If you ever visit our forums — and you should! — you’ll see that there’s a lot of frustration when you have to wait… and wait… and wait for CPP disability applications to get processed. I’ve seen many discussions about checking your CPP application status. People often ask questions like how do I know if my CPP application has been approved? When will I receive my CPP disability approval letter? And more!
In this article, I am humbly drawing from the experience of those forum users to answer some of these pressing questions. As a bonus, we also discuss how long it should take YOU to complete a CPP disability application and break down the process into a manageable timeline.
Let’s dive in!
How long does CPP take to process?
There is no way to know for sure how long it will take for your CPP disability application to be processed. As of February 2024, Service Canada has estimated that a decision on CPP disability applications would take four months, or 120 days, to reach.
This 120-day estimate means that from the time Service Canada has your CPP disability application and all the necessary medical documentation, it should take around 120 days to process. This is not a guarantee of anything, however.
Delays can happen for a number of reasons, causing your CPP disability application to take longer than 120 days. Here are some of the possible reasons for a delay:
- the volume of applications received, especially if you live in a more populous area
- staffing issues
- human error (after all, it’s still a person processing your application… for now)
- more information or documents needed from your doctors.
If you are concerned, you can check on the progress of your application — read on to find out how and when CPP disability payment dates will start.
How to check CPP status
There is no doubt that it’s frustrating to wait four months or more to find out if your application has been approved or denied. In some cases, you aren’t even sure if it has been received or even looked at! You can check on the status of your application by phone or by checking online.
CPP application status check by phone
If you have waited 170 days and haven’t heard anything from Service Canada, it doesn’t hurt to give them a call. Usually, if there is a delay, the employee will be upfront with that fact and give you an estimate of how behind they are. They’ll suggest that you call back within a certain time frame in the event that you still don’t receive an answer. Keep a note of when you have called and when you were told to call back.
It’s important to note that unless you luck out and get on the line with a particularly generous Service Canada employee, you will only be able to obtain the status of your application over the phone. They usually can’t tell you whether you have been approved or denied, only if your application is “in progress” or “completed.”
Here are the phone numbers to contact Service Canada about your CPP disability application status:
Canada and the United States Toll-free: 1-800-277-9914
Canada and the United States TTY (hearing and/or speech impaired): 1-800-255-4786
The hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday.
Online CPP status check using a “My Service Canada Account”
You can easily check your application status online by logging into your MSCA — “My Service Canada Account.”
To set up your MSCA, you will need a Personal Access Code (PAC) from Service Canada. If you have received CPP or OAS payments, you might already have one. If you have received EI, it is called an EI access code, which works just the same. Service Canada has a page that can help you find your Personal Access Code by showing you where to look on past letters.
If you don’t already have one, you can request a PAC online, in person at a Service Canada office, or by telephone at the number 1-800-277-9914 (Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time).
Documents you need to get your Personal Access Code
To get a PAC, make sure you have the following documents and information. You will need your:
- Social Insurance Number;
- first and last name;
- date of birth;
- parent’s family name at birth;
- postal code if you are a Canadian resident; and
- If you are a foreign resident, please provide your country of residence.
If applying in person, you must also provide:
- a valid (not expired) acceptable proof of identity (ex., birth certificate, Canadian passport, provincial driver’s license, etc.)
Once you have created an account and signed in, navigate to the CPP section partway down the page.
Click on the link that says “Application status.” Just like when you phone, you won’t receive your decision this way. But it will show your status: either “in progress” or “completed.”
Many people get hung up on their banking information appearing in their MSCA profile. They optimistically assume that the presence of their bank account number means that they have been approved and will start to receive money soon. While this doesn’t officially signal approval, the presence of banking information is a good sign. This is because it means that the application has been received. If there is no payment or banking information, then they probably haven’t entered it into the system yet.
If you’re able to go into a Service Canada office, you can use their public computers to access your MSCA as well.
What your CPP disability application status means
“In progress” probably means that your application has been assigned to a medical adjudicator. Unfortunately, there is no real indication of how long it might take from there. For some people, simply seeing that their application has arrived on someone’s desk is a weight off their shoulders.
“Completed” means that a decision has been made. You still have to wait to receive the result (approval or denial) in a letter through the mail.
Based on many experiences from posts on our forum, the best advice I can give is to be patient while you wait. But don’t give up on advocating for yourself. If something seems wrong, following up with a phone call can never hurt.
