Relief Care is a marketplace. You are not an employee of Relief Care, and Relief Care does not act as your
employer for payroll purposes.
That means you are responsible for tracking your income and handling your own taxes.
Key points
- Relief Care does not employ Care Givers. You provide services to Care Seekers as an
independent Care Giver. - Relief Care does not withhold income tax, CPP, or EI from your payouts. Plan for taxes yourself.
(CRA generally treats “fees for services” to contractors differently than employee payroll.)
Canada - Relief Care does not provide a T4A. Use your in-app earnings history and payout records to file
your taxes
What Relief Care provides instead of a T4A
Relief Care can provide transaction-level records you can use as proof of income and for tax reporting,
such as:
- Your earnings history (gross amounts earned per booking)
- Your payout history (amounts paid out to you)
- Booking receipts/records and dates
These are the functional equivalent of a “Earnings Proof” used on other marketplaces: a platform-
generated summary of what you earned over a selected period.
Why you should not expect a T4A from Relief Care
In Canada, a T4A is generally issued by a payer for certain payments (including “fees for services”) under
CRA’s information return rules and administrative policy thresholds. Canada+1
Relief Care operates as a marketplace facilitating bookings and payment flow between Care Seekers and
Care Givers, not as an employer running payroll. You should file based on your actual earnings records,
not on whether a slip arrives.
If you receive a tax slip from another party in a different context, follow that slip’s instructions. CRA
guidance explains how to report T4A box 048 (Fees for services) as self-employment income. Canada
Your tax responsibilities as a Care Giver in Canada
1) Report your income and expenses
Most Care Givers using Relief Care will be reporting business/professional income (self-employment).
CRA’s standard method is to report your business income and expenses using Form T2125.
Canada+2Canada+2
Track, at minimum:
- Total earnings (gross)
- Platform fees charged to you (if any)
- Work-related expenses (supplies, mileage, insurance, phone portion, certifications, etc.)
CRA explains you can generally deduct reasonable expenses incurred to earn business income (with
limits and rules). Canada
2) CPP contributions (self-employed)
If you are self-employed, CPP is not deducted automatically the way it is for employees. CRA/Service
Canada guidance states self-employed people pay the full CPP contribution rate and contributions are
based on net business income. Canada+2Canada+2
3) GST/HST (if you cross the threshold)
If your taxable supplies exceed the $30,000 small supplier threshold, you generally must register and
start charging GST/HST based on CRA’s rules. Canada
Whether your specific services are taxable or exempt depends on the exact facts and professional status.
Do not assume “healthcare” automatically means exempt.
4) Instalments (if your tax bill is consistently large)
CRA may require you to pay income tax instalments if your net tax owing exceeds the threshold (CRA
notes $3,000 in most provinces, $1,800 for Quebec) across specified years, with instalment due dates
during the year. Canada+1
Record-keeping requirements
Keep your supporting records. CRA generally requires keeping records for at least six years (with
specifics depending on timing and situation). Canada+2Canada+2
Keep:
- Booking confirmations and dates
- Earnings and payout summaries
- Receipts for expenses
- Mileage logs (if you claim vehicle expenses)
- Proof of certifications required for work
What this article is (and isn’t)
This article explains how Relief Care is structured and what documentation you can use. It is not tax
advice. For filing decisions (employee vs self-employed status, GST/HST applicability, deductible
expenses), use a qualified tax professional or CRA guidance.
