Travelling while on EI

[grappos13]

hi all,

this came as a surprise to me but it does totally make sense. I was told that if I am currently getting EI that I am not able to leave Canada at all. Do any of you know if this is true? am I able to suspend my EI benefits for that week that I plan to leave canada? I find on their website that says you cannot get regular benefits if you leave canada unless its for funeral or illness or something... but is there a way to stop ur benefits for a week and then go?

any help would be greatly appreciated.. thanks

[mark001]

I've known people to be travelling outside the country while collecting EI. Whether or not they are allowed to do this without notifying the proper channels I don't know and even doubt because I believe to be collecting EI you have to be actively looking for employment within Canada and be ready and willing to work. Both kind of hard to do if you're out and about on vacation or what have you. But the people I've known to have done this never got penalized. Call your local Service Canada office to make sure.

[bobbings]

You're not allowed to leave while collecting EI but I think if the trip were planned prior to you getting laid off, you can make a case for it. That is what happened to my aunt.

[grappos13]

You're not allowed to leave while collecting EI but I think if the trip were planned prior to you getting laid off, you can make a case for it. That is what happened to my aunt.

well i got laid off in january... i knew i was gonna go to vegas this summer from last winter.. but obviously nothing was booked that early...hmm this would suck... i could not even just postpone it for the week? damn... luckily i didnt book my airline tickets... just now i gotta disappoint my friends and such... damn they gonna be pissed..

i guess if i find a job for starting in september, then i could stop EI before.. as im planning to go to vegas the last week of august...

[Krox]

Call them up and ask.

If you don't and just leave they will adjust your benefits so that you will not receive anything for the time you were out of the country.

[grappos13]

thanks for the info all..

called them up.. they just said once i know the definite dates of my trip to call them back so that they can put it in the system so I do not receive benefits for those days...

i guess this means my vegas trip is gonna cost me an extra $350 dollars that ill be losing in EI payments :(

[Cheapo-Findo]

Or you can tell them your looking for work outside canada :cheesygri

[oasis100]

You should just call and tell them, and you won't receive benefits for that week when you are not available to work. Lying on your EI reports probably isn't a good idea.

[robster77]

thanks for the info all..

called them up.. they just said once i know the definite dates of my trip to call them back so that they can put it in the system so I do not receive benefits for those days...

i guess this means my vegas trip is gonna cost me an extra $350 dollars that ill be losing in EI payments :(

Ahh dude, you should have kept quiet. Technically, you are supposed to tell them that you are leaving the country for vacation, etc., but I've often wondered how they'd know if you left? But now they have you on file as going. Big props to you for being honest though, I hope you win a bundle in Vegas.

[robster77]

Or you can tell them your looking for work outside canada :cheesygri

I'll bet that would go over as well as a fart in church. "Yes please, I'd like you to fund my out-of-country search." LOL.

I do wonder though how the feds would know? Surely they're not matching up customs checks with people who are on EI? Are are they? If so, would sound like a waste of time. But then again, if one at CCRA were to get a weekly Excel dump of people leaving the country, a quick vlookup against the EI role would definitely narrow the search in seconds. Disregard, maybe it is possible afterall.

[grappos13]

I didnt go into my accoutn on the phone.. it was just a generic question that i asked...

my sister told me one of her friends tried to go over the border to buffalo and they stopped her because she was on EI.. border knows some how thru ur name?

[Krox]

Ahh dude, you should have kept quiet. Technically, you are supposed to tell them that you are leaving the country for vacation, etc., but I've often wondered how they'd know if you left? But now they have you on file as going. Big props to you for being honest though, I hope you win a bundle in Vegas.

If you are flying to the US and use your passport, then you will be in the system. It will be recorded when you left and when you returned. EI checks this information.

Previously, if you drove across the border they wouldn't be able to tell but now with the new rules for crossing the border (needing passport or enhanced driver's license) I'm sure they can check that as well.