Filing a complaint should be a last resort. However, if you need more information about doing so, we have an article that explains the process. You can read it here: How to file a complaint against Service Canada.
How long does it take to receive CPP after applying?
How long does it take to get CPP disability? Depending on the type of application you submit, it can take Service Canada anywhere from 5 to 120 days to process and make a decision on a CPP disability application. However, it may take longer if your application isn’t complete.
This means they won’t process your application if they haven’t received your complete application or the medical report from your doctor. It’s important that you get these both sent in as soon as possible. Any additional documents can be sent in later if you make it clear in your cover letter that there’s more on the way.
The following are the timelines Service Canada aims to meet:
- A goal to make a decision within five business days for a Terminal Illness Application
- A goal of 30 calendar days for grave conditions
- Within 120 days for regular applications
What if you don’t get a CPP disability approval letter?
After waiting for so long for a decision, a denial letter can be more than disheartening. But don’t worry, Service Canada doesn’t always get it right, and you can appeal the decision. Once you receive a decision, you have 90 days to request a review. This request must be made in writing. Someone new who was not involved in making the original decision will review your request.
Keep in mind, however, that once you receive a denial, it can be difficult to get approval — especially without legal support. Here at Resolute Legal, our CPP disability lawyers have helped thousands of Canadians win benefits. We know what it takes to win and are confident we can assist you. Call our support team today at (888) 480-9050 to schedule a free consultation.
Want to try an appeal on your own? Check out our CPP disability appeal letter sample.
How Long Should It Take To Do a CPP Disability Application?
When contemplating applying for CPP disability benefits, most people want to know the approximate length of time it should take to complete the application process.
This is a tricky question to answer, mainly because the time it takes will vary based on multiple factors. These factors include:
- Whether or not you’ve applied before;
- If you already have the medical documentation necessary from your treatment providers or if you still need to request and receive it; and
- Whether or not you’ve already satisfied the wait time necessary for you to become qualified for the program.
In this section, I review these factors and how they affect your application timeline. I also provide a timeline for what an ideal application process might look like.
For more information on applying, check out our articles on how to fill out CPP disability forms, how to apply for CPP disability and CPP disability retroactive payment.
Four-Month Application Timeline
In our most common and ideal scenario, you haven’t applied for CPP disability benefits yet; you’ve recently gone off of work and still have to wait the four-month period of eligibility to qualify for the CPP disability program. In this scenario, the ideal length of time would be four months. I say four months because that’s how long you have to be off work before you qualify for the CPP. I suggest new applicants take advantage of all this time to ensure their application is as strong as possible. In other words, don’t procrastinate — we all know how last-minute school assignments turn out.
We suggest working on your application in stages. This will alleviate some of our stress and give you loads of time to put together a solid application. The following is how I personally recommend breaking down the process.
Breaking Down the Process Into Manageable Chunks
One month — Gathering and preparing
Your first month should be dedicated to preparation. Print off the application forms necessary to apply; book an appointment with your doctor to discuss the application and medical form; create a calendar with attainable deadlines for the entire process; and retrieve any necessary resources to help you along with the process.
The first thing I always suggest is to get your ducks in a row, so to speak. You need to ensure that you have all the paperwork for the application printed off and handy. Review all the paperwork and create a schedule with deadlines. Some of these tasks will include providing your CPP medical report to your treating physician and talking to them about whether there is any other paperwork they should submit in addition to that form.
Based on your conversation with your doctor, if there are any other records you need to order, you should submit the request during this time. This is so you can work on the next tasks in the process while you await their receipt. Depending on the provider, it can take 4-6 weeks to get these records.
Pharmacy records are frequently overlooked. But we highly recommend submitting them along with your application. Showing a history that you’ve complied with your doctor’s recommended treatment and continued to fill out prescriptions is incredibly helpful to your application. Make sure these records span from the time of your disability onset until the present day.
Pharmacy records
A frequently overlooked document that you should make sure to request and submit along with your application is your pharmacy records from the time of your disability onset until the present day. Showing a history that you’ve complied with your doctor’s recommended treatment and continued to fill out prescriptions is incredibly helpful.
Another thing to note is you should keep track of all your records — even if you aren’t sending them in yourself. Doctors often submit medical documents on your behalf. While this is great, we highly recommend getting a copy of what is being sent so you can verify that nothing has been missed. Keep this copy for your records. If you keep track, you will know if anything was forgotten.
One month — Filling forms
Dedicate the next month to filling out the application forms.
