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Montanans relying on unemployment insurance will now have an additional two months in 2012 to receive benefits.

Congress passed, and the President, signed the emergency unemployment compensation extension until March 3rd, meaning Montanans will be able to file new claims when they have exhausted their regular unemployment benefits.

There are currently about 19,000 people in Montana eligible for the extension.

"Over the three year period since the recession hit in 2008, this will be the seventh extension of emergency unemployment compensation benefits. And these really do help individuals who are still looking for work, wanting to go back to work but don't have any means by which to resources to be paid," UI Division Administrator Roy Mulvaney explained.

The emergency extension does not add any additional tiers to current eligible benefits and Mulvaney says while it appears the economy is turning around, Congress will still have to decide how or if to fund future extensions.

The emergency extensions are 100% federally funded, and do not come out of the state's budget.