Employment Insurance Regulations (SOR/96-332)

55.01 (1) A self-employed person is not disentitled from receiving benefits for the reason that the self-employed person is outside Canada

• (a) for the purpose of undergoing, at a hospital, medical clinic or similar facility outside Canada, medical treatment that is not readily or immediately available in the self-employed person’s area of residence in Canada, if the hospital, clinic or facility is accredited to provide the medical treatment by the appropriate governmental authority outside Canada;

• (b) for a period of not more than seven consecutive days to attend the funeral of a member of the self-employed person’s immediate family or of one of the following persons, namely,

  • (i) a grandparent of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner,

  • (ii) a grandchild of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner,

  • (iii) the spouse or common-law partner of the self-employed person’s son or daughter or of the son or daughter of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner,

  • (iv) the spouse or common-law partner of a child of the self-employed person’s father or mother or of a child of the spouse or common-law partner of the self-employed person’s father or mother,

  • (v) a child of the father or mother of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner or a child of the spouse or common-law partner of the father or mother of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner,

  • (vi) an uncle or aunt of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner, and

  • (vii) a nephew or niece of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner;

• (c) for a period of not more than seven consecutive days to accompany a member of the self-employed person’s immediate family to a hospital, medical clinic or similar facility outside Canada for medical treatment that is not readily or immediately available in the family member’s area of residence in Canada, if the hospital, clinic or facility is accredited to provide the medical treatment by the appropriate governmental authority outside Canada; or

• (d) for a period of not more than seven consecutive days to visit a member of the self-employed person’s immediate family who is seriously ill or injured.

(1.1) Only the periods set out in paragraphs (1)(b) and (d) may be cumulated during a single trip outside Canada, and only if the member of the self-employed person’s immediate family whom the self-employed person visits under paragraph (1)(d) is the person whose funeral the self-employed person attends under paragraph (1)(b).

(2) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (1.1), the following persons are considered to be members of the self-employed person’s immediate family:

• (a) the father and mother of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner;

• (b) the spouse or common-law partner of the father or mother of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner;

• (c) the foster parent of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner;

• (d) a child of the self-employed person’s father or mother or a child of the spouse or common-law partner of the self-employed person’s father or mother;

• (e) the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner;

• (f) a child of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner;

• (g) a ward of the self-employed person or of the self-employed person’s spouse or common-law partner; and

• (h) a dependant or relative residing in the self-employed person’s household or a relative with whom the self-employed person permanently resides.

(3) A self-employed person is not disentitled from receiving benefits in respect of pregnancy, the care of a child or children referred to in subsection 152.05(1) of the Act or the care or support of a family member referred to in subsection 152.06(1) of the Act, of a critically ill child or of a critically ill adult for the sole reason that the self-employed person is outside Canada, unless their Social Insurance Number Card or the period of validity of their Social Insurance Number has expired.