How to Apply for EI Compassionate Care Benefits to Provide End-of-Life Care in Canada
Learn how to apply for EI compassionate care benefits when you take time away from work to support someone at significant risk of death within 26 weeks, including the 600-hour rule, medical certificate, 2026 payment rate, shared benefits and first-payment timing.
CA Canada
Benefits & Support ~ 13 min read
18 FAQ
Updated 2026-08-27
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EI compassionate care benefits can provide up to 26 weeks of income support when you take time away from work to care for or support a family member, or someone considered like family, who has a serious medical condition and a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. For an insurable employee, you generally need at least 600 insured hours in the qualifying period and your regular weekly earnings must fall by more than 40% for at least one week because you are providing care or support. A doctor or nurse practitioner must complete the compassionate care medical certificate, and the patient or legal representative must authorize release of the medical information. Apply online as soon as you stop working or your earnings are reduced. In 2026, EI caregiving benefits pay 55% of earnings up to $729 per week. Up to 26 weeks can be used within a 52-week window and shared among eligible caregivers.
What you need
- For an insurable employee, at least 600 insured hours of work in the 52 weeks before the claim starts or since the start of the previous claim, whichever period is shorter.
- Your regular weekly earnings from work must decrease by more than 40% for at least one week because you take time away to provide care or support.
- The person receiving care must have a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks and must need care or support from at least one caregiver.
- A medical doctor or nurse practitioner must complete and sign the Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits.
- The person receiving care, or their legal representative, must complete the Authorization to Release Medical Information for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care and Family Caregiver Benefits.
- You must be a family member or be considered like family. If you are not related, the person receiving care or their legal representative must complete the Family Member Attestation form.
- You need your Social Insurance Number, addresses, banking information, employment history for the previous 52 weeks and information about the person receiving care.
- Paper Records of Employment must be provided when your employer does not submit them electronically.
- Self-employed applicants must meet the separate EI special-benefits participation and earnings rules.
Eligibility
EI compassionate care benefits are intended for a caregiver who must reduce or stop working to provide end-of-life care or support to a person with a serious medical condition and a significant risk of death within 26 weeks.
For an insurable employee, Service Canada requires at least 600 insured hours in the 52 weeks before the claim begins or since the start of the previous claim, whichever is shorter. Your regular weekly earnings must also decrease by more than 40% for at least one week because you are taking time away to provide care or support.
You do not have to live with the person or be related by blood or marriage. A person who considers you to be like family can qualify, but an attestation is required when you are not a recognized family member.
Self-employed people can qualify if they previously opted into the EI special-benefits program, their agreement has been active for at least 12 months, they earned at least $9,254 in net self-employment income in 2025 for a 2026 claim, and the time spent working in their business decreases by more than 40% for at least one week because of caregiving.
How to do it
- Confirm that the person you are supporting needs end-of-life care because of a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks.
- Check your own EI eligibility. If you are an insurable employee, confirm that you have at least 600 insured hours in the qualifying period and that your weekly earnings have fallen by more than 40% for at least one week because of caregiving.
- Ask a medical doctor or nurse practitioner to complete the Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits.
- Have the patient or their legal representative complete the Authorization to Release Medical Information form. If the patient cannot consent, the legal representative signs. For a minor, the parent or legal guardian signs.
- If you are considered like family but are not related under the EI family-member rules, have the patient or legal representative complete the Family Member Attestation form.
- Gather your SIN, mailing and home addresses, banking information, employer information for the previous 52 weeks and details about the person receiving care.
- Submit the online EI caregiving benefits application as soon as you stop working or your earnings are reduced. Do not wait for the medical documents before starting the application.
- Submit the medical certificate, authorization and any attestation or other documents requested by Service Canada through My Service Canada Account, by mail or at a Service Canada location.
- If benefits will be shared, coordinate with the other caregivers because the total compassionate care entitlement for the same person is up to 26 weeks and only one caregiver serves the standard waiting period.
- Complete the required biweekly reports and report all work, earnings and relevant changes while receiving benefits.
Who can get EI compassionate care benefits?
EI compassionate care benefits are for people who need time away from work to provide care or support to someone receiving end-of-life care.
