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October 22, 2026EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, AUGUST 2026 Monthly (August vs July 2026, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)
In August 2026 there were 21,700 Nova Scotians in receipt of regular employment insurance benefits (seasonally adjusted). Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted regular employment insurance usage in August decreased by 100 (-0.5%) from July.
There were 541,320 Canadians in August in receipt of regular employment insurance benefits (seasonally adjusted). That represents an decrease of 4,360 (-0.8%) from July.
Employment insurance usage was down in seven provinces in August, with the fastest decline reported in Québec. Saskatchewan reported the fastest increase in employment insurance usage compared to July.
The number of employment insurance beneficiaries amounted to 3.8% of the labour force in Nova Scotia in August 2026, unchanged from the July 2026 share. Nationally, the share of beneficiaries was 2.4% of the labour force. EI beneficiaries as a share of labour force was highest in Newfoundland and Labrador and lowest in British Columbia.
Year-over-year (August 2026 vs August 2025)
Compared to August 2025, Nova Scotia's employment insurance usage fell 4.4% (-990). National employment insurance usage decreased 2.9% (-16,120). Eight provinces reported declines, led by Newfoundland and Labrador. British Columbia and Ontario recorded the only increases.
In August 2026, employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force was lowest among youth aged 15-24 and highest among workers aged 55 and over. Across all age groups, male employment insurance usage exceeded female usage as a share of the labour force. Compared with August 2025, employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force declined for all age-gender cohorts, except females aged 55 and over, whose usage increased slightly.
Employment insurance usage declined across nearly all age and gender cohorts in August 2026 compared with one year earlier. The only increase was among females aged 55 and over, while the fastest decline was among females aged 15-24.
Comparing unadjusted regular beneficiaries in August 2026 with August 2025, nine of Nova Scotia's 18 counties recorded lower employment insurance usage. The fastest decline occurred in Cape Breton while the fastest increase was in Annapolis.
By occupation, employment insurance beneficiaries were concentrated in technical trades and transportation, education/law/social services/community/government, manufacturing and utilities, and general trades occupations in August 2026. There was a notable decline in helpers/labourers.
Year-to-date (January-August 2026 vs January-August 2025)
In the first eight months of 2026, Nova Scotia's regular employment insurance beneficiaries declined 3.8% compared with the same period in 2025, the second-fastest decrease among provinces after Newfoundland and Labrador (-5.8%). Nationally, employment insurance usage increased, with gains in six provinces led by British Columbia.
Year-to-date employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force declined across most age-gender cohorts. The largest decline was among males aged 15-24 and 55 and over, while females aged 55 and over recorded a slight increase.
Employment insurance usage was lower across all age-gender cohorts compared with the first eight months of 2025. The fastest decline was among females aged 15-24, followed by males aged 15-24.
Compared with January-August 2025, employment insurance usage increased in nine Nova Scotia counties, led by Annapolis. The fastest declines were reported in the four counties on Cape Breton Island.
Compared with January-August 2025, employment insurance beneficiaries increased the most among education, law, social services, community and government occupations, while sales, services support occupations recorded the largest decline.
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