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February 21, 2019EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, DECEMBER 2018 AND 2018 ANNUAL 
In December 2018, the number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits declined by 90 (0.3 per cent) from the previous month to 27,000 and decreased by 820 persons (-2.9 per cent) from December 2017.
Following an increase through much of 2016, the number of EI beneficiaries in Nova Scotia declined until the middle of 2017, and remained flat through the rest of the year. The number of beneficiaries gradually declined in early 2018 but has leveled off in recent months. Looking at the longer-term trends, the number of beneficiaries has been relatively stable since 2015 after reaching historic lows in 2014.
The number (seasonally adjusted) of Canadians receiving regular EI benefits in December 2018 increased by 1.0 per cent (4,600 persons) to 446,320. The number of regular EI beneficiaries decreased by 52,730 (-10.6 per cent) from December 2017.
In annual terms, Nova Scotia's number of regular EI beneficiaries decreased 4.1 per cent over last year. In 2018, all provinces showed declines in the number of regular beneficiaries, with the largest decline in Alberta (-25.9%). The smallest decline was in Manitoba (-1.2 per cent). Nationally, there were 13.2 per cent fewer beneficiaries compared to last year.
AGE
The bulk of EI beneficiaries in Nova Scotia are aged 25 to 54, who also account for the largest share of the labour force. In December, the number of beneficiaries aged 25-54 was down by 80 persons, month to month. The number of beneficiaries aged 55 and older was down by 30 persons, while the number of beneficiaries aged 15-24 was up by 20 persons compared to the previous month.
Measured as a share of the labour force, EI usage is more prevalent among older workers (6.6 per cent) than it is among youth (4.9 per cent) or core aged workers (5.2 per cent).
EI BENEFICIARIES AS A SHARE OF THE UNEMPLOYED BY PROVINCE
The number (seasonally adjusted) of Nova Scotians receiving regular EI benefits in December 2018 accounted for 5.5 per cent of the total labour force. In Canada, the number of EI beneficiaries accounted for 2.2 per cent of the total labour force.
In Nova Scotia, EI beneficiaries accounted for 77.6 per cent of the unemployed, compared to a Canadian rate of 39.7 per cent. Across the country, EI beneficiaries accounted for the highest share of the unemployed in the Atlantic provinces, led by Newfoundland and Labrador. EI beneficiaries accounted for the lowest share of the unemployed in Alberta and Ontario.
Note that due to differences in estimation methodology, it is possible for the reported number of EI beneficiaries to exceed the reported number of unemployed in a given jurisdiction.
COUNTIES
In 2018, average EI usage (regular beneficiaries, unadjusted) was up in Antigonish, Inverness, Richmond, Cape Breton and Victoria counties over last year. Decreases were seen in all other counties, with the largest decline in percentage terms in Cumberland (-18.2 per cent).
OCCUPATION
Nova Scotia's EI usage by occupation (seasonally adjusted) is highest among trades/transport/equipment operators (8,350 in December), followed by sales and service occupations, natural resources, and manufacturing occupations.
In annual terms, usage is up in occupations in health (+7.3 per cent) and natural and applied sciences (+0.5 per cent), business and finance occupations (+0.2 per cent) as well as in unclassified occupations. All other occupation categories have seen a decline in the number of EI beneficiaries in 2018 compared to 2017.
Legislative changes to the EI program came into effect in July 2016. While some of these changes affected all EI regions across Canada, eligible claimants in the 15 regions that posted notable increases in unemployment received additional weeks of regular benefits starting in July. More information on the 2016 EI changes is available on Employment and Social Development Canada's (ESDC) website. As a result of the changes to the EI program, historical comparisons are not recommended, except in areas outside of the 15 EI regions where eligible claimants received additional weeks of benefits. These 15 EI regions are Newfoundland and Labrador, Northern Ontario, Sudbury, Northern Manitoba, Southern Saskatchewan, Northern Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Southern Alberta, Northern Alberta, Calgary, Edmonton, Southern Interior British Columbia, Northern British Columbia, Whitehorse and Nunavut.
Statistics Canada data portal: 14-10-0011-01 (Age, Province), 14-010-0337-01 (Occupation), 11-10-0014-01 (County level)
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