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Unable to work guide · Canada-wide

Sick or injured and unable to work?

Find the income, disability and practical support worth checking, in the order that usually makes sense. If medication costs changed with your income, Check public drug coverage where you live is a separate check. When rent or food is at risk this month, use the housing and essentials navigator.

This is not an eligibility test

Full disclaimer

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).

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Selections on this page are used in your browser to build these results. They are not sent to MyEligible as a saved profile.

If you're struggling or having thoughts of suicide, you can call 9-8-8 or text 9-8-8 (9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline) any time, 24/7, in English or French. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.

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 employment has already ended, the Open the job loss guide covers EI regular benefits separately from EI sickness.

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. Browse provincial disability guides maps provincial entry points.

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 Browse provincial disability guides for income first; use the Use the Disability Tax Credit helper when the tax credit itself is the question.

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. When health effects continue long term, Explore chronic condition supports can help plan medication, work, and caregiver supports together.

Related tools

How this was checked

MyEligible uses official federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal sources. We show verification dates where available and link back to the source so you can confirm current details.

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Last verified: October 13, 2026

Sick or injured and unable to work? | MyEligible