If there are sections in the application form that you believe aren’t applicable to your situation, you may write N/A in the box. If you need more room than what is supplied in the form boxes, you may add a blank piece of paper to the back of the application. However, make sure to note the number/letter of the section/question you are adding the additional information for. You can do this for more than one section — and I would recommend it. You need to make sure to add as much detail as possible in the application, especially when submitting important details such as treatment. For example, if you’re saying you received treatment, be clear about who the provider was, where it was given, and the date(s) you were treated.
1.5 weeks — Narrative Statement
While a narrative statement isn’t required by Service Canada for a complete application, we believe that, when done well, it will certainly help tell a better story and fill in any gaps.
About a week and a half should be dedicated to writing your narrative statement. This allows time for you to sit down in separately scheduled writing sessions as well as time to review it and make any final edits once it’s completed.
When writing your narrative statement, make sure you know the difference between a winning story and a losing story. Chip away at it in multiple sittings. This will decrease the likelihood of making mistakes or missing key factors.
It’s important not to dedicate too much time to writing this narrative statement as you might overcomplicate and overthink it. It should be concise and to the point. You should briefly review your personal history, education and work background, any effects your condition had on your work, and why you stopped working and cannot return. Make sure to mention any changes or accommodations you have had to make to your work routine and lifestyle as a result of your disability. You should also discuss when your condition arose if your symptoms have worsened or stayed consistent, and how it continues to prevent you from doing any type of work (not just the type of work you were doing). Don’t go into too much detail; rather, write short and concise statements to explain what I’ve mentioned. If you’re legitimately disabled, they will be able to see it from the things listed above.
Five days — Cover letter
Your cover letter should take much less time than the narrative statement — about 3 to 5 days. It shouldn’t be too lengthy, contrary to what people tend to believe. We suggest that your cover letter is no longer than a page. Your cover letter should list what you have included in the application package. You should also note if you’re still waiting on documents or if there’s anything else that the adjudicator should be aware of.
Chapter 6 of our CPP Disability Application Workbook explains these in even more detail and provides both a sample cover letter and a sample narrative statement.
Six weeks — Putting it all together
Schedule a time to have a friend or family member go over your application. However, if you are unsure about something, this would be the time to get a lawyer to review your application. They can look it over, suggest changes and answer any questions you may have. And since you have six weeks, you will have loads of time to make adjustments based on their feedback.
Once you are satisfied with your application, you are good to send it off for submission. Give yourself a pat on the back and relax — you deserve it.
A Note for Those Who Are Reapplying
It’s important to note that the above timeline and breakdown are the best fit for the specific scenario of a first-time applicant. If this is your second application, your timeline will vary because you will have to request a copy of your original application. This can take quite some time if you don’t already have a copy. Based on my experience, Service Canada takes a minimum of 4-6 weeks to send your records.
While you wait for your original application, you can certainly get started on filling out the new forms. Be sure to do this in pencil so you can go back and correct things once you receive it. It’s important to review your old application. This is because you don’t contradict what you’ve submitted in the past — Service Canada will have it on record to review and compare once they receive your new application.
Consider requesting an extension on your appeal
If your first application was evaluated within the last year, you might want to request an extension on your appeal instead of restarting the process with a new application. This is because your minimum qualifying period (MQP) will be reevaluated based on the time your new application is received. If you have not worked in the time between your initial application and the new application, it can pose an issue based on the contribution requirements. In many cases, reapplying pushes people out of the category of contributing in 3 of the last six years at minimum, and they no longer qualify for the benefit at all.
Another thing to consider before applying for the CPP disability benefit is if you do not have a confirmed diagnosis yet or if your doctor is not supportive of your application. In both of these scenarios, you may have a hard time completing the application. If you don’t have a doctor’s support, it will be nearly impossible to get a completed application and approval.
Key takeaways on CPP disability processing time and CPP disability status checks
The processing time for CPP disability applications, as estimated by Service Canada, typically spans around 120 days, although delays are possible due to various factors. Applicants can verify the status of their application via phone or online through the “My Service Canada Account” portal. It’s important to understand the application status, with “in progress” indicating ongoing review and “completed” denoting a finalized decision.
The timeline for receiving CPP after applying varies based on factors like application type, with terminal illness cases prioritized. In cases of denial, the CPP disability appeal process permits a review within 90 days, with legal support being advisable.
The article provides a structured timeline for completing the application process, underscoring the significance of collecting documents and crafting supporting statements. For reapplying individuals, obtaining past records and securing medical support are pivotal considerations.
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