Changes to the EI appeal process

Changes to the process for Employment Insurance (EI) appeals will take effect on April 1, 2026. This date has been fixed by Order in Council.

First-level appeals

• As of April 1, people who want to appeal a reconsideration decision from Service Canada about EI benefits will need to start their appeal at the new EI Board of Appeal opens a new window.
• EI appeals that are already underway before April 1 will continue at the Social Security Tribunal’s (SST) General Division. The SST will not accept new EI appeals at the General Division.
• Later, the SST’s General Division – EI section will shut down and transfer any remaining appeals to the EI Board of Appeal.

Second-level appeals

• The SST’s Appeal Division will continue to hear second-level appeals. This will include appeals of decisions from both the SST’s General Division and the EI Board of Appeal.
• Appellants will no longer need permission to appeal to the Appeal Division. This means that everyone who appeals on time can have a hearing at the Appeal Division.  
• The Appeal Division will handle questions of constitutional law differently than it does now, because the EI Board of Appeal won’t have the power to consider these questions. The Appeal Division will be able to accept new evidence about a question of constitutional law.

We’ll continue to keep you updated as we implement these changes.