EI Sickness Benefits: 26 Weeks of Income While You Recover

EI Sickness Benefits exist for exactly this situation — you can't work because of a medical condition, and you need income while you sort things out. What you get: 55% of your average insurable weekly earnings, up to a weekly max (around $729 in 2026), for up to 26 weeks. Who qualifies: you need at least 600 insurable hours worked in the past year (this varies slightly by region), a medical certificate confirming you can't work, and your earnings need to have dropped more than 40% because of the illness. How to apply: 1. Get a medical certificate from your doctor (Service Canada has a specific form for this) 2. Request your Record of Employment (ROE) from your employer — they're required to provide this 3. Apply online through your My Service Canada Account 4. Submit the medical certificate 5. Complete bi-weekly reports while you're receiving benefits (this keeps payments flowing, don't skip them) Things people don't realize: you're allowed to work part-time while receiving EI sickness benefits (your earnings just get partially deducted, they don't cancel your benefit). And if your condition is longer-term, EI sickness benefits can transition into long-term disability — start that conversation with your provider before your 26 weeks run out, not after.