If you are unemployed and want to upgrade your education or employment skills while receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits, the Feepayer program can help. This program offers you a chance to attend training while you still qualify to receive your regular EI benefits. You must be prepared to pay your own training expenses.

Eligibility Information

To be eligible, you must be unemployed and want to take part in full-time training. You must be prepared to pay your own training expenses. You must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident legally entitled to work in Canada. As well, you must meet the following conditions:

• have a current EI claim

• have been active in the workforce for at least two years

• be able to show that you have a financial plan for the full duration of your training program

Applying for Feepayer Program

Before you can apply for the Feepayer program, you must first meet with an employment assistance service provider. They will assign a case manager to you. The case manager will then see if you qualify for the program and tell you about the various employment services you can access.

These services may include

• job market information

• employment needs assessment

• career planning

• employment counseling

• diagnostic assessment

• job search skills

• job finding clubs

• job placement services

• help making a return-to-work action plan

• case management

• follow-up support

Your case manager will help you to decide if upgrading your education or employment skills could help you become more employable. They will help you complete a Feepayer program application, which includes an employment assessment and a return-to-work action plan. Employment Nova Scotia will review and assess your application along with your case manager’s assessment and recommendation and your return-to-work action plan.

Please Note:

• The date your fully completed application is received by Employment Nova Scotia will be considered the date that you have asked for help. This date determines whether you qualify within the timeframes outlined in the Eligibility Information section above. If an application is returned to you to have information clarified or added, it will not be considered fully completed until all of the information needed is received.

• Your application must be received by Employment Nova Scotia within six weeks of the normal course start date to be considered.

• You can only receive your regular EI benefits until the end of your regular benefit period. Under the Feepayer program, no additional supports will be provided by Employment Nova Scotia.