What’s going on with the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)?
The CESB is $1,250—or $2,000, if one has dependents or a disability—monthly payment for post-secondary students and recent graduates unable to find work due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, the final period of CESB was August 2 to August 29. However, applications for CESB will remain open until September 30.
Applications are available both online and by phone, and detailed instructions on how to apply can be found on the Canada Revenue Agency website.
International students are not eligible to receive CESB payments, however. This proved controversial; the Canadian Federation of Students, of which UofT is a member, released a call to Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workplace Development and Disability Inclusion to open CESB up to international students, as well as increase the payment to $2,000. Their call was not heeded.
Although CESB is ending, keep reading because you may be eligible for other COVID-19 payments!
What’s going on with the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)?
Recently, the government announced that $2,000 CERB payments would be extended an additional four weeks. The final eligibility period for CERB is now from August 30 to September 26.
Individuals eligible for CERB payments include those who have earned at least $5,000 in the last 12 months or in 2019, those for whom work has stopped, those who have become unable to work, or those whose work hours have been reduced such that they earn less than $1,000 for the four-week period.
Come the end of September, CERB will transition into a modified Employment Insurance (EI) program, as well as three new benefit programs.
What is the new EI program?
There are two types of EI Canadians may fall under: EI regular benefits and EI special benefits. For both benefits, one must have worked a minimum of 120 hours in the past year to qualify.
EI regular benefits are applicable to those who have lost