How to Apply for Unemployment Disability in Canada

Canadian disability benefits are straightforward for those who qualify

Canada has two main types of disability benefits for unemployed workers: Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefits and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Disability. EI benefits cover those whose weekly earnings have decreased by at least 40 percent due to injury or illness, and who have worked at least 600 hours over the previous year. CPP benefits cover those with a prolonged and serious medical condition that prevents them from doing any job and who have contributed to the CPP for at least four years. You may qualify for one or both of these programs.

Instructions

Employment Insurance

1. Get a Record of Employment (ROE). You must get ROE's from any employer you have worked for over the previous year. You can get paper copies of these documents from your employers or have your employers send them electronically to Service Canada.

2. Get a medical certificate. You must get documentation from a doctor detailing the type of sickness or injury you have and how long this condition is expected to prevent you from working. Your family doctor or local clinic will have these documents on hand and be able to provide them to you.

3. Get an Employment Insurance application. You can apply online (see Resources) or get a paper application by calling Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218.

4. Fill in the application. You need to include your complete banking information on the application as well as detailed employment information including the names and addresses of your employers over the past year, a detailed explanation of why you had to stop working and details about your earnings throughout the previous year.

5. Send the application. If you are completing the application online, simply click "Send". If you are completing a paper version, send the application and all related documents including ROE's and medical certificates to any Service Canada office (see Resources).

CPP Disability

1. Get an Application for Disability Benefits. You can download this online (see Resources) or have a kit mailed to you by calling 1-800-277-9914.

2. Fill in the application. The first part of the application is primarily for personal information such as your social insurance number, marital status and whether you have any dependent children.

3. Fill in the questionnaire. You must answer very detailed questions on this form about your work history, health condition and previous pension plan contributions.

4. Have your doctor complete the medical report. Bring the medical report included in the application kit to your doctor.

5. Complete and sign the personal information consent forms. You need to sign two consent forms to share your personal information, one for your doctor and one for Service Canada. These are included in the application kit.

6. Complete the Child Rearing Provision Form. If you have dependent children, you need to fill in this form. Having dependent children could increase your benefit payments.

7. Send all of the completed forms to Service Canada. Find a list of Service Canada locations in Resources.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply for EI benefits as soon as you stop working. Any delay could result in lower payments.

• If applying for EI online, read your confirmation page closely. It may inform you that you have to send further documentation to Service Canada.

References

• Service Canada: Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits
• Service Canada: Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits

Resources

• Service Canada: Application for Employment Insurance Benefits Online
• Service Canada: Application for Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefits
• Service Canada: Find a Service Canada Office