Changes to the EI appeal process

Since April 1, 2026, there’s a new Employment Insurance Board of Appeal (EI BOA). It reviews some decisions about EI benefits made by Service Canada.

Any EI appeals that started before April 1, 2026, will continue at the Social Security Tribunal – General Division. It will not hear any new appeals after that date. These will go to the EI BOA.

Service Canada decisions

Service Canada makes decisions on EI claims. If someone does not agree with a decision, the first step is to ask Service Canada for a reconsideration. It's free to do this.

For example, someone could ask for a reconsideration if Service Canada:

refused to give them EI benefits
asked them to pay back benefits
gave them a warning letter
gave them a penalty

Service Canada cannot reconsider decisions about insurable hours or earnings. The Canada Revenue Agency handles these complaints.

If a person does not agree with the reconsideration decision, the next step is to appeal to the EI BOA.

If a person does not agree with the decision made by the EI BOA or the Social Security Tribunal – General Division, the next step is to appeal to the Social Security Tribunal – Appeal Division.

Notice of Appeal form

To file an EI appeal at the EI BOA, a person must first fill out the Notice of Appeal form on paper or online.

They must send in the Notice of Appeal within 30 calendar days from the date Service Canada gave their EI reconsideration decision. Calendar days are Monday through Sunday.

If the 30-day deadline has passed, the Notice of Appeal must include a reasonable explanation for why it’s late.

But the EI BOA will not accept a Notice of Appeal more than one year after the reconsideration decision.

Send in the form and documents

People can send in the Notice of Appeal form, any supporting documents, and written statements to the EI BOA in one of the following ways:

online
by mail to the Employment Insurance Board of Appeal, 140 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0J9
in person at a Service Canada office

After a person files the Notice of Appeal, the EI BOA can accept more supporting documents and written statements by mail or electronically. These are the documents that support what the person is asking for in their appeal.

Notice of Hearing and appeal docket

After getting the Notice of Appeal, the EI BOA will provide:

a written acknowledgement
Notice of Hearing
Appeal docket

The acknowledgement has the Registry Officer’s name and telephone number. This is the person’s main contact throughout the appeal process.

The Notice of Hearing includes the hearing date and time, and whether it will be in person or online.

The appeal docket has all the information that will be used at the hearing.

At the hearing

Each appeal hearing is heard by a panel of 3 members of the EI BOA from the area the appellant lives in. The appellant is the person making the appeal.

At the hearing, panel members will:

guide the parties throughout the process
let the parties speak and present their positions
ask parties to explain their situations
review the case and consider all supporting documents and statements that were made during the hearing

Parties is the term for the appellant and others who take part in the appeal.

Get a decision

The panel members usually make a decision on the day the hearing ends.

All parties get a written copy of the decision electronically within 2 business days.

The panel members can decide to:

keep the original reconsideration decision
change the reconsideration decision
cancel the reconsideration decision

Get help

It’s a good idea to get legal help when deciding to appeal. A lawyer can talk about the strength of a case, options, and possible outcomes.

People can also contact the EI BOA at 1-833-341-9399.