Maximum weekly EI benefit (2026)
Family Caregiver Benefit duration
EI Sickness Benefit duration
Minimum insured hours required
Figures above: Service Canada, 2026 EI rates · Employment Insurance Act, s. 23.1 · Service Canada, 2026 · EI eligibility requirements, 2025
Guide values reviewed . Program amounts and eligibility can change; confirm them with the administering agency.
Government of Canada EI caregiving benefit amounts2026 maximum weekly benefit checked July 10, 2026.
The EI Family Caregiver Benefit for Children (FCBC) provides up to 35 weeks of benefits at 55% of insurable earnings (maximum $729 per week in 2026). To qualify, a medical practitioner must certify that the child's life is at risk or that the child's health has changed significantly. This benefit can be shared between eligible family members.
For autism families, this benefit most commonly applies during acute medical events — for example, a child hospitalized for epilepsy (a common autism comorbidity), a mental health crisis requiring inpatient treatment, or recovery from surgery. The autism diagnosis itself does not qualify, but the medical complications that frequently co-occur with autism may.
Ontario parents must have accumulated at least 600 insured hours in the 52 weeks before the claim. Self-employed individuals who have opted into the EI program are also eligible.
Parents who experience their own health issues related to caregiving stress — including burnout, depression, or anxiety — may qualify for EI Sickness Benefits. These provide up to 26 weeks of income replacement at 55% of earnings.
A growing body of research documents elevated rates of mental health challenges among parents of autistic children. A 2023 Canadian study found that 40% of primary caregivers reported clinically significant levels of depression or anxiety. When a physician certifies that a parent is unable to work due to health conditions, EI Sickness Benefits can bridge the income gap.
Apply online through Service Canada within four weeks of your last day of work. You will need your Record of Employment (ROE), a medical certificate, and the child's health information. Processing typically takes 28 days from the date of application.
If your employer offers a short-term disability plan or top-up benefits, coordinate these with EI to maximize income replacement. Some Ontario collective agreements include specific autism caregiver provisions — check your employment contract or union representative.
Service Canada
Employment Insurance Family Caregiver Benefits, 2025 program guide
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry
Caregiver mental health in autism families: prevalence and predictors, 2023; 68(4):256-264
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
US$2.4M
Lifetime support costs for autism with co-occurring intellectual disability can reach US$2.4 million per person (Buescher et al.)
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
$200/month
The Canada Disability Benefit provides up to for eligible Canadians with disabilities
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement