Government of Canada — Employment and Social Development Canada
Not a grant. Section 25 is the rule that keeps your EI cheques coming while you retrain full time, if your province refers you to an approved program.
Published by G Paul · last checked August 31, 2026
Section 25 of the federal Employment Insurance Act is one of the most important — and least-known — supports for laid-off workers retraining for a new field. It's not a separate grant or scholarship; it's the legal mechanism that allows you to keep receiving regular EI benefits (typically 55% of your prior insurable earnings, up to the annual maximum) while you attend an approved training program. Without Section 25, attending school full-time would normally end your EI eligibility (because you wouldn't be 'available for work'). With a Section 25 referral, you can attend training full-time and EI continues paying — bridging your income while you upgrade. The referral comes from your provincial training authority (in Ontario, Employment Ontario; in BC, WorkBC; in Quebec, Service Québec; etc.), which confirms that your chosen program is recognized for EI continuity purposes. Eligible programs include short-term skills training (cybersecurity, cloud certifications, healthcare bridging), micro-credential programs, longer college diplomas, and apprenticeship technical-training periods. Section 25 stacks naturally with other supports: provincial retraining grants like Better Jobs Ontario provide the tuition coverage; EI Section 25 provides the income continuity. Together they make full-time retraining financially viable without taking on debt.
You qualify for EI Section 25 benefit continuity if you (1) are currently receiving regular Employment Insurance benefits OR are eligible to apply (have sufficient insurable hours, lost work through no fault of your own, available for work outside training time as the rules allow); (2) receive a formal referral from your provincial training authority — they confirm the training program is recognized for EI purposes; (3) attend the recognized training program full-time and meet the program's attendance + progress requirements; (4) maintain ongoing reporting to Service Canada (regular EI bi-weekly reports, with training status flagged). The provincial training authority assessment is the key gateway — even if you find a great training program on your own, EI will not automatically continue paying until you obtain the Section 25 referral.
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FundMyCourse.ca · checked Aug 31, 2026
Continued EI benefits while in approved training (~55% of prior insurable earnings, up to annual max)
fundmycourse.ca/scholarships/ei-section-25-extended-ei-training-benefits-federal