Moving into or out of Washington state

You may still be eligible for benefits when moving in or out of Washington state.

Who can apply for unemployment benefits while outside Washington

Even if you moved in or out of Washington, you may apply for benefits as long as one of these applies to you:

  • Worked in Washington in the last 18 months.
  • Were in the military.
  • Worked for the federal government.

If none of those apply, contact each state where you worked in the last 18 months. Ask them for your options. You can use America's Service Locator to learn how to contact them.

If you worked in Washington and another state(s) in the last 18 months, you can submit a combined wage claim. This lets you apply for benefits in Washington and combine your wages from the other state(s).

Things to remember if you move out of Washington

When you claim benefits while moving out of Washington state:

Learn more about how to apply for unemployment or how to submit your weekly claims.

Claiming benefits while out of the country

You can file a weekly claim while out of the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. But you still need to be able to work and available for work. To be eligible for benefits, you must be in one of these situations:

  • You are legally allowed to work in the country you are in.
  • You are immediately available for work in the U.S., like with remote work.
  • You are a spouse or domestic partner of an U.S. Armed Forces member. You also are legally allowed to work in the military base where they are stationed.

You also need to meet the other basic eligibility requirements while out of the country.