EI Sickness Benefits — Key Facts 2025 Feature Details Maximum duration 15 weeks Benefit rate 55% of average insurable weekly earnings Maximum weekly benefit $668/week (2025) Waiting period 1 week (no payment) Hours required 600 insurable hours in last 52 weeks Medical certificate required Yes — a doctor or medical professional must complete a medical certificate Covered conditions Any illness, injury, quarantine, or medical condition that prevents work Who Is Eligible for EI Sickness Benefits?

EI Sickness Benefits Canada 2025: How to Claim Up to 15 Weeks

EI Sickness Benefits — Key Facts 2025

Feature	Details
Maximum duration	15 weeks
Benefit rate	55% of average insurable weekly earnings
Maximum weekly benefit	$668/week (2025)
Waiting period	1 week (no payment)
Hours required	600 insurable hours in last 52 weeks
Medical certificate required	Yes — a doctor or medical professional must complete a medical certificate
Covered conditions	Any illness, injury, quarantine, or medical condition that prevents work

Who Is Eligible for EI Sickness Benefits?

To qualify for EI sickness benefits in 2025, you must:

Be unable to work due to sickness, injury, or quarantine
Have accumulated at least 600 insurable hours in the past 52 weeks
Have had your normal weekly earnings reduced by more than 40% because of your condition
Be a Canadian resident
Provide a medical certificate from a qualified healthcare provider

Mental health conditions qualify. EI sickness benefits cover mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD — not just physical illness. Your doctor must confirm you are unable to work due to the condition.

How Much Will You Receive?

Annual Salary	Weekly Sickness Benefit	Total (15 weeks, before tax)
$30,000	$317	$4,758
$45,000	$476	$7,140
$60,000	$634	$9,514
$63,200+	$668 (max)	$10,020

EI sickness benefits are taxable income. Tax is withheld automatically, and you'll receive a T4E slip at year end.

How to Apply for EI Sickness Benefits

Step 1: Apply online immediately

Apply through My Service Canada Account at canada.ca as soon as you stop working. Do not wait until you have your medical certificate — apply first, then provide the certificate. Late applications (more than 4 weeks after stopping work) may result in lost benefits.

Step 2: Get a medical certificate

Your doctor, nurse practitioner, or other authorized healthcare provider must complete a medical certificate confirming:

The nature of your condition (does not need to specify a diagnosis)
The expected duration of your inability to work
Their professional contact information and signature

Step 3: Submit biweekly reports

Continue submitting biweekly reports online to confirm you are still unable to work and not receiving earnings. If your condition improves before 15 weeks, notify Service Canada promptly.

Step 4: Return to work when ready

When you're ready to return to work, notify Service Canada and your employer. If your regular EI benefits (from a layoff) were combined with sickness benefits, the remaining regular EI weeks can still be used after you recover.

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Sickness Benefits and Other EI Claims

EI sickness benefits can be combined with other types of EI in certain situations:

Situation	How Benefits Combine
Laid off, then become sick	Regular EI is interrupted; sickness benefits kick in. Regular weeks resume when you recover.
Sick, then pregnant	Sickness benefits followed by maternity benefits (total may exceed 15 weeks combined)
Sick after parental leave	Sickness benefits can follow parental leave if you become ill before returning to work

Long-term illness: EI sickness benefits are a short-term bridge (up to 15 weeks). For longer-term disabilities, look into your employer's long-term disability (LTD) plan or provincial social assistance programs. The Canada Disability Benefit may also apply for working-age Canadians with severe and prolonged conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to tell my employer I'm claiming EI sickness benefits?

You don't need to tell your employer you are claiming EI — that's between you and Service Canada. However, you do need to inform your employer that you are unable to work, and they must issue a Record of Employment (ROE) with the appropriate reason code (illness/injury). Your employer does not receive information about your EI claim.

Can I claim EI sickness benefits if I have sick days through work?

If your employer pays you your full salary during sick days, you are not eligible for EI sickness benefits for those days. EI kicks in once your earnings are reduced by more than 40%. If your employer's sick leave runs out before you recover, you can then apply for EI sickness benefits for the remaining weeks.

What if 15 weeks is not enough?

If your condition lasts beyond 15 weeks, EI sickness benefits are exhausted. At that point, you may be eligible for your employer's long-term disability insurance (if applicable), provincial disability income programs, or the federal Canada Disability Benefit if you have an approved Disability Tax Credit.