For the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), Regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits are explicitly excluded and do not count toward your Minimum Necessary Income (MNI). However, Special EI benefits—such as maternity, parental, sickness, or compassionate care—are accepted and do count toward your MNI calculation.
Navigating the financial requirements of the Canadian family sponsorship system can be incredibly confusing, especially if you have experienced a temporary job loss. Many Canadians rely on the Employment Insurance (EI) program administered by Service Canada to bridge the gap between jobs. When it comes time to sponsor a loved one, understanding how Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) views this income is critical to a successful application.
The rules differ drastically depending on whether you are sponsoring a spouse versus a parent or grandparent. Furthermore, IRCC categorizes EI into two distinct groups: “Regular” benefits for job loss, and “Special” benefits for health or family reasons. 🔍 This guide breaks down exactly how to calculate your income, what forms of EI are accepted, and how to prove your eligibility to the federal government.
Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Income with EI in Canada
If you are applying for the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), you must prove you meet the Minimum Necessary Income (MNI) plus 30% for three consecutive tax years. Here is how you calculate your eligible income.
Step 1: Determine Your Sponsorship Category
First, identify if an income threshold even applies to your situation. If you are sponsoring a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child, there is no strict MNI requirement. Receiving Regular EI does not disqualify you from sponsoring a spouse, provided you are not receiving general provincial welfare (social assistance). However, if you are sponsoring parents or grandparents, you must pass the strict MNI test.
Step 2: Obtain Your Notice of Assessment (NOA)
IRCC relies exclusively on your Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to verify your income. You will look at Line 15000 (Total Income) on your federal tax return. 📄 This line includes all money you made that year, including your salary, investments, and all EI benefits received from Service Canada.
Step 3: Deduct the Regular EI Benefits
If you received Regular EI because you were laid off or lost your job, you must manually deduct that exact amount from Line 15000. For example, if your Line 15000 is $60,000 CAD, but $10,000 of that was from Regular EI, your eligible income for PGP sponsorship is only $50,000 CAD. If this deduction drops you below the MNI requirement for your family size, you will not qualify to sponsor.
Step 4: Add Back Special EI Benefits
Unlike Regular EI, IRCC recognizes that Canadians taking time off to have a baby or recover from an illness should not be penalized. If your EI payments were specifically for maternity, parental, sickness, or compassionate care benefits, you are legally allowed to keep them included in your Line 15000 total. You do not deduct them when calculating your MNI.
What Types of Income Are Excluded for the PGP?
When applying for the Parents and Grandparents Program, IRCC subtracts several specific provincial and federal payments from your total income.
| Income Type | Included in MNI? |
|---|---|
| Standard Salary / Wages | Yes. Fully counts toward MNI. |
| Special EI (Maternity/Parental/Sickness) | Yes. Fully counts toward MNI. |
| Regular EI (Job Loss) | No. Must be deducted from Line 15000. |
| Provincial Social Assistance (Welfare) | No. Must be deducted, and may trigger a ban. |
| Canada Child Benefit (CCB) | No. Must be deducted. |
How Much Does the Application Cost?
The processing fees for the Parents and Grandparents Program are standardized by the federal government. For an adult parent, the fee is $1,260 CAD (which includes a $90 sponsorship fee, a $570 principal applicant processing fee, and a $600 Right of Permanent Residence Fee), plus an $85 CAD biometrics fee, bringing the total to $1,345 CAD. If you need to boost your household income to meet the MNI, your spouse can apply as a co-signer. Note that there is no extra government fee to add a co-signer, though your immigration lawyer may charge a slightly higher professional fee to process their financial paperwork.
How Long Are You Financially Responsible?
When you sign an undertaking for a parent or grandparent in Canada, you are financially legally responsible for them for 20 years. ⏳ If they go on provincial social assistance during that two-decade period, the government will aggressively pursue you to repay the debt. For a spouse, the undertaking period is only 3 years from the day they become a permanent resident.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What happened to the COVID-19 EI exceptions?
During the pandemic (tax years 2020 and 2021), IRCC temporarily allowed Regular EI and CERB to count toward the MNI for the Parents and Grandparents Program. As of 2026, those temporary exceptions have ended, and the standard rules excluding Regular EI apply fully.
Does EI count as social assistance?
No. Employment Insurance is an insurance program that you paid into through payroll deductions. It is completely separate from provincial social assistance (welfare). Receiving EI does not ban you from sponsoring a spouse.
Can I use my spouse’s income if my EI lowers my MNI too much?
Yes! For the PGP, your spouse or common-law partner can act as a co-signer. IRCC will combine both of your Line 15000 incomes (minus any Regular EI either of you received) to help you meet the MNI threshold.
How do I prove my EI was maternity and not regular?
You can obtain an official breakdown of your EI benefits directly from your Service Canada account. Providing this printout alongside your CRA Notice of Assessment will clearly prove to the immigration officer that your benefits were Special EI.
What if I lose my job while the application is processing?
For the PGP, you must continue to meet the MNI from the day you apply until the day your parents receive their permanent residency. If IRCC requests updated NOAs during processing and your Regular EI caused you to drop below the threshold, the application may be refused.
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