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March 25, 2026EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, JANUARY 2026 Monthly (January 2026 vs December 2025, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)
In January 2026, there were 22,650 Nova Scotians in receipt of regular employment insurance benefits (seasonally adjusted). Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted regular employment insurance usage decreased by 290 (-1.3%) from revised December results to January.
There were 554,830 Canadians that received regular employment insurance benefits in January 2026 (seasonally adjusted), a decrease of 10,530 (-1.9%) from the revised December 2025 value.
Employment insurance usage was down in all provinces except Ontario in January. Québec and Manitoba reported the fastest declines in employment insurance usage compared to December.
The number of employment insurance beneficiaries amounted to 4.0% of the labour force in Nova Scotia in January 2026. Nationally, the share of beneficiaries was 2.5% of the labour force. Newfoundland and Labrador had the largest share of beneficiaries of the labour force, while British Columbia had the lowest.
Year-over-year (January 2026 vs January 2025)
Compared to January 2025, Nova Scotia's employment insurance usage rose 3.1% (+680). National employment insurance usage increased 13.4% (+65,770) compared to one year ago. All provinces reported higher employment insurance usage compared to one year ago, with the fastest growth reported in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, and the slowest growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Use of employment insurance (as a share of the labour force) was lowest for youth (15-24) and highest for workers age 55 and over. Male use of employment insurance was higher as a share of the labour force than female use of employment insurance for all age cohorts in January 2026. Compared to one year ago, employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force was higher for youth and core-aged age cohorts.
The year-over-year increase in employment insurance usage was faster for males than females across age cohorts, with the fastest growth in percentage terms for core-aged males. Only females aged 15-24 reported lower employment insurance usage compared to January 2025.
Comparing unadjusted regular beneficiaries for January 2026 to January 2025, the fastest growth in employment insurance usage (in percentage terms) was in Shelburne, Digby and Halifax counties. The fastest declines were in Antigonish, Inverness, Cape Breton and Guysborough counties.
By occupation, employment insurance beneficiaries were more likely to be in technical trades/transportation, general trades, helpers/labourers/other transport operators, and manufacturing/utilities. The largest increase year-over-year was among education/law/community/government, while the largest decline was for art/culture/recreation/sport.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0011-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0323-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries by census division, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0456-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province, territory and occupation, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months
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