Sick or injured and unable to work?
Find the income, disability and practical support worth checking, in the order that usually makes sense.
Information only. This does not decide Employment Insurance (EI), workers’ compensation, or disability eligibility, and it is not legal, medical, or insurance advice.
Short forms used here: EI (Employment Insurance), STD and LTD (short-term and long-term disability insurance from an employer or insurer), CPP-D (Canada Pension Plan disability), QPP (Québec Pension Plan / Régime de rentes du Québec), DTC (Disability Tax Credit), CDB (Canada Disability Benefit), and RDSP (Registered Disability Savings Plan).
What is happening with work?
Pick the closest match. You do not need to call yourself disabled to use this.
Common questions
Is EI sickness the same as employer sick leave?
No. Employer sick leave comes from your workplace or collective agreement. EI sickness is a federal Employment Insurance benefit with its own rules, including a medical certificate. EI pages are not the authority for employer plans.
If I may have a workplace injury, should I start with EI?
Usually not. If the health issue may be work-related, the provincial or territorial workers’ compensation board is the first official check. That is not a finding that the injury is work-related.
Does six months off work mean I qualify for CPP disability?
No. CPP disability has its own “severe and prolonged” test. Time off work is not an approval. Provincial disability assistance is a separate program with separate rules.
Is CPP disability the program to use in Quebec?
People who contributed to the Québec Pension Plan generally look to Retraite Québec and the Régime de rentes du Québec, not the same CPP-D process used in other provinces.
Should I apply for the Disability Tax Credit first for income this month?
The Disability Tax Credit (crédit d’impôt pour personnes handicapées) is a tax credit. A diagnosis is not a DTC approval, and an RDSP is not bill money. Check income programs first.
Does sick pay mean my job is protected?
No. Paid leave and job protection are different. Employment standards (and federal labour standards for some industries) publish leave rules. This site does not give legal advice.
Related tools
- GuideRead the guide
Job loss guide
If health is no longer what stops you from working, start with EI regular benefits and next steps after employment ends.
- GuideRead the guide
Disability guides
Province-by-province disability income guides when you need the longer-term layer.
- GuideRead the guide
Housing and essentials
Rent, food, and emergency help when income drops suddenly.
- GuideRead the guide
Public drug coverage
Provincial and federal public drug programs if medication costs are the pressure point.