For this benefit, end-of-life care means supporting a person who has a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. A medical doctor or nurse practitioner must certify the condition and confirm that the person needs care or support from at least one caregiver.
You can review the current federal rules on the EI caregiving benefits overview.
What are the EI eligibility rules for employees?
If you are an insurable employee, Service Canada currently requires both of these conditions:
- you have at least 600 insured hours in the 52 weeks before your claim begins or since the start of your last claim, whichever period is shorter;
- your regular weekly earnings from work decrease by more than 40% for at least one week because you take time away to provide care or support.
The medical and family-relationship conditions must also be satisfied. The full current test is on the Service Canada eligibility page.
How many weeks of compassionate care benefits can you receive?
You can receive up to 26 weeks of compassionate care benefits.
Those weeks are available within a 52-week window associated with the person who needs end-of-life care. The window starts from the medical certification used for the claim.
You do not have to take all 26 weeks consecutively. Eligible weeks can be taken in separate periods, provided they fall within the applicable 52-week window.
Can several caregivers share the 26 weeks?
Yes. Eligible caregivers can share the available compassionate care weeks, either at the same time or one after another.
The key limit is that the total compassionate care benefits paid in relation to the same person cannot exceed 26 weeks within the applicable 52-week window.
Each caregiver must submit their own EI application.
How much can you receive in 2026?
In 2026, EI caregiving benefits can pay 55% of your earnings, up to $729 per week.
The exact payment is calculated by Service Canada after your application is processed. The $729 amount is the 2026 maximum weekly EI benefit, not a guaranteed payment for every claimant.
You can review the current rate on the EI caregiving benefit amount page.
What medical certificate do you need?
A medical doctor or nurse practitioner must complete and sign the Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits.
The certificate must confirm that:
- the person has a serious medical condition;
- there is a significant risk of death within 26 weeks;
- the person needs care or support from at least one caregiver.
Only one medical certificate is required for the person receiving care, even when several caregivers share the compassionate care benefit.
If multiple certificates are submitted, Service Canada states that the first valid certificate determines the start and end of the 52-week timeframe.
Who signs the authorization to release medical information?
The medical certificate must be accompanied by the Authorization to Release Medical Information for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care and Family Caregiver Benefits.
If the person receiving care is capable of consenting, they sign the authorization. If they cannot consent because of a physical or mental condition, their legal representative signs it. If the person is below the age of majority, the parent or legal guardian completes the form.
Service Canada requires the authorization and medical certificate to be submitted together.
Do you have to be related to the person you are caring for?
No. EI caregiving rules cover immediate and extended relatives, but they also allow benefits for someone who is considered to be like family.
You do not have to live with the person receiving care.
If you are not related under the EI family-member definitions, the person receiving care or their legal representative must complete the Family Member Attestation confirming that you are considered like family.
What counts as care or support?
Caregiving is not limited to performing physical medical tasks. EI guidance recognizes several forms of care and support.
Qualifying activity can include:
- directly providing or participating in care;
- providing psychological or emotional support;
- arranging care through another care provider.
You can therefore potentially qualify even when health professionals provide the person's medical treatment, provided you are genuinely providing the care or support contemplated by the EI rules.
Can you get compassionate care benefits if the person is outside Canada?
Possibly. Service Canada states that caregiving benefits may be available when the person receiving care lives outside Canada.
The medical certificate must be completed by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner in the country where the person is receiving care. A practitioner outside Canada may sign where they are authorized by the relevant government authority and have professional qualifications substantially similar to those of a doctor or nurse practitioner practising in Canada.
Can self-employed people receive compassionate care benefits?
Yes, if they previously opted into EI special benefits and meet the program conditions.
For benefits claimed between January 1 and December 31, 2026, a self-employed claimant must:
- have an agreement with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission that has been active for at least 12 months;
- have earned at least $9,254 in net self-employment earnings in 2025;
- show that the time spent working in the business decreased by more than 40% for at least one week because of caregiving.
Self-employed workers can check their agreement status through My Service Canada Account.
What information do you need before applying?
