A plain-language guide for people caring for a sick, disabled or dying family member or friend — EI caregiving benefits, the federal caregiver credit, the Medical Expense Tax Credit, and the Ontario Caregiver Organization.
Caregiver Benefits in Canada
For the people doing the caring — spouses, adult children, parents, friends. What money and support you can claim, and how.
Executive Summary
Caring for someone is unpaid work that most people never claim support for — often because they don’t know it exists. There are three federal dollars you may be entitled to, plus a free Ontario organization built for caregivers.
The three federal supports:
- EI caregiving benefits — replaces part of your income when you must take time off work to care for someone critically ill/injured or needing end-of-life care. Paid by Service Canada.
- Canada caregiver credit — a federal tax credit you claim when you support an infirm spouse, partner or dependant.
- Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC) — you can claim the medical costs you paid for the person you care for (and yourself).
And in Ontario: the Ontario Caregiver Organization offers a free helpline, counselling, peer support and e-learning — no eligibility test, no cost.
Three things to know:
- For EI caregiving you do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for — you only need to be “like family” and have a medical certificate.
- The caregiver credit and METC are claimed on your tax return, not applied for separately. File every year.
- EI caregiving appeals moved — since April 1, 2026 they go to the EI Benefits Appeal Tribunal (BOA), not the Social Security Tribunal. Deadline to challenge a decision is 30 days.
Table of Contents
- EI Caregiving Benefits
- Canada Caregiver Credit
- Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC)
- Ontario Caregiver Organization
- Appealing an EI Caregiving Decision
- Sources
EI Caregiving Benefits
Employment Insurance pays three separate caregiving benefits. All pay 55% of your average insurable earnings, up to a maximum of $729/week (2026).
| Benefit | Maximum weeks | For |
|---|---|---|
| Family caregiver benefit for children | up to 35 weeks | A critically ill or injured child under 18 |
| Family caregiver benefit for adults | up to 15 weeks | A critically ill or injured person 18 or older |
| Compassionate care benefit | up to 26 weeks | A person of any age needing end-of-life care |
Key facts people miss:
- You do not need to be related to the person, and you do not need to live with them — you must be considered “like family.”
- The weeks can be shared by more than one eligible caregiver, at the same time or one after another.
- “Critically ill or injured” means a significant, acute, life-threatening change certified by a doctor or nurse practitioner. A chronic condition alone does not qualify unless it sharply worsens.
- Apply through My Service Canada Account or a Service Canada office. You need a medical certificate for the person you are caring for.
- Source: EI caregiving benefits — Canada.ca
Canada Caregiver Credit
A federal non-refundable tax credit (it reduces the tax you owe; it does not pay you a cheque directly).
- Up to $8,601 (2025 tax year) on line 30425 for an infirm spouse, common-law partner, or eligible dependant aged 18 or older who qualifies under line 30400.
- The amount is reduced as the dependant’s net income rises, so $8,601 is the maximum at the lowest income.
- Indexed annually — confirm the current figure at the source before filing.
- Source: Canada caregiver credit — Canada.ca
Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC)
You can claim eligible medical expenses you paid, including for the person you care for.
- Claim on line 33099 (expenses for yourself, your spouse/common-law partner, and your children under 18) or line 33199 (eligible dependants who rely on you for support).
- You can claim the total eligible expenses above the lesser of 3% of your net income or $2,834 (2025 threshold).
- Eligible costs include attendant care, care in a facility (nursing/home/respite), prescriptions, devices, and much more. Premiums for private insurance plans (e.g., OHIP) are not eligible.
- The credit is non-refundable and calculated at the lowest federal tax rate.
- Source: Eligible medical expenses (lines 33099 & 33199) — Canada.ca
Ontario Caregiver Organization
The Ontario Caregiver Organization (OCO) is a free, provincial nonprofit for anyone caring for a family member, partner, friend or neighbour in Ontario.
- Helpline: 1-833-416-2273 (also live chat) — connect to support and navigation.
- SCALE Program — free counselling, webinars and coaching for caregiver mental health.
- Peer support, e-learning courses, and toolkits on dementia, end-of-life care, advance care planning, work/life balance, and financial supports.
- No income test, no cost, confidential.
- Source: ontariocaregiver.ca (verified live 2026-10-07)
OCO reports that over 4 million Ontarians are caregivers and that most reach a breaking point without support — you are not alone, and the help is free.
Appealing an EI Caregiving Decision
- Request reconsideration within 30 days of the decision (form INS5210). There is no fee.
- Since April 1, 2026, EI benefits appeals go to the EI Benefits Appeal Tribunal (BOA) — not the Social Security Tribunal.
- You can represent yourself or bring a trusted person.
A practical worksheet and a sample EI caregiving application letter are in our Caregiver Benefits Application template. A shorter reference is in the Caregivers Support Canada knowledge-base article.
Sources
All figures verified 2026-10-07 against official sources:
- EI caregiving benefits — Canada.ca
- EI caregiving — how much you could get — Canada.ca
- Canada caregiver credit — Canada.ca
- Eligible medical expenses (lines 33099 & 33199) — Canada.ca
- Ontario Caregiver Organization
Not legal or tax advice. Amounts and thresholds change annually — confirm the current figure with the source before relying on it. This guide is informational only.