Human Resources Development Canada, HRDC, has the option of penalizing unemployment insurance, UI, fraud by imposing an administrative penalty under section 33 of the UI act or by prosecuting under UI act or the Criminal Code of Canada. The vast majority of UI fraud cases are administratively penalized. Prosecutions are initiated only in the more serious or flagrant cases of fraud and in those cases that would have a special deterrent effect.
With respect to UI fraud the control branch of HRDC has provided the following statistics in response to the questions posed.