[Nosnhoj]

Great... so my taxes are funding your Vegas trip. Get a job and pay for your own damn vacation.

[robster77]

Great... so my taxes are funding your Vegas trip. Get a job and pay for your own damn vacation.

Did you even read this thread?

[grappos13]

Great... so my taxes are funding your Vegas trip. Get a job and pay for your own damn vacation.

why dont u stop being a lurker to this site and contribute more than 1 post in a year??

I have more than enough money saved up from my previous job for my trip.. so that has nothing to do with it...

maybe read the thread before u post garbage like that...we dont need ppl like you lurking on rfd

[robster77]

I didnt go into my accoutn on the phone.. it was just a generic question that i asked...

my sister told me one of her friends tried to go over the border to buffalo and they stopped her because she was on EI.. border knows some how thru ur name?

Yeah, in my prior post I mentioned how I guess it's not too hard to match up customs with EI. So again, kudos for being honest. And kudos to our government for being on top of it. I know if I was unemployed I'd be drinking in New Orleans half the time.

[sujac]

I believe what happens is when you return to Canada you have stand in that big line to get through customs. They swipe your passport and your info goes in the system. Border Services shares info with CRA.

You get busted you have to repay all the EI your received while out of the country and you are banned from collecting EI for 5 years. It happened to someone I know last year don't risk it, let them know you are leaving they will suspend EI payments for the duration you are out of the country.

[grappos13]

I believe what happens is when you return to Canada you have stand in that big line to get through customs. They swipe your passport and your info goes in the system. Border Services shares info with CRA.

You get busted you have to repay all the EI your received while out of the country and you are banned from collecting EI for 5 years. It happened to someone I know last year don't risk it, let them know you are leaving they will suspend EI payments for the duration you are out of the country.

yup.. i never planned to try to "scam" them... i just wanted to make sure that I could at least still leave the country while being under EI (but not receiving during the week i am gone)...

thanks for all of those who read my post and replied (except that one guy)...

MODs, you can close this thread down now :)

[VancouverPride]

My dad was on EI. He left Canada for 3 days and didn't advise EI...forgot or didn't think it was material. Anyways, a few month later, he was short paid by 3 days and received a letter explaining why. Apparently, EI and customs are connected and report to each other. I am pretty sure the second thing many people want to do is travel after they get laid off (the first thing is to look for work :cheesygri). EI has internal controls in place for this unreported time.

[Nosnhoj]

Didn't mean to offend.... but bottom line - collecting EI, and going on vacation (even if you don't get paid the days you are gone) doesn't sit right with me...

[grappos13]

Didn't mean to offend.... but bottom line - collecting EI, and going on vacation (even if you don't get paid the days you are gone) doesn't sit right with me...

i guess ppl that spend their time trying to find jobs and such dont need vacations as well? oh well...

[Zug_Zwang]

Surely they're not matching up customs checks with people who are on EI? Are are they?

Yes, they cross reference EI data with info provided by CBSA.

[Nosnhoj]

i guess ppl that spend their time trying to find jobs and such dont need vacations as well? oh well...

That is what i'm saying! Are you able to say that none of the money you received from EI is going toward a nice blackjack bet - you will only be using the money you saved while you had a job?

I guess peoples priorities are different....

[oasis100]

You don't want to cheat the EI system, or you be put under fraud status.
EI has a team of people called the integrity unit that investigates EI claims. You do not want to scam the government, they will get you back.

[skyline518]

According to the questionnaire, you are suppose to be ready and willing to work monday to friday.
What about crossing the border on the weekends? I mean, weekends are not working days right?

[blizzah]

i guess ppl that spend their time trying to find jobs and such dont need vacations as well? oh well...

No they dont. NO ONE NEEDS A VACATION

Just like people making 10$/hour may want a vacation, but they def dont need one.

[Nosnhoj]

I can't believe i'm the only one who finds anything wrong with this whole idea. Social assistance is social assistance be it EI or welfare. Would the responses be the same if he had been on welfare instead of EI?

