EI Caregiving Benefits

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EI Caregiving Benefits

EI caregiving benefits provide financial assistance while you’re away from work to care for or support a critically ill or injured person or someone needing end-of-life care. You could receive 55% of your earnings, up to a maximum of $668 a week.

As a caregiver, you don’t have to be related to or live with the person you care for or support, but they must consider you to be like a family member.

The 3 types of caregiving benefits
Benefit name Maximum weeks payable Who you’re providing care to
Family caregiver benefit for children up to 35 weeks A critically ill or injured person under 18
Family caregiver benefit for adults up to 15 weeks A critically ill or injured person 18 or over
Compassionate care benefits up to 26 weeks A person of any age who requires end-of-life care

You can receive benefits during the 52 weeks following the date the person is certified by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner to be critically ill or injured or in need of end-of-life care. You can take the weeks of benefits within this timeframe either all at once or in separate periods.

The weeks of benefits can be shared by eligible caregivers, either at the same time or one after another.

Learn more and apply.