousal deal doesent kick in with Ei / Maternity payments it only kicks in for welfare etc

YEp -- just want to echo what the other posters have said: If you pay into EI, then you are qualified to draw from the benefits. It is not strictly the same program as welfare (it is drawn from contributions from pay) so the 'entitlement' is tied to your hours worked. 420 hours.

600 hours during the qualifying period is needed for maternity leave.

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/e.../special.shtml

they've upped it, the b*stards!!! Oops!

Quite a few people in my organisation have gone on maternity leave over the last 3 years. They all take 1 year off - seems to be the norm. One guy even split the maternity leave with his wife. Each took 6 months off to cover the 12 month period.