Employment Insurance Beneficiaries Increase Slightly in March 2025, Largest Gains in Ontario and Alberta

The number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in March 2025 was 496,720, up 0.3% from the previous month, according to Statistics Canada. Compared to March 2024, this represents an increase of 6.0%.

Statistics Canada regularly publishes EI beneficiary numbers, which reflect how many people are receiving unemployment support by province, territory, and demographic group. The figures are seasonally adjusted and relate to a specified week in March.

In March 2025, Ontario reported the largest year-over-year rise in regular EI beneficiaries, increasing by 12.8% to 164,800 people. Alberta's total increased by 8.2% to 57,710 recipients. British Columbia saw a 4.8% rise to 49,950, Quebec rose 3.2% to 110,220, and Nova Scotia increased by 1.5% to 21,930. Provinces and territories with year-over-year decreases include Newfoundland and Labrador (-2.1%), Saskatchewan (-2.0%), Manitoba (-1.0%), Yukon (-11.7%), Northwest Territories (-10.9%), and Nunavut (-14.3%).

Monthly, the number of EI beneficiaries rose in Alberta (+1.7%) and Ontario (+1.1%). Decreases were recorded in New Brunswick (-1.1%), Saskatchewan (-1.3%), Newfoundland and Labrador (-0.4%), Manitoba (-0.4%), Prince Edward Island (-0.3%), Yukon (-5.4%), and Nunavut (-2.7%).

EI recipient numbers by age group show a slight increase among youth aged 15 to 24 (+1.8%) in March. Numbers for those aged 25 to 54 years and those aged 55 and older remained relatively stable. Year-over-year, the largest increases were among core-aged men (+7.7%) and core-aged women (+5.5%). Smaller increases were noted among men (+4.9%) and women (+6.6%) aged 55 and older.

By occupation, the largest year-over-year increase in regular EI beneficiaries was among those who last worked in business, finance, and administration occupations (+10.8%). There were increases for recipients who last worked in natural and applied sciences occupations (+13.1%), trades, transport and equipment operators (+2.9%), and sales and service occupations (+5.7%).

Statistics Canada advises that EI figures indicate the number of people who received regular benefits during a specific reference week. These statistics do not account for unemployed people who are not eligible for EI or who do not claim the benefit.