Gather the basic information before you start the online form:
- your full mailing address and home address if different;
- your Social Insurance Number;
- the last name at birth of one of your parents;
- your banking information for direct deposit;
- the names and addresses of employers from the previous 52 weeks;
- employment dates and reasons each job ended;
- an explanation if you quit or were dismissed from a job during the previous 52 weeks;
- the name, birth date and address of the person receiving care;
- your relationship to that person.
Do you need a Record of Employment?
Service Canada uses Records of Employment to determine eligibility and benefit amounts.
If your employer submits an electronic ROE, it goes directly to Service Canada and you do not need to provide a copy.
If an employer issues a paper ROE, request the required ROEs covering the previous 52 weeks or the period since the start of your last claim, whichever is shorter, and provide them to Service Canada after submitting the application.
When should you apply?
Apply as soon as possible after you stop working or your earnings are reduced.
Do not delay the EI application while waiting for the medical certificate or authorization. Service Canada allows you to submit the online claim first and provide the supporting documents afterward.
Waiting too long can result in lost benefits.
How do you apply online?
- Go to the official EI caregiving benefits application page.
- Start the online application as soon as you stop working or your earnings fall.
- Enter your employment, personal and caregiving information.
- Submit the application even if the medical documents are not ready yet.
- After submission, review the list of documents Service Canada requires for your claim.
- Upload documents through My Service Canada Account, mail them, or deliver them to a Service Canada location.
If you save an unfinished online application, Service Canada keeps the information for 72 hours. If you do not submit it within that period, it is deleted and you must start again.
How do you send the medical certificate and other documents?
After submitting the online EI application, Service Canada provides a list of documents required for your claim.
You can submit the documents by:
- uploading them through My Service Canada Account;
- sending them by mail;
- dropping them off at a Service Canada location.
The medical authorization and the compassionate care medical certificate must be submitted together.
Is there a waiting period?
The standard rule is a 1-week unpaid waiting period before benefits begin.
If several eligible caregivers share compassionate care benefits for the same person, only one caregiver serves the waiting period. The caregivers must indicate in their applications who will serve it.
When will the first EI payment arrive?
If you qualify and Service Canada has received the required information, the first payment is normally issued about 28 days after you apply.
If Service Canada decides that you are not eligible, it will notify you of the decision instead of issuing payments.
Do you have to file reports while receiving benefits?
Yes. Service Canada provides instructions for completing reports every two weeks while you receive caregiving benefits.
You must report information such as:
- dates and hours worked;
- earnings before deductions;
- employer information;
- school or training hours;
- training allowances;
- periods outside Canada;
- other money received.
What changes must you report to Service Canada?
Contact Service Canada if the person no longer needs your care or support or if you start working or earning money.
Failing to report a change can lead to an EI overpayment that must be repaid.
If the person's medical situation changes, another type of EI caregiving benefit may become relevant. If you become unable to work because of your own illness, EI sickness benefits are a separate program with separate eligibility rules.
Is compassionate care EI the same as family caregiver benefits?
No. These EI benefits address different medical situations.
| Benefit | Main medical situation | Maximum weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Compassionate care | Serious medical condition with significant risk of death within 26 weeks | 26 weeks |
| Family caregiver benefit for adults | Critically ill or injured person age 18 or older | 15 weeks |
| Family caregiver benefit for children | Critically ill or injured child under 18 | 35 weeks |
If the person is critically ill but does not meet the end-of-life definition, the applicable family caregiver benefit may be the correct route instead.
What mistakes should you avoid?
- Waiting for the medical certificate before submitting the initial EI application.
- Using the family caregiver medical certificate instead of the compassionate care medical certificate for end-of-life care.
- Submitting the medical certificate without the required authorization to release medical information.
- Assuming you are ineligible because you are not biologically related to the person.
- Forgetting the Family Member Attestation when you are considered like family.
- Assuming every caregiver can claim 26 weeks separately. The weeks are shared in relation to the same person.
- Failing to report work or earnings after benefits begin.
- Failing to notify Service Canada when the person no longer needs your care or support.
EI compassionate care application checklist
- Confirm that the person has a serious medical condition with significant risk of death within 26 weeks.
- Check your 600 insured hours if you are an employee.
