EI fishing benefits

• Social Insurance Number
• Date of birth
• Banking information
• Names and addresses of buyers and employers
• Records of Employment, if paper ROEs were issued

Who is eligible?

• Self-employed fishers

Who is not eligible

This benefit is specifically tailored for self-employed fishers actively seeking work, thus narrowing eligibility by the nature of employment. Companies or industries outside this sector do not qualify for these benefits.

• Businesses not involved in self-employed fishing activities.
• Industries unrelated to fishing seeking regular employment insurance benefits.

Eligible expenses

The Employment Insurance (EI) fishing benefits aim to support self-employed fishers who are actively seeking work while also being eligible for various special benefits. The activities eligible for this grant revolve primarily around fishing-related earnings and caregiving responsibilities.

• Seeking work actively as a self-employed fisher.
• Self-employed fishing activities that meet the earnings criteria during the qualifying period.
• Caregiving activities for family members with serious medical conditions under compassionate care benefits.
• Providing care for a critically ill child or adult family member under family caregiver benefits.
• Taking maternity or parental leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted child.
• Temporarily stopping fishing activities due to medical reasons and claiming sickness benefits.

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada

• First payment is usually issued about 28 days after application if eligible and all information is provided.
• A 1-week waiting period applies before benefits start.
• Applicants are notified if their claim is not eligible.
• Reconsideration can be requested within 30 days if the decision is disputed.

Here are additional relevant details for the EI fishing benefits:

• The qualifying period can be impacted if an application was previously approved within the last 31 weeks.
• The family supplement is available and can increase the benefit rate up to 80% of average insurable earnings for low income families.
• Benefits from this program are taxable and federal as well as provincial or territorial taxes will be deducted from payments.
• The maximum duration for receiving fishing benefits is 26 weeks within a 37-38 week benefit period, but this can extend up to 52 weeks if claiming special benefits such as sickness benefits.
• Application must be done no later than four weeks after the last day of work, the end date of the fishing trip, or the date of selling the catch to a buyer.
• The application process online takes approximately one hour, and information is saved for only 72 hours if not completed.
• Employers are required to issue records of employment (ROEs) for past and recent jobs, viewable on My Service Canada Account, to aid in determining eligibility and the amount of benefits.