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The short answer
Earnings from work, including self-employment for a Nigerian client, must be reported while you are on EI and can reduce your weekly benefit; you keep 50 cents of benefit for each dollar earned up to 90% of your weekly insurable earnings. Investment-type income such as Lagos rent is not listed as earnings in the parts of the EI chart we checked, but it is part of your net world income, which can trigger an EI benefit repayment at tax time if it pushes your net income above $82,125 (2025).
Two separate tests
Nigerian income can affect EI in two different ways, run by two different bodies. Service Canada applies earnings rules week by week while you claim. The CRA applies the benefit repayment rule once a year when you file. Income can matter for one and not the other.
Test 1: earnings while you are on claim
The Canada.ca page on receiving regular benefits (modified October 2026) asks you to "accurately report all employment earnings before deductions, in the week(s) in which they were earned", and to "report all employment, whether you work for someone else or for yourself". It does not exclude work done for a foreign employer or client.
- Working while on claim: once you have served your waiting period, you keep 50 cents of your EI benefits for every dollar you earn, up to 90% of your weekly insurable earnings. Above that, earnings are deducted dollar for dollar.
- Self-employment: the EI earnings chart counts self-employment earnings (gross income less operating expenses, other than capital expenditures) from services performed, allocated to the weeks the services were performed. Remote consulting for a Lagos company falls under this heading.
- Employment pensions: the chart counts periodic employment pension payments as earnings, allocated at the weekly rate.
- Not earnings: the chart lists Old Age Security, income tax refunds and certain one-time payments as not earnings.
The portion of the earnings chart we read does not list rental income, interest, dividends or foreign pensions. If you have any of those, ask Service Canada how it treats them for your claim and keep a note of the answer.
Worked example (illustrative figures only)
Weekly insurable earnings on your claim: $1,000. Weekly benefit: $550. In one week you invoice a Nigerian client for work worth $400 after operating expenses. The threshold is 90% of $1,000, or $900; your $400 is below it, so half is deducted: $200. You receive $350 in EI and keep the $400, total $750 for the week.
Travelling to Nigeria while on claim
The same Canada.ca page says you are "not usually eligible to receive regular benefits while you're away from Canada". Limited exceptions allow up to 7 consecutive days for certain family or job-interview reasons and up to 14 consecutive days for a bona fide job search, provided you can show you could return to Canada within 48 hours for a job. You must tell Service Canada about the trip in My Service Canada Account or your report. Undisclosed absences can lead to repayment and penalties of up to three times your weekly benefit rate or three times the overpayment.
Test 2: benefit repayment at tax time
When you file, the CRA checks whether you must repay part of your EI. The CRA's line 23500 page says that for 2025, you may have to repay if your adjusted net income is "more than $82,125". The figure starts from line 23400 net income and adjusts for some items, and the repayment applies where box 7 of your T4E shows 30% and box 15 has an amount. The Federal Worksheet works out the amount.
Net income for a Canadian resident is world income. The CRA guide for residents abroad says factual residents report world income, and the CRA tells you not to subtract foreign tax from income. So Lagos rent, Nigerian interest or Nigerian dividends all go into net income in full, even if Nigeria taxed them and you claim a foreign tax credit.
| Example (illustrative) | C$ |
|---|---|
| Canadian employment income and EI benefits, net | 78,000 |
| Net rent from a Lagos flat | 8,000 |
| Net income for the repayment test | 86,000 |
| Amount above $82,125 | 3,875 |
Without the Lagos rent, net income stays below the threshold. With it, part of the EI may have to be repaid. The worksheet sets the amount.
What to check first
- Report every week's work earnings, including for Nigerian clients, in the week earned.
- Ask Service Canada about rent, interest or foreign pensions and note its answer.
- Report any trip to Nigeria before you go.
- At tax time, add Nigerian income in Canadian dollars and check the line 23500 threshold.
For how Nigerian rent is reported, see Lagos rental income on your Canadian return; for Nigerian employment income, this guide. This is general information, not tax or benefits advice.
Where Pryme fits
Clear weekly records help when reporting earnings. Payments from a Nigerian client into a Pryme account are dated and kept in the currency they arrived in, and verifiable statements through our partner VerifyDoc.ai (receipts and statements) show exactly what came in and when.
Questions people ask
Do I report freelance work for a Nigerian client while on EI?
Yes. Service Canada asks you to report all employment, for someone else or for yourself, in the week it was earned. Self-employment earnings count after operating expenses.
Does rent from my Lagos flat reduce my weekly EI?
Rental income is not listed as earnings in the parts of the EI earnings chart we checked. Ask Service Canada for your case. It still counts in net income for the EI repayment test.
Can I travel to Nigeria while on EI?
You are not usually eligible for regular benefits while abroad, with short exceptions of 7 or 14 consecutive days for specific reasons. Report the trip in advance.
What net income triggers EI repayment?
For 2025, the CRA says repayment may apply if adjusted net income is more than $82,125 and your T4E shows 30% in box 7.
Sources
- Canada.ca, EI regular benefits – while you receive benefits (modified 19 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- Canada.ca, Employment Insurance earnings chart (modified 27 Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA, Line 23500 – Social benefits repayment (modified 20 Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA T4131, Canadian Residents Abroad (Rev. 12) · accessed Oct 2026
- CRA, Line 12100 – Interest and other investment income (modified 20 Jan 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.