From: Employment and Social Development Canada

Apply as soon as possible after you stop working. If you wait more than 4 weeks after your last day of work to apply, you may lose benefits.

Gather supporting documents As part of the application process, you must obtain a medical certificate and your records of employment (ROEs). You may need to provide these documents to Service Canada. Don't wait until you have these documents before you apply. You can get them after you complete your online application and send them in if we need them.

Complete the online application Apply as soon as possible after you stop working. If you wait more than 4 weeks after your last day of work to apply, you may lose benefits. Make sure you have the following information to complete your application: the names and addresses of your employers in the last 52 weeks

the dates you were employed with each employer and the reasons you're no longer employed with them

your detailed explanation of the facts if you quit or were dismissed from any job in the last 52 weeks

your full mailing address and your home address, if they are different

your social insurance number (SIN)

your mother's maiden name

your banking information, including financial institution, branch (transit) number and your account number, to sign up for direct deposit The online application takes about an hour to complete. Your information is saved for 72 hours (3 days) from the time you start. If you don't complete the application, you can come back to it later using a temporary password that you receive when you start your application. If you don't complete the application within 72 hours, it will be deleted and you'll have to start a new application. Ready to start?

Provide supporting documents Medical certificate You'll need to get a medical certificate signed by a medical practitioner. There are 2 options. You can ask your medical practitioner to complete and sign either: Service Canada's Medical certificate for Employment Insurance sickness benefits or

their own medical certificate form Once you have your medical certificate, keep it for 6 years in case we require it later. We will contact you to let you know if you need to submit your medical certificate after you apply. The medical practitioner may charge a fee to provide you with a medical certificate. We don't reimburse this fee. For more information on medical certificates, such as who can sign it, visit Information on medical certificates and practitioners. Record of employment Employers issue a record of employment (ROE) to provide information on your work history. Service Canada uses the information to determine: whether you're eligible to receive EI benefits

how much you'll receive You can visit My Service Canada Account (MSCA) to view ROEs that have been issued to you by past and current employers. Electronic ROEs Electronic ROEs are sent directly to Service Canada by your employer. You don't need to request electronic copies from your employer or provide copies to Service Canada. Paper ROEs If your employer issues paper ROEs, you must request copies of all ROEs issued to you in the past 52 weeks. You'll need to provide them to Service Canada as soon as possible after you submit your EI application. You can mail them or drop them off at a Service Canada Centre.

A benefit statement and access code will arrive by mail Once your application is complete, Service Canada will mail you a benefit statement. This statement will include a 4-digit access code. You need this code and your SIN to inquire about your application and to complete biweekly reports. Receiving the EI benefit statement doesn't mean that Service Canada has made a decision about your claim.