# EI for Maternity



## hbrennagh (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi all,

I have been working for six months in Canada as a Permanent Resident (through spousal sponsorship). I know to qualify for Maternity EI in Canada you need to have been working for approx 1 year. I know I am not allowed to claim unemployment benefits for my first 3 years of being here but wondered if Maternity EI was classed as unemployment benefit. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!


----------



## Auld Yin (Mar 10, 2009)

hbrennagh said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I have been working for six months in Canada as a Permanent Resident (through spousal sponsorship). I know to qualify for Maternity EI in Canada you need to have been working for approx 1 year. I know I am not allowed to claim unemployment benefits for my first 3 years of being here but wondered if Maternity EI was classed as unemployment benefit. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks!


I don't understand your question(s). You know you're not allowed to claim maternity benefit unless you've worked at least one year and that you have to have been here three years to claim EI. Maternity benefits are essentially EI benefits,


----------



## hbrennagh (Apr 30, 2009)

Auld Yin said:


> I don't understand your question(s). You know you're not allowed to claim maternity benefit unless you've worked at least one year and that you have to have been here three years to claim EI. Maternity benefits are essentially EI benefits,


Hi Auld Yin,

Thank you for your response. I just wasn't sure if the maternity benefits were classed differently. 

Thanks again.


----------



## hbrennagh (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi,

For future questions surrounding this topic....finally spoke with an EI agent and they have told me that as long as I have a Social Insurance number and have worked for 600 hours in 52 weeks with this social insurance number I should be eligible for Maternity Benefits.

Thanks,

Helen


----------

