In May 2024, the number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits rose to 464,000, marking a 1.9% increase from April, according to recent data from Statistics Canada.
This uptick, which translates to 8,700 additional recipients, followed a period of relative stability in EI beneficiary numbers since September 2023, it said.
Year-over-year, there was a notable increase of 14%, with 57,000 more individuals receiving regular EI benefits compared to May 2023. The rise in beneficiaries aligns with the latest Labour Force Survey, which indicated that employment levels remained largely unchanged while the unemployment rate edged up by 0.1 percentage points to 6.2% in May.
Over the past year, the unemployment rate has increased by 0.9 percentage points.
The fluctuations in EI beneficiary numbers reflect various factors, including changes in employment status, the exhaustion of benefits, and other eligibility criteria.
Changes by sector
| Occupation | Change (%) compared with May 2023 |
|---|---|
| Natural and applied sciences | 32.9% |
| Legislative and senior management | 24.9% |
| Sales and service | 19.6% |
| Manufacturing and utilities | 19.1% |
| Business, finance and administration | 19.0% |
| All occupations | 14.0% |
| Trades, transport and equipment operators | 12.6% |
| Education, law and social, community and government services | 6.0% |
| Art, culture, recreation and sport | 5.5% |
| Health | 4.4% |
| Natural resources and agriculture | -2.5% |
Demographic shifts in EI recipients
The data revealed distinct trends among different demographic groups. Among men aged 15 to 24, the number of regular EI beneficiaries increased by 5.3% (1,600 individuals), partially counteracting a decrease of 2,200 in April. Men aged 55 and older saw a rise of 4.6% (3,400 individuals), and core-aged men (25 to 54 years old) experienced a 1.8% increase (3,100 individuals).
In contrast, the number of young women receiving regular EI benefits declined by 2.5% (300 individuals), while women aged 55 and older saw a modest increase of 1.4% (700 individuals). The number of core-aged women remained relatively unchanged.
On an annual basis, there was a surge in EI beneficiaries across all major demographic groups. Core-aged men saw the highest increase at 18.3% (27,000 individuals), followed by core-aged women at 12.4% (13,000 individuals).
Provincial variations in EI beneficiaries
Six provinces reported increases in the number of regular EI beneficiaries in May. Saskatchewan experienced the largest proportional rise at 8.5% (1,100 individuals), recovering from a 10.7% decline in April. Quebec saw a 5.9% increase (6,100 individuals), continuing a trend of growth over four months.
Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan’s major census metropolitan areas, contributed significantly to the province’s increase, with Saskatoon up 10.5% (300 individuals) and Regina up 6.0% (100 individuals). In Quebec, the Montréal CMA accounted for over half of the provincial increase, with an 8.4% rise (3,500 individuals).
Other provinces with increased EI recipients included Prince Edward Island (2.6%; 200 individuals), Ontario (1.5%; 2,100 individuals), New Brunswick (1.3%; 300 individuals), and Nova Scotia (1.1%; 200 individuals). Conversely, Newfoundland and Labrador saw a decline for the third consecutive month, dropping by 3.3% (900 individuals). Manitoba also experienced a decrease of 1.7% (300 individuals). Alberta and British Columbia reported minimal changes.
Occupational impact on EI recipients
The year-over-year analysis showed an increase in regular EI beneficiaries across most major occupational groups, except for those in natural resources, agriculture, and related production occupations. The most significant proportional increase was seen among those last employed in natural and applied sciences and related occupations, which rose by 32.9% (8,200 individuals).
Sales and service occupations also saw a substantial increase of 19.6% (13,000 individuals), with notable rises in sales and service representatives and other customer and personal services occupations (21.4%; 4,000 individuals) and sales and service support occupations (14.8%; 3,300 individuals).
In May 2024, 34.2% of regular EI beneficiaries had last worked in trades, transport, and equipment operators and related occupations, making it the largest category among EI recipients. This was followed by sales and service occupations (16.6%) and business, finance, and administration occupations (12.0%).