British Columbia

Permanent Disability Benefits

Complex application

Tax filing not required

Permanent Disability Benefits are paid to individuals who have suffered a work-related injury or disease that resulted in a permanent disability. The amount awarded depends on the circumstances of the claim filed.

To qualify for this benefit, WorkSafeBC will assess your eligibility for the award, and you may be required to undergo a specialized medical exam. The focus of the examination is on whether and how your condition impairs your future earnings capacity.

The amount of permanent disability benefits you receive is calculated according to the provisions of the Workers Compensation Act which requires WorkSafeBC to pay disability award benefits according to a long-term wage rate that is based on your earnings. The amount you receive also depends on your disability rating: this rating is an estimate of how your disability will affect your future earnings.

The permanent disability benefits are paid either:

  • In a lump sum, when your overall disability rating is less than 10 percent and the monthly payment is less than $200. or
  • On a monthly basis, when your overall disability rating is 10 percent or more and the monthly payment is more than $200.

Disability awards are usually paid until retirement at age 65. There are some exceptions that depend on individual circumstances, such as age at the time of injury and a specific plan made prior to the injury to work beyond age 65.

To help WorkSafeBC assess your eligibility for the Permanent Disability Award, you may be asked to undergo a specialized medical exam to help determine how your condition impairs your future earnings capacity.

For more information: visit WorkSafeBC.

Health card

For example:

  • valid health card with no photo, name and address
  • valid health card with photo, name and address
  • MCP (Medical Care Plan) number
  • Valid ambulance/dental services card
  • Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour identification number
  • Department of Immigration, Skills and Labour file number (Income Support Card).

Social Insurance Number

For example:

  • confirmation of SIN letter
  • plastic SIN card (non-expired)

You can submit a claim in one of three ways:

  1. Call Teleclaim: 1-888-WORKERS (1.8888.967.5377)
  2. Create an account with WorkSafeBC
  3. Complete Form and send by fax or mail : Use Application for Compensation and Report of Injury or Occupational Disease (Form 6)

You will be assigned a claim number when your report of injury is received. After filing a claim, you can go online to check the status at Check Claim Status or call the Claims Call Centre.

After submitting a claim, you will be assigned a case manager. For general claim-related questions, your case manager is your main point of contact. For specific questions about permanent disability awards, you may contact WorkSafeBC’s Claims team and ask to speak to someone in Disability Awards.

If you disagree with WorkSafeBC’s decisions regarding your claims, assessments, and health and safety enforcement matters, you have the right to request a review of them and to appeal decisions made from those reviews. Certain decisions may be appealed directly to the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Tribunal (WCAT). Most decisions of the Review Division may be appealed to WCAT within 30 days.

If you need more information on reviews, contact the Review Division.

Last updated: September 1, 2023