I worked before on a 6 month contract and got the EI after it finished. There is a table on HRDC's website where you can find the eligible hours for receiving EI benefits. It varies from region to region since unemployment rates are different. Generally, half year of full time work is enough to qualify you for EI. You'd better go to HRDC and consult the staffs there to find the answer to your situation. Good luck! By the way, you can renew EI if you find a job when receiving EI but not finish it and unfortunately lose the job again.