If your employer doesn’t offer paid sick leave, taking time off work for surgery or recovery can quickly become stressful. Your income may stop, but everyday expenses like rent and bills continue.
EI sickness benefits are designed for situations like this. However, many claims are delayed or denied because of common issues such as missing medical certificates, not enough insurable hours, or being applied for too late.
Read our guide to understand the rules and practical tips before you apply, which help you avoid delays and receive your benefits sooner.
What are EI Sickness Benefits?
EI Sickness Benefits are a key component of Canada’s Employment Insurance program. They are designed to provide temporary income replacement payments for workers who cannot perform their job because of illness, injury, quarantine, or any other medical condition that prevents them from working.
If you qualify for sickness benefits, you can receive financial support for a maximum of 26 weeks. The EI sickness benefit rate is 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings with a ceiling of $729 per week for the year 2026. (Source)
Before you submit an application for EI sickness benefits, you need to check whether your employer provides paid sick leave or short-term disability coverage, as those programs may need to be used first or could affect your EI entitlement.
Do You Qualify for EI Sickness Benefits?
You qualify for EI Sickness Benefits if you meet the three conditions below simultaneously:
- You have accumulated at least 600 insured hours in your qualifying period
- You earned at least 40% less in at least one week compared to your normal weekly earnings because you could not work due to your medical condition
- You must obtain a medical certificate from a medical practitioner (such as a doctor, chiropractor, or psychologist). They confirm that you are unable to work.
On the other hand, there are certain situations that make you ineligible for sickness benefits:
- Self-Employed Individuals: If you are self-employed, you are generally not eligible unless you have voluntarily registered for the EI special benefits program. To qualify, you must have been registered and paying premiums for at least 12 months before you need to claim benefits.
- Independent Contractors: Most independent contractors are not eligible because their work is not considered insurable employment. However, if you believe you have been misclassified as a contractor when you should be an employee, you can request a ruling on your employment status from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
- Voluntary Job Departure: You will not qualify for sickness benefits if you voluntarily leave your job for reasons unrelated to your medical condition.
- Exhausted Previous Benefits: If you recently used up all the benefits on a previous EI claim, you cannot file a new claim for sickness benefits until you have worked enough to accumulate 600 new insured hours.
If your situation is unclear, contact Service Canada before assuming you are ineligible.
If You Had a Recent EI Claim: Does It Affect Your Eligibility?
If you received EI benefits in the past 52 weeks, your qualifying period starts from the end of that previous claim, not 52 weeks back.
This means you may have accumulated fewer than 600 hours, which would disqualify you. Contact Service Canada to determine your specific qualifying period before applying.
How to Apply for EI Sickness Benefits?
You’ll need to apply for EI Sickness Benefits as soon as you stop working. Below is a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process smoothly.
Step 1: Prepare Your Information
Before starting the online application, you need to gather all the necessary documents, which will save you time and ensure a smoother process:
- Your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Your banking information
- A list of all employers you have worked for in the last 52 weeks, including their names, addresses, and your dates of employment.
- A detailed written explanation if you quit or were dismissed from any job within the last 52 weeks, as Service Canada will ask for the reasons.
Step 2: Fill Out the Online Application
The application is completed online via the Service Canada website. So be prepared to fill it out thoroughly.
The system will only hold your information for 72 hours. If you do not submit the application within this timeframe, your data will be deleted. In this situation, you will have to start the process from the beginning.
Step 3: Provide Supporting Documentation
After submitting the application, you will need to provide additional documents, such as your medical certificate and Record of Employment (ROE).
You should send your supporting documents to Service Canada separately as soon as you have them, either by mail or by dropping them off at a Service Canada Centre.
Step 4: Receive Your Benefit Statement and Access Code
Once Service Canada has received your application, they will mail you a benefit statement. This document will include a 4-digit access code needed to check your claim status.
It is important to understand that this statement is only a confirmation that your application has been received; it is not an approval of your claim.
Step 5: Monitor Progress of Your Claim
Finally, you can actively monitor the status of your application by logging into your My Service Canada Account (MSCA).
In some cases, Service Canada may require additional information to process your claim, so make sure you check your account regularly and respond to any requests as promptly as possible.
What to Expect After Applying for EI Sickness Benefits
After you apply, there is a standard one-week unpaid waiting period before your benefits can begin. This functions much like a deductible on an insurance policy, meaning no benefits are paid for that first week.
Following this waiting period, and assuming you are eligible and have provided all necessary documentation, you can typically expect your first payment to arrive approximately 28 days after the date you submitted your application.
But receiving EI benefits is not a passive process. To continue receiving payments, you are required to prove your ongoing eligibility by completing and submitting a report to Service Canada every two weeks.
These mandatory reports ask key questions about your situation for the reporting period, such as whether you worked or earned any income. Answering them accurately and on time is essential for your benefits to continue.
You can submit your reports in two ways:
- Online: Through your My Service Canada Account (MSCA).
- By Phone: Using the automated telephone reporting service.
