Step 1: Gather required informationService Canada collects the personal information you put in an Employment Insurance ( EI ) benefit application to decide if you qualify for EI benefits. By starting this application, you consent to the terms of the privacy notice statement. Please read the privacy notice statement.
If you're already familiar with the program:
Step 1: Gather required informationAs part of the application process, you'll need to provide information and documents to us.
Don’t wait until you have the documents to apply. Complete and submit your online application right away. You can send the required documents after you apply.
Medical doctors and nurse practitioners aren't allowed to release medical information about a patient without the patient’s consent.
The critically ill or injured person or their legal representative must complete this form to authorize the release of medical information: Authorization to release a medical certificate for Employment Insurance family caregiver benefits. In the case of a critically ill or injured child, the parent or legal guardian of the child must complete the form. The critically ill or injured person or their legal representative must submit the form to us at the same time as the medical certificate. The medical doctor or nurse practitioner indicates on the medical certificate if the critically ill or injured person is capable of consenting to the release of their medical information. If they’re capable, they must sign the form. If they’re not capable of signing, their legal representative must sign.
The number of weeks you're entitled to receive benefits and the start date of benefits are based on the information provided on the medical certificate.
If the critically ill or injured person needs care or support for a longer period of time than stated on the medical certificate, you'll need a second certificate from a medical doctor or nurse practitioner to extend the original time period. You or other caregivers can't receive benefits beyond the maximum number of weeks payable that each benefit allows.
A medical doctor or nurse practitioner must complete and sign this form: Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits.
You can receive benefits during the 52 weeks following the date the person is certified to be in need of end-of-life care.
Only one medical certificate is required. This applies if only one caregiver is claiming the 26 weeks of benefits, or if benefits are being shared. If more than one medical certificate is submitted, the first valid certificate determines the start and end dates of the 52-week timeframe.
You can visit My Service Canada Account ( MSCA ) to view ROEs that have been issued for you by past and recent employers.
Electronic ROEs are sent directly to Service Canada by employers. You don’t need to request copies from your employer to provide to us.
If your employer issues paper ROEs , you must request copies of all ROEs issued for you in the past 52 weeks or since the start of your last claim, whichever is shorter. You’ll need to provide them to us as soon as possible after you submit your application for EI benefits. You can mail them or drop them off at a Service Canada Centre.
Step 2: Complete the online applicationThe online application takes about 1 hour to complete.
If you don’t complete the application all at once, you can come back to it later using the temporary password that you receive when you start.
Your information is saved for 72 hours (3 days) from the time you start. If you don’t submit the application within this time:
When you apply for EI benefits, we’ll ask for your email address. We may send you an email to provide you with information or ask you to call us if we can't reach you by phone.
Please note that we won’t ask you to send us information by email.
Step 3: Provide required documentsAfter you complete your online application, submit the required documents to us.
Step 4: A benefit statement and access code will arrive by mailOnce your application is received, we’ll mail you a benefit statement with a 4-digit access code. You’ll need this code and your SIN to follow up on your application. Receiving an EI benefit statement doesn’t mean that we’ve made a decision about your claim.
Step 5: Check the status of your applicationTo check the status of your application, you can:
