EI Sickness Benefits: Apply With Your Medical Certificate and ROEs

EI sickness benefits may be relevant if illness or injury stops you from working. Before you start the online application, gather the information you already have and make a plan to obtain any missing medical certificate or paper ROE without postponing the application itself.

Service Canada says to apply as soon as possible after you stop working. Applying more than four weeks after your last day of work may cause you to lose benefits, so the practical first step is to note that last day and begin the application when you are able.

You do not need to wait for every document before taking that step. The official page says to complete and submit the online application right away and send required documents after applying. This can be especially useful when an appointment for a medical certificate or a paper ROE is still being arranged.

Have your personal and work-history details nearby. The application information includes your SIN, mailing and home addresses, names and addresses of employers from the past 52 weeks, employment dates, and reasons you are no longer employed. If you quit or were dismissed from a job in that period, be ready to give a detailed explanation of the facts.

Also prepare banking information if you want to sign up for direct deposit: the financial institution name, branch or transit number, and account number. Keep the information in one place and enter it carefully. This guide explains the remaining certificate and ROE steps, but the official application portal is where you submit the application.

Get the right medical certificate

You need a medical certificate signed by the treating medical practitioner. You can ask that practitioner to complete and sign Service Canada's Medical certificate for Employment Insurance sickness benefits or their own medical certificate form. You may be asked to submit the certificate with your application. If you are not asked at that point, keep it for six years in case Service Canada asks you to provide it later.

It is sensible to ask the practitioner how and when the certificate will be ready, then retain a copy for your records if one is available. Be aware that the treating medical practitioner may charge a fee to provide the certificate. Service Canada states that it does not reimburse this fee, so ask about any charge directly before the appointment if cost is a concern.

Check whether your ROEs are electronic or paper

Records of employment give Service Canada information about your work history. It uses that information to determine whether you are eligible for EI benefits and how much you will receive. You can register or sign in to My Service Canada Account to access ROEs that past and recent employers have issued for you. Checking there can help you understand what is already on file.

For electronic ROEs, employers send them directly to Service Canada. You do not need to request copies from your employer in order to provide them. For paper ROEs, request copies of all ROEs issued in the past 52 weeks or since the start of your last claim, whichever is shorter. Provide paper ROEs as soon as possible after you submit the EI application; the official page lists mail and Service Canada office options.

Follow the application in a clear order

1. Start promptly Begin the online application as soon as possible after you stop working; do not wait for every document.
2. Enter your details Use your personal information, work history, SIN and banking details carefully.
3. Arrange medical proof Ask the treating medical practitioner for a signed medical certificate and keep it if you are not asked to submit it immediately.
4. Handle ROEs Check My Service Canada Account for issued ROEs; request and provide paper ROEs when applicable.
5. Keep follow-up details Watch for the mailed benefit statement and retain the four-digit access code with your SIN for follow-up.

After you submit the application

If Service Canada asks you to submit a medical certificate, you can upload it in My Service Canada Account. The official page also lists mail and Service Canada office options for medical certificates and other required documents. Use only the channel requested for your document, and keep a record of what you submitted and when. Service Canada says it will not ask you to send information by email.

Once your application is received, Service Canada mails a benefit statement containing a four-digit access code. You need that code and your SIN to follow up on the application. The statement is not an approval notice: receiving it does not mean a decision has been made about your claim. To check the application status, the official page says you can register or sign in to My Service Canada Account or contact Service Canada.

Avoid common delays

The most useful safeguard is separating the application from the follow-up documents. Submit the online application promptly, then respond to any request for documents using the official instructions. For paper ROEs, do not assume they were sent electronically. For a medical certificate, do not discard it simply because it was not requested with the first submission. Keeping dates, copies and your access code together makes later follow-up easier.

Frequently asked questions