Failing to submit a report on time is one of the most common reasons for payment delays. So set a calendar reminder to ensure you never miss a reporting deadline.
Common Mistakes That Delay or Deny EI Sickness Claims
When an EI Sickness Benefit claim is delayed or denied, it is often due to four of the most frequent mistakes:
Mistake #1: Applying Too Late
The Problem: There is a strict deadline for applications. If you apply more than four weeks after your last day of work, you may lose EI Sickness benefits.
How to Avoid It: The solution is simple: apply it on the very first day you stop working. Do not wait until you feel ready, receive test results, or have all your documents.
Mistake #2: Problems with the Medical Certificate
The Problem: A medical certificate will be rejected or cause delays if it is incomplete or incorrect. Common issues include a missing start date for your incapacity, no expected return-to-work date, a missing signature from the practitioner, or a signature from a practitioner whose scope of practice does not cover your condition.
How to Avoid It: Before your medical appointment, print Service Canada’s official medical certificate form and bring it with you. This ensures your practitioner fills out all the required fields. After it’s completed, keep a copy for your records; you are required to keep it for six years.
Mistake #3: Missing or Delayed Records of Employment (ROEs)
The Problem: While most employers submit ROEs electronically directly to Service Canada, some still issue paper copies. If your employer provides a paper ROE, it is your responsibility to submit it. Waiting to receive a paper ROE before you apply is one of the leading causes of payment delays.
How to Avoid It: If you know your employer uses paper ROEs, request it on your last day of work. Again, do not wait for the ROE to apply online. Submit your application first, and provide the paper ROE to Service Canada as soon as you receive it.
Mistake #4: Failing to Report Work or Earnings
The Problem: You must report every dollar you earn on your biweekly reports. There’s no minimum amount you can ignore. If you don’t declare your income, Service Canada won’t see it as an honest mistake; they’ll treat it as a serious offence. This can lead to having to pay back benefits, facing fines, and dealing with higher EI costs down the road.
How to Avoid It: Be diligent and report all income earned during the reporting period, no matter how small the amount.
What Happens When Your EI Sickness Benefits Run Out?
For individuals whose medical condition prevents them from returning to work after the 26-week EI Sickness Benefit period ends, it’s crucial to explore other forms of income support. Here are the three primary pathways to consider:
- Long-Term Disability Insurance: It is part of your employee benefits package and will be a critical source of support. Most LTD insurance policies require you to apply for both EI and CPP Disability benefits first. It is essential to understand that your LTD benefit is designed to work in coordination with these programs.
- Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits: This federal program is designed for employees who have contributed sufficiently to the Canada Pension Plan and whose medical condition is both “severe” and “prolonged.”
- Provincial or Territorial Disability Support: If you don’t qualify for CPP Disability, another option is your province or territory’s disability support program, such as the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or BC’s Persons with Disabilities (PWD) program.
The bottom line
Dealing with a health issue is stressful enough without worrying about money. EI sickness benefits are designed to take that weight off your shoulders while you recover. So, approach it one step at a time, ensure your documentation is in order, and do not delay. The sooner you begin, the sooner your financial support is in place.
Frequently Asked Questions about EI sickness benefits
Can you receive both EI sickness benefits and long-term disability at the same time?
This is a common scenario, and the answer almost always lies in the fine print of your insurance policy. Most long-term disability (LTD) plans are designed to work with government benefits, not on top of them. This means your insurance provider will typically reduce your LTD payment by the exact amount you receive from EI. Think of EI as the first payer. The best course of action is to call your insurance provider before you even apply to understand exactly how your specific plan handles it.
Are EI sickness benefits considered taxable income?
Yes, your benefit payments are taxable income. You'll notice that federal tax is already deducted from each payment before you receive it. However, depending on your total income for the year, you might still owe a bit more or get some of it back as a refund when you file your annual tax return, just like with any other income source.
Can I travel outside of Canada while receiving sickness benefits?
Generally, no. You must be in Canada to receive EI sickness benefits. You are required to declare any travel, and doing so will almost certainly pause or stop your payments for the duration of your trip. The only rare exception is for specific medical treatment that you have been pre-approved to receive abroad because it isn't available in Canada.
Can my employer fire me while I'm on medical leave?
This is a common worry, and it's important to know where your rights come from. EI itself does not provide job protection; that protection comes from federal and provincial employment laws. While most provinces have rules that prevent an employer from terminating you solely because you are on a legitimate medical leave, these situations can be complex. If you believe you were wrongfully dismissed, you need to seek professional advice from an employment lawyer or contact your provincial labour board.
What if I'm on regular EI benefits and then get sick?
You can absolutely switch. If you are receiving regular EI benefits (for job loss) and then become ill or injured to the point where you cannot search for work, you should contact Service Canada immediately. They can help you change your claim over to sickness benefits. Just keep in mind that this doesn't grant you extra weeks; it simply reclassifies the type of benefit you are receiving within your claim's original maximum duration.