- Confirm that your regular weekly earnings dropped by more than 40% for at least one week because of caregiving.
- Have a doctor or nurse practitioner complete the compassionate care medical certificate.
- Obtain the patient's authorization to release medical information.
- Obtain the Family Member Attestation if you are considered like family.
- Gather your SIN, banking information, employment history and information about the person receiving care.
- Apply online as soon as possible.
- Submit supporting documents after applying.
- Coordinate the 26 available weeks with other caregivers if benefits will be shared.
- Complete biweekly EI reports.
- Report work, earnings and changes in the person's need for care to Service Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Who qualifies for EI compassionate care benefits in Canada?
You may qualify if you take time away from work to care for or support a family member or someone considered like family who has a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. Employees generally need at least 600 insured hours and a reduction of more than 40% in regular weekly earnings for at least one week.
How many weeks of EI compassionate care benefits can I get?
Up to 26 weeks of compassionate care benefits can be paid in relation to the same person within the applicable 52-week window.
How much does EI compassionate care pay in 2026?
EI caregiving benefits pay 55% of earnings up to a maximum of $729 per week in 2026. Your actual weekly amount is calculated by Service Canada.
What does significant risk of death within 26 weeks mean?
For compassionate care benefits, a doctor or nurse practitioner must certify that the person has a serious medical condition, is at significant risk of death within 26 weeks and needs care or support from at least one caregiver.
What medical form is required for compassionate care benefits?
A medical doctor or nurse practitioner must complete the Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits. It must be submitted with the patient's Authorization to Release Medical Information.
Do I need to wait for the medical certificate before applying?
No. Service Canada tells applicants to submit the online EI application right away. Supporting documents can be provided after the application is submitted.
Can I get compassionate care EI for someone who is not related to me?
Yes. The person can be someone who considers you to be like family. If you are not related under the EI family-member rules, a Family Member Attestation must be completed.
Do I have to live with the person I am caring for?
No. Service Canada states that you do not have to live with the person receiving care or support.
Can family members split compassionate care benefits?
Yes. Eligible caregivers can share the 26 weeks, either at the same time or one after another. Each caregiver must submit a separate EI application.
Does each caregiver need a separate medical certificate?
No. Only one medical certificate is required for the person receiving end-of-life care, even when several caregivers share the benefits.
Is there a waiting period for EI compassionate care benefits?
The standard waiting period is one unpaid week. If eligible caregivers share benefits for the same person, only one caregiver serves the waiting period.
How long does it take to get the first compassionate care EI payment?
If you are eligible and Service Canada has all required information, the first payment is normally issued about 28 days after you apply.
Can a self-employed person receive EI compassionate care benefits?
Yes if they meet the self-employed EI special-benefit rules. For a 2026 claim, the agreement with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission must have been active for at least 12 months, 2025 net self-employment earnings must be at least $9,254 and work in the business must decrease by more than 40% for at least one week because of caregiving.
Can I receive compassionate care benefits if the patient lives outside Canada?
Potentially yes. The medical certificate must be completed by an appropriately qualified medical doctor or nurse practitioner in the country where the person is receiving care.
Can I take the 26 weeks in separate periods?
Yes. The compassionate care weeks can be used all at once or spread over separate periods within the applicable 52-week window.
Do I have to complete EI reports while receiving compassionate care benefits?
Yes. Service Canada provides instructions for biweekly reports covering work, earnings and other information needed to confirm continuing eligibility.
What happens if the person I am caring for no longer needs care?
Contact Service Canada. Continuing to receive benefits after the eligibility conditions change can result in an overpayment that you must repay.
Is compassionate care EI the same as family caregiver benefits?
No. Compassionate care benefits cover end-of-life care where there is a serious medical condition and significant risk of death within 26 weeks. Family caregiver benefits apply to critically ill or injured children or adults under separate rules.
Official sources
EI caregiving benefitsEI caregiving benefits - Who can qualifyEI caregiving benefits - How much you could getEI caregiving benefits - How to applyEI caregiving benefits - After you applyEI caregiving benefits - Information for medical professionals2026 EI maximum insurable earnings and weekly benefit rateEI special benefits for self-employed peopleRelated procedures
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