Employment Insurance Coverage in Canada, 2017 – Eligibility rate down for youth and for people aged 45 and over

The eligibility rate for receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits was 84.3% in 2017, little changed from the previous year.

The eligibility rate was also little changed for men and women, but was down for youth and those aged 45 and over.

Infographic
Employment Insurance coverage and eligibility

Eligibility rate down for youth and for people aged 45 and over

For youth aged 15 to 24, the eligibility rate fell from 50.8% in 2016 to 40.7% in 2017, the lowest rate since comparable data became available in 2003. The decline partly reflects the fact that, among youth, the number of contributors who accumulated a sufficient number of insurable hours declined at a faster pace than the number of contributors with a valid job separation. Since 2003, the eligibility rate for youth has ranged from 41% to 63%.

Among people aged 45 and over, the eligibility rate fell to 90.2% in 2017, down from a recent high of 94.0% in 2016.The eligibility rate for people aged 25 to 44 was little changed over the same period.

The eligibility rate for youth has historically been lower than the rate of older age groups, as youth are less likely to accumulate a sufficient number of insurable hours and are more likely to have an invalid job separation.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at The Daily — Employment Insurance Coverage Survey, 2017