Are there other reasons why I might not get EI?

Service Canada can decide to cut off your benefits for other reasons. This is called being “disentitled” to benefits.

For example, this could happen if:

you’re not available for work full-time, for example, you cannot work at all for medical reasons or you do not want to work certain hours,
you’re not actively looking for work,
you do not give Service Canada staff information they ask for, or
you’re not working because there’s a strike or lockout.

And usually you’ll be disentitled to benefits if you’re outside of Canada. The chart on the next page has some examples of when this does not apply.

You’re outside Canada to:	You can stay for:
get medical treatment that’s not easy to get where you live in Canada	as long as you’re getting treatment
go with an immediate family member to get medical treatment that’s not easy to get where they live in Canada	up to 7 days
go to the funeral of a close family member	up to 7 days
visit an immediate family member who’s seriously sick or injured	up to 7 days
go to a job interview	up to 7 days
look for a job	up to 14 days

You can get your benefits started again if you prove that the reason why you were disentitled has stopped.

If Service Canada cuts off your benefits, you have 30 days to ask them to reconsider. This means asking them to review and change their decision. For information about how to do this, see How do I ask for a reconsideration?

You can give them any new information you have when you ask them to reconsider.

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