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Checklist

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What you need to know before applying for benefits under the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP).

When to apply

You can apply for benefits when your remuneration ends, that is:

  • Wage Earner: Your remuneration ends when you stop working or the first day your regular weekly salary is reduced by 40% or more.
  • Self-employed worker: Your remuneration ends when you stop your business activities or as of the day you reduce the time spent on your business activities by 40% or more. Note: If you are a person who receives remuneration as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource This link opens in a new window., you are automatically considered to have reduced the time spent on this type of activity by at least 40%.
  • Wage earner who is also self-employed: Your remuneration ends when you stop working or the first day your regular weekly salary is reduced by 40% or more and when you stop your business activities or as of the day you reduce the time spent on your business activities by 40% or more. Note: If you are a person who receives remuneration as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource This link opens in a new window., you are automatically considered to have reduced the time spent on this type of activity by at least 40%.

You must apply at the earliest during the calendar week (the seven days from Sunday to Saturday) during which you wish your benefit period to start. You cannot send your application in advance.

The date you file your application is very important. You may receive benefits for a period preceding the filing date of your application. However, this period cannot exceed three weeks prior to the filing date.

Important

Record of Employment

You can file your application for benefits even if you do not have your Record or Records of Employment.

Maternity benefits

If you delay in filing your application following the birth of your child, you risk losing weeks of maternity benefits, as you cannot receive benefits beyond 18 weeks after the birth.

Indemnities under the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) program Pour une maternité sans danger (French only)Lien vers un site externe. (“For a risk-free maternity"):

You may submit your application up to four weeks prior to your expected delivery. The CSST will cease to pay you indemnities as of that date if you are eligible for the QPIP.

When do benefit periods begin?

Maternity benefits (for the mother only)

The benefit period may begin no earlier than:

  • the 16th week prior to the expected birth date
  • in case of interruption of pregnancy: the week the pregnancy is interrupted, if the interruption occurs after the 19th week of gestation

Paternity benefits (for the father only)

The benefit period may begin no earlier than the week the child is born.

Parental benefits (may be shared between the parents)

The benefit period may begin no earlier than the week the child is born.

Adoption benefits (may be shared by the adoptive parents)

Adoption in Québec: The benefit period may begin no earlier than the week the child comes into the care of one of the parents for adoption. The child’s arrival date for adoption depends on the type of adoption.

  • For special (intrafamily) adoption, the arival date is the date the application for a placement order was filed with the court for the purposes of adoption.
  • For “Banque mixte” (foster-to-adopt) adoption, the arrival date is the date the child is physically placed in the family.
  • For regular adoption,the arrival date is the date the child is physically placed in the family.
  • For adoption of a child already placed in a foster family, the arrival date is the date the application for a placement order was filed with the court for the purposes of adoption.
  • For customary Inuit adoption, the arrival date is the date the child is physically placed in the family.

Adoption outside Québec: The benefit period may begin no earlier than two weeks before the week the child comes into the care of one of the parents for the purpose of adoption. The child’s arrival date for adoption is the date the child, who was physically entrusted to the adoptive parents by the competent authorities, arrived in Québec.

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Benefit plans

Choose one of the two following plans for the duration of leave and the amount of the benefits:

Note that once you have begun receiving benefits, you can no longer change plans.

Therefore, it is highly important that you determine the best plan for your needs before applying for benefits. We suggest that you use the benefit calculation simulator. This tool allows you to estimate the amount of benefits you may be entitled to depending on the plan.

The choice of plan is set when the first of the two parents receives benefits. This binds the other parent even in cases of shared custody.

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Required information

When you apply for benefits, you must provide the following information:

social insurance number of the parent applicant, the other parent and the spouse, if applicable
date of birth of the parent applicant, the other parent and the spouse, if applicable
expected date of birth
information on the child’s identity according to the birth certificate (family name, first name, date of birth, gender) if the birth has occurred
arrival date of the child into the care of one of the parents for adoption
full information on your bank account and financial institution if you wish to take advantage of direct deposit of your benefits (information found on your cheques or bank statement)
remuneration end date ;

Remuneration end date

Wage earner

The remuneration end date is the date you stop working or the first day your regular weekly salary is reduced by 40% or more.

Self-employed worker

The remuneration end date is the date you stop your business activities or the day you reduce the time spent on your business activities by 40% or more. Note: If you are a person who receives remuneration as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource This link opens in a new window., you are automatically considered to have reduced the time spent on this type of activity by at least 40%.

