Do you qualify
Who can qualify
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible and let us determine if you qualify.
For insurable employees
There are 2 conditions to meet.
- You have at least 600 insured hours of work in the 52 weeks before the start of your claim or since the start of your last claim, whichever is shorter
- You can show that your regular weekly earnings from work have decreased by more than 40% for at least 1 week due to time off to care for a family member who is critically ill or injured, or needing end-of-life care
For self-employed people
There are 3 conditions to meet.
- You must have entered into an agreement with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC). The CEIC plays a leadership role in overseeing Employment Insurance. Your agreement needs to be active for 12 months or more before you can apply for benefits
How do you know if you have entered into an agreement with the CEIC?
You can log in to My Service Canada Account. Under the Employment Insurance section, you will be able to "View my agreement status (self-employed)".
- You've earned a minimum amount of self-employed earnings in the previous calendar year. To be eligible for benefits between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025, you need to have made at least $8,826 in net self-employed earnings in 2024
- You can show that the time you spent working in your business has decreased by more than 40% for at least 1 week due to time off to care for a family member who is critically ill or injured, or needing end-of-life care
For fishers
There is 1 condition to meet.
- You must have earned $3,760 or more from self-employment in fishing during the qualifying period
For everyone
To access these EI caregiving benefits, all of the following conditions must also be true:
- a medical doctor or nurse practitioner has certified that the person you're providing care for or supporting is critically ill or injured, or needing end-of-life care
- you're a family member or you're considered to be like a family member to the person who needs care
What is needed to prove that you’re considered to be like a family member?
The person needing care or their legal representative must complete the attestation form to confirm that your are considered to be like family.
For a child, the parent or legal guardian must sign the form.
You must provide the form as part of your application for benefits.
When the person you're caring for lives outside of Canada
You may be eligible to receive these benefits.
The medical certificate for the person who is critically ill or injured or needs end-of-life care must be completed by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner in the country where that person is receiving care.
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