Financial dire need situation

EI claimants may only request for dire need after the promised 28 days processing time frame had elapsed. You may call EI call centre or visit your local Service Canada centre to discuss your financial situation. The agent will have to evaluate your situation to find out if they can escalate your file to dire need situation. If you have already reached the 3rd follow up, your file is already consider as high priority, therefore there is no need to place dire need request.

If you are experiencing financial hardship while waiting for your 28 days of EI processing time. Unfortunately, there are not many ways for EI processing to speed up your application process within the promised 28 days processing time frame. This is the reason why you will have to rely on social services for immediate financial assistance.

For example, in the province of Ontario, social service programs are delivered through Ministry of Community and Social Services. Ontario Works program can be accessed online, by phone or in person. Ontario Works will ask you to fill an Assignment of Benefits form that gives consent for EI office to first reimburse your OW amount back with your first few weeks of entitlement payments once your claim is finalized.  

Please refer to your province’s social service website for details.

• Alberta
• British Columbia
• Manitoba 
• New Brunswick
• Newfoundland and Labrador
• Northwest Territories
• Nova Scotia
• Nunavut
• Ontario
• Prince Edward Island
• Quebec
• Saskatchewan
• Yukon

More Read: How to tell EI agent about your Financial Dire Need situation?

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