Compassionate care benefits are Employment Insurance payments for people who must step back from work to care for or support someone facing a serious medical condition and a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. They are one of three EI caregiving benefits, and the right one depends less on a diagnosis than on the person’s age, condition and medical certificate.
Choose the EI benefit that fits the care situation
Canada’s three EI caregiving benefits cover different care situations. Compassionate Care Benefits are for end-of-life care. Family Caregiver Benefits are for a person who is critically ill or injured and needs care or support.
| Benefit | Who needs care | Maximum weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Compassionate Care Benefits | A person of any age with a serious medical condition and a significant risk of death within 26 weeks | 26 |
| Family Caregiver Benefit for Children | A critically ill or injured child under 18 | 35 |
| Family Caregiver Benefit for Adults | A critically ill or injured person aged 18 or older | 15 |
That distinction matters. A person may need substantial help with daily life, but the compassionate-care route requires the end-of-life prognosis in the medical certificate. For a critically ill or injured adult without that prognosis, the adult family caregiver benefit may be the relevant EI option.
What compassionate care can look like at home
A compassionate caregiver does not need to perform medical tasks. Under the EI program, care means actively taking part in caring for a critically ill or injured person or someone needing end-of-life care. Support can be psychological or emotional support.
You do not have to live with the person, and you do not have to be related. It is enough to be regarded as family.
Check whether you are eligible before you take leave
To receive EI caregiving benefits, you generally need at least 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks before applying. Your weekly earnings must also fall by more than 40%. For a self-employed person applying in 2026, the stated threshold is at least $9,254 in net self-employed earnings in 2025.
Eligibility also turns on the medical situation. There is no fixed list of qualifying conditions. A medical doctor or nurse practitioner must certify the required condition: for compassionate care, a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks; for the family caregiver benefits, a critical illness or injury requiring care or support.
A long-standing chronic condition by itself does not establish eligibility. The facts can change if a new, acute and life-threatening event causes a serious deterioration. If you are unsure how a condition is changing, speak with the treating doctor or nurse practitioner rather than trying to classify it yourself.
Get the medical certificate and apply without waiting
The medical certificate is required for all three EI caregiving benefits. Compassionate Care Benefits use form SC-INS5216B; Family Caregiver Benefits use form SC-INS5242B. A practitioner may use another form if it contains all required information.
- Confirm which of the three benefits reflects the person’s age, condition and prognosis.
- Ask the doctor or nurse practitioner for the certificate.
- Apply online through the Service Canada portal as soon as you stop working. Supporting documents can follow.
- Keep filing the required report every two weeks after you apply.
Applying promptly protects your position: an application made more than four weeks after your last day of work can mean lost benefits. There is a one-week waiting period with no payment. If a decision is refused, you can request a formal reconsideration within 30 days.
Know what EI pays and how the 52-week window works
EI caregiving benefits pay 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to $729 per week in 2026. Benefits are taxable, so tax is deducted from the payment. The ceiling matters: income above the maximum yearly insurable earnings does not increase the weekly EI amount.
The benefit weeks can be used together or in separate periods. The 52-week period begins when the doctor or nurse practitioner certifies that the person is critically ill or injured or needs end-of-life care.
Share the weeks when more than one family member is caring
More than one eligible caregiver can share the available weeks, either at the same time or one after another. Each caregiver must submit an individual application. Only one person needs to serve the waiting period when the benefit is shared.
Even when several caregivers share them, Compassionate Care Benefits for the same person cannot exceed 26 weeks in total.
Separate income support from compassionate care leave at work
EI replaces part of lost income; it is not the same thing as job-protected leave. For federally regulated workplaces, the Canada Labour Code provides up to 28 weeks of unpaid Compassionate Care Leave in a 52-week period. Two or more employees can share that leave for the same person, up to the combined limit.
Provincial rules differ. Ontario provides up to 28 weeks of unpaid family medical leave, while Alberta provides up to 27 weeks of unpaid Compassionate Care Leave for employees with at least 90 days of employment. Other provinces have their own rules. Job protection can apply even when you are not eligible for EI, so check the employment standards that apply to your workplace and any better leave in your contract or benefit plan.
Clear up the myths that can delay care
Myth: You must be a relative living in the same home
Not necessarily. You may be a caregiver for a family member, a common-law partner, or another person who considers you like family. Living together is not required.
Myth: Only hands-on medical care counts
No. Psychological or emotional support can meet the program’s meaning of support. The question is whether you are actively involved in helping the person through the critical illness, injury or end-of-life period.
Myth: Every serious diagnosis automatically qualifies
No diagnosis guarantees EI benefits. The certificate must confirm the required medical situation. For compassionate care, the key fact is the significant risk of death within 26 weeks.
Myth: EI and leave from work are the same benefit
They are separate. EI is income support; compassionate care leave is employment protection under federal or provincial labour rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is compassionate care leave in Canada?
It is unpaid, job-protected leave under applicable labour rules, distinct from EI payments. Federally regulated employees can take up to 28 weeks within 52 weeks; provincial entitlements, including those in Ontario and Alberta, differ.
How long do compassionate care benefits last, and how much do they pay?
They can provide up to 26 weeks. The payment is 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, to a maximum of $729 per week in 2026, and it is taxable.
Can compassionate care benefits be shared between caregivers?
Yes. Eligible caregivers can share the weeks concurrently or consecutively, but each must apply separately and the group cannot exceed the benefit’s total maximum.
What medical conditions qualify for compassionate care benefits?
There is no checklist of diagnoses. A doctor or nurse practitioner must certify a serious medical condition and a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. Seek medical advice for an assessment of the person’s condition.
Is compassionate care legitimate government support?
Yes. It is one of Canada’s three EI caregiving benefits. The certificate, insured-hours requirement and application process are how the program determines who can receive benefits.
What is the website for the VA Caregiver Support Program?
This Canadian guide does not cover the VA Caregiver Support Program. It focuses on EI caregiving benefits and compassionate care leave in Canada.