Claiming EI and schooling in Alberta

[hippocratical]

Okay, I hear stories, always "I know a guy who" stories, that the following is possible, but my brain is melting from trying to decipher service Canada's website.

Here's what I am:
* I'm an EMR working oilfield.
* EMR work in Alberta disappears at the end of March during spring breakup
* My EMT program starts on May 1st

Here's what I want to do:
* Claim EI for April, as 55% of my current wage is still more than working full time at my old $12/hr job.
* Claim EI, or something, during my EMT schooling which is both expensive in terms of course fees, but also making no income for 6 months.

I have a wife, house and mortgage, so I'm surely not poor enough to claim poverty grants. That said, my hefty credit card debts surely don't make me rich either!

Anyone have experience making this work? Even pointing me in the right direction would help.

 

[hippocratical]

No one?

No visiting Norma Wilcox with form WS2475?

 

[saskgirl]

I know when I took my PCP in Sask, I didn't qualify for EI, but then again I really didn't look all that hard into it either...

Good luck and keep us posted how it works out!

 

[piton23]

I worked road construction for 3 years and got laid off every year and went to University and never got EI. If some how you are able to collect EI please let me know.

I believe the reason why you cant collect EI is because you have to be willing to drop school in order to work if you are offered a job, and after paying the tuition for EMT you definitely wouldn't want to drop out to work a crappy job.

Although people who work in the trades are able to collect EI while they are going to trade school, which isnt fair IMO.

 

[piton23]

ps Im in the same boat as you. EMR working oilfield starting EMT in March.