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January 20, 2022EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, NOVEMBER 2021 From March to September 2020, Statistics Canada suspended publication of employment insurance (EI) statistics. Canadians were eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) during this period. Data for the period from March to September shows how an initial rise in EI claims at the start of the pandemic was reversed as new EI applicants were directed to CERB instead. After September 27, 2020 there was a temporary expansion of EI and CERB recipients were transitioned back to EI. Temporary changes, including a reduction in the number of insurable hours required for eligibility, ended in September 2021.
The new information for November 2021 reflects the period of November 7 to 13. Public health measures during this period were largely the same as those in place in October, with further easing of capacity limits and physical distancing requirements in Ontario and Quebec where proof of vaccine was required.
In November, there were 34,280 Nova Scotians in receipt of regular EI (seasonally adjusted) benefits. Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted regular EI usage declined by 4,700 (-12.1%) from October to November 2021.
There were 692,220 Canadians that received regular EI benefits in November (seasonally adjusted), a decrease of 49,910 (-6.7%) from October. All provinces reported declines in regular beneficiaries this month.
As a percentage of the labour force, employment insurance beneficiaries reflect 6.7% of the labour force in Nova Scotia. Nationally, the share of beneficiaries was 3.4% of the labour force in November. Employment insurance beneficiaries reflect a larger share of the labour force in Atlantic Canada. All provinces reported higher EI proportions than February 2020.
When compared to February 2020, EI usage has increased 55.1% across Canada as of November 2021. In Nova Scotia, EI usage was up 34.5% compared to the pre-pandemic benchmark. The largest percentage increases in EI usage were in Ontario and Quebec. The smallest increases in EI usage were reported in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador.
By age and sex cohort, the increase in EI usage has been notably higher among women since the onset of the pandemic (Nov 2021 vs Feb 2020, seasonally adjusted). The industries whose employment was most affected by public health restrictions and other pandemic precautions had a disproportionate share of female employment.
In November 2021, EI beneficiaries reflect a larger share of the labour force for males and for those aged 55 and over.
All occupational categories saw increases in EI usage in Nova Scotia for January-November 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. Sales and service occupations reflect the largest number of beneficiaries, and also saw the largest increase in usage compared to before the pandemic. Trades and transportation occupations were the second largest usage category, followed by natural resources and agriculture, manufacturing and utilities, and business, finance and administration.
Among counties (comparing unadjusted results for November 2021 with November 2019), EI usage increased the most in Halifax, Kings and Queens counties. EI usage is lower in Inverness compared to November 2019, while the Richmond county EI recipients estimate for November 2021 is the same as in November 2019.
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 14-10-0337-01 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
Table 14-10-0343-01 Employment Insurance beneficiaries by economic region, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality
Table 14-10-0387-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality, last 5 months
Table 14-10-0344-01 Employment Insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by economic region, monthly, seasonally adjusted
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