Bottom line, I like to read the boards (call me a lurker if you will) - but if you are going to post something in a public domain and ask for responses, don't be upset if you get one you don't agree with.

Enjoy your trip freeloader...

[cgtlky]

I know that you can contact EI office and tell them to stop your benefit while you are outside Canada and call them to re-activate when you come back.

[Krox]

I can't believe i'm the only one who finds anything wrong with this whole idea. Social assistance is social assistance be it EI or welfare. Would the responses be the same if he had been on welfare instead of EI?

Bottom line, I like to read the boards (call me a lurker if you will) - but if you are going to post something in a public domain and ask for responses, don't be upset if you get one you don't agree with.

Enjoy your trip freeloader...

EI is not social assistance, it is employment insurance. The OP has paid premiums while he was working and is now entitled to collect them. EI essentially pays you to look for a job. Since the OP is leaving, he will not collect the money since he will not be looking for a job during this time. I see no problem with that.

[ClubberLang]

All you have to do is call 1800-206-7218. Tell them you are going on Vacation. They will do a form with you that will take about 5 minutes. They will put a disentitlement on your claim that just blocks payment for the period you are outside of Canada. Once you are back your payments resume.


And for anyone thinking you can not report the info and slip through the cracks it ain't happening. When your passport is scanned they get the information.

[robster77]

EI is not social assistance, it is employment insurance. The OP has paid premiums while he was working and is now entitled to collect them. EI essentially pays you to look for a job. Since the OP is leaving, he will not collect the money since he will not be looking for a job during this time. I see no problem with that.

Agreed. Let the poor guy chill out for a week. For all we know, he was just let go. Maybe he needs a break because he's been working like a dog. Maybe he's attending a wedding. We just don't know, and further, it's none of our business anyway. I applaud the guy for informing EI he was going to be out of the country, and doing the right thing. A freeloader he is not.

[shawn99]

what if the vacation was planned and tickets booked before layoff notification was given. Would this be different situation?

[shawn99]

well this is interesting: what is considered a real job search? lol

Regular benefits while temporarily absent from Canada

Under most circumstances you are not allowed to receive regular benefits for any period in which you are not in Canada. However, you can receive regular benefits provided that you are available for work in Canada and that you inform your Service Canada Centre of your temporary absence in the following situations :

for a period of not more than 7 consecutive days to attend a funeral of a member of your immediate family or a close relative;
for a period of not more than 7 consecutive days to accompany a member of your immediate family who is ill to a medical facility, provided the treatment is not readily available in your family member's area of residence;
for a period of not more than 7 consecutive days to visit a member of your immediate family who is seriously ill or injured;
for a period of not more than 7 consecutive days to attend a real job interview;
for a period of not more than 14 consecutive days to conduct a real job search;
to attend an approved training program.
Immediate family: Father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, foster parent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, spouse, your child or the child of your spouse, father-in-law, mother-in-law, a dependant or a relative residing in your household or a relative with whom you permanently live with.

A close relative: A grandparent, grandchild, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncle, aunt, niece and nephew.

Your spouse: Person you are married to or common law partner of more than one year or less where children are present.

[Sanhedralite]

I do wonder though how the feds would know? Surely they're not matching up customs checks with people who are on EI? Are are they? If so, would sound like a waste of time. But then again, if one at CCRA were to get a weekly Excel dump of people leaving the country, a quick vlookup against the EI role would definitely narrow the search in seconds. Disregard, maybe it is possible afterall.

They could audit you after the fact, even a couple of years later. My friend went for a vacation while on EI and he had to pay it back. It's worth the 350 and being honest.

[jasaveli]

Can we leave canada on Sat or Sun? I sometimes go to get gas or use the post office...

[Fox]

Somebody I know went to an all-inclusive while on EI last year. They didn't know about this rule. They were only on EI for about a month, and the trip was a gift. Somebody they knew that she was out of the country and contacted her about it. They ended up clawing back the EI benefit for that week.