Federal government extends EI support measures to help workers impacted by tariffs 

March 20,2026

RED FM News Desk

In a rapidly changing global economy, the Government of Canada says it is focused on strengthening and modernizing the economy while ensuring workers are protected from external disruptions through programs like Employment Insurance. 

Originally introduced in March 2025 to support workers affected by U.S. tariffs, the government has announced an extension of three temporary EI measures beyond April 2026. The announcement was made by Patty Hajdu. 

The extended measures include waiving the one-week waiting period so claimants can receive benefits immediately, suspending rules around separation payments so workers can access EI without first using severance, and providing up to 20 additional weeks of benefits for long-tenured workers who may need more time to find new employment. 

These measures will now apply to claims made between March 30, 2025, and October 10, 2026, depending on the benefit. 

The government says the six-month extension will ensure continued, reliable income support for workers facing economic uncertainty. 

Officials estimate the extension will benefit hundreds of thousands of Canadians, including more than 632,000 claims through the waived waiting period, 136,000 through changes to separation pay rules, and 43,500 through extended benefits for long-tenured workers. 

In addition, temporary flexibilities to the Work-Sharing Program—also introduced in 2025—have been extended until March 31, 2027. Since the start of 2025, about 1,500 applications have been approved, supporting more than 54,000 workers and helping prevent an estimated 20,000 layoffs.