wongnumber

Hi,

I have been a permanent resident from July 22nd 2009, I have been sponsored to be here by my partner.

I worked full-time between July 27th and March 15th at which point my job finished (I was working for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics) - which was fantastic BTW.

As a normal worker I would be eligible for Employment Insurance (which I want to claim whilst I am looking for other work). However I am unsure if this would break the rules of the sponsorship agreement?

I spoke with an agent at service Canada and he told me I could claim however I am dubious incase this proves to be incorrect and my partner gets in trouble later on?

Has anybody been in a similar situation and claimed employment insurance?

Thanks

Bryn

Novocastrian

EI is insurance, which you've paid for. The sponsor is only responsible for keeping you off welfare.

There's no problem.

Atlantic Xpat

^^^^ What the Prof. said.

Tangram

I must say with mine, because you have to decalre your severance, it wouldn't have kicked in for 4 months, by which time I had another job. So in the end I ended up receiving nothing from the govt. I assume with less severance, the waiting period is less. they seemed to work out the period, not on the amount of severance replacing my previous income but on replacing the EI I would have received, thereby stretching the period of waiting for quite some time.

Aviator

Severance is counted as an equivalent paid work. If you get 4 weeks severance then you have to wait 6 weeks for EI, severance period+EI waiting period of 2 weeks.

Tangram

Seems strange that I received 2 1/2 months severance but the EI cover only kicked in 4 months later. Anyway, mute point as I got a job after 1 1/2 months.

Aviator

If you also got vacation pay that would impact it as well.