When earnings stop, the right support depends on why you cannot work. Canada’s Employment Insurance has different benefits for job loss and medical absence. Check those alongside employer benefits, local assistance and any family payments that need updating.
Canada · Checked 17 September 2026
Employment Insurance, usually called EI, can provide regular benefits to eligible people who lost insurable employment through no fault of their own. You generally need sufficient insurable hours, must be available for work and must actively look for it.
The required hours depend on your situation, including the unemployment rate in your region. The reason a job ended matters too. Apply promptly and let Service Canada assess the claim instead of assuming eligibility from a single number.
Keep a record of job-search activity and complete the required reports. Regular EI is not simply a payment for anyone whose household income has fallen.
EI sickness benefits can provide up to 26 weeks of assistance to eligible people unable to work for medical reasons. A medical certificate must show the inability to work and approximately how long it is expected to last.
First check whether your employer provides paid sick leave or a short-term disability plan. Tell the relevant service about other payments so you understand how they fit together. Medical evidence alone does not remove the other EI eligibility conditions.
Your own sickness claim and leave to care for a child are different questions. Ask your employer about applicable leave and any paid benefit. Employment standards depend on the province or territory and, for some jobs, federal rules.
A right to take leave does not necessarily mean the employer must pay you. Explain whether the need is a short emergency, a planned absence or ongoing care so the employer can identify the relevant policy or legal provision.
If child support needs reviewing, ask how to change the existing agreement or order. Reporting job loss to an enforcement office is not the same as obtaining a different support amount.
The Canada child benefit uses tax and household information. Keep annual returns up to date and report relevant changes in care, address or relationship status under the CRA’s reporting rules. A drop in this month’s wages does not automatically create an immediate matching increase in CCB.
This guide explains general rules and services. It does not assess your individual case.
Information checked on 17 September 2026.
Based on the original article by Magnus Hjelmér.
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