Wage earner who is also self-employed

The remuneration end date is the date you stop working or the first day your regular weekly salary is reduced by 40% or more and when you stop your business activities or as of the day you reduce the time spent on your business activities by 40% or more. Note: If you are a person who receives remuneration as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource This link opens in a new window., you are automatically considered to have reduced the time spent on this type of activity by at least 40%.

information on your income

Information on your income

Wage earner If you received a steady salary during the 26 weeks preceding the benefit start date, you must provide:

  • the amount of your gross weekly salary

If you received a variable salary during the 26 weeks preceding the benefit start date, you must provide:

  • the number of records of employment that you have for the 52 weeks preceding the benefit start date
  • the dates of the calendar weeks (from Sunday to Saturday) during which, although employed, you did not work and were not paid

Self-employed worker If you had business activities during the calendar year preceding the year in which your benefit period begins, you must provide:

  • the income amount you entered or will enter on lines 22 to 26 of Schedule L of your Québec income tax return for the calendar year preceding the year in which your benefits period begins

If you started your business activities during the calendar year in which your benefit period begins, you must provide:

  • an estimate of your income for the calendar year in which your benefit period begins, according to lines 22 to 26 of Schedule L of your Québec income tax return

If you offer services as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource This link opens in a new window. and you receive remuneration that is insurable for the purposes of the QPIP, we will send you a document to complete in order to obtain an annual estimate of this remuneration for the year in which your benefit period begins.

Wage earner who is also self-employed If you had business activities during the calendar year preceding the year in which your benefit period begins, you must provide:

  • the income amount you entered or will enter on lines 22 to 26 of Schedule L of your Québec income tax return for the calendar year preceding the year in which your benefit period begins,

and

  • the number of records of employment that you have for the 52 weeks preceding the requested benefit start date and the dates of the calendar weeks (from Sunday to Saturday) during which, although employed, you did not work and were not paid

If you started your business activities during the calendar year in which your benefit period begins, you must provide:

  • an estimate of your income for the calendar year in which your benefit period begins, according to lines 22 to 26 of Schedule L of your Québec income tax return
  • an estimate of your gross employment income for the calendar year in which your benefit period begins, according to line 101 of your Québec income tax return

and

  • the number of records of employment that you have for the 52 weeks preceding the benefit start date and the dates of the calendar weeks (from Sunday to Saturday) during which, although employed, you did not work and were not paid.

In addition, if you offer services as a family-type resource or an intermediate ressource This link opens in a new window. and you receive remuneration that is insurable for the purposes of the QPIP, we will send you a document to complete in order to obtain an annual estimate of this remuneration for the year in which your benefit period begins.

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Filing date for your application for benefits

The filing date for an application for benefits depends on how the application is filed.

The filing date for your application will be:

  • The date you submit your application:
    • if you use the QPIP online services
    • if you complete your application for benefits over the phone with the assistance of an officer and submit it yourself via the QPIP online services
  • The date the Centre de service à la clientèle receives your signed and dated application:
    • if you complete your application for benefits over the phone with the assistance of an officer and ask that it be mailed to you so that can sign it.
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Online services

You can use our online services at any time to:

  • sign up for direct deposit

    • Direct deposit : safe and fast!

    Direct deposit of benefits is practical!

    • Your benefits are safely deposited in your account.
    • You can avoid postal delays related to civic holidays and unnecessary travel.
    • It’s good for the environment.

    Signing up for direct deposit is easy!

    • access your file online and change the method of payment of your benefits,
      or
    • call the Centre de service à la clientèle at 1-888 610-7727.
  • apply for benefits
  • track your file’s progress
  • make changes to your file
  • consult information previously provided

You can register for our online services at any time, even if you applied for benefits over the phone with the help of an officer at the Centre de service à la clientèle.

To use the QPIP online services, you must have a clicSÉQUR ID This link opens in a new window..

clicSÉQUR is the Québec government authentication service. It allows you to enter a user-specific ID to obtain secure access to the online services of all participating Québec government departments and agencies.

Submitting your application

Make sure to:

  • Check the accuracy of the information you provide. After completing your online application for benefits, you can view it in full to verify it.
  • Submit your application. A “Submit” button appears at the bottom of the online application form. Before clicking it, you must accept the solemn affirmation.
  • Obtain a confirmation number. When you submit your application, a confirmation number automatically appears. Keep this number, as it confirms that your benefit application form was sent to the QPIP. If the confirmation number does not appear, you have probably forgotten to click the “Submit” button.
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Documents that may be required

Make sure you receive:

  • your Record of Employment (official document provided by your employer).

Depending on your situation, you also need to obtain:

  • written confirmation from a doctor confirming the number of weeks of pregnancy and when the pregnancy was interrupted
  • proof of your immigrant status (e.g. Record of Landing (form IMM-1000) or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (IMM-5292))
  • power of attorney to act on behalf of a person who is incapable of managing his or her affairs and a medical certificate confirming the person’s incapacity

Other documents may be required to confirm the information in your file. To facilitate and speed up the processing of your benefit application, it is important that you provide these documents as soon as we request them.

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Processing time

Decisions are usually rendered within 14 days following the date the Centre de service à la clientèle receives all of the documents needed to analyse your file.

To speed up the processing of your file, make sure you provide all required information and documents before the specified deadline.

To speed up the processing time even more, use the QPIP online services.

If you prefer to communicate with our Centre de service à la clientele by regular mail, please factor in the mailing time in addition to the processing time. Make sure you put sufficient postage on the return envelope.

Take advantage of our safe, practical, rapid direct deposit service.

Don’t forget to consult your online file to track progress, make changes, and find out the benefit payment dates any time of day or night.

Additional information

  • To find out about procedures with the various government departments and agencies, complete the Becoming a Parent questionnaire, which you will find by going to My Québec Services Account.

Last update: 2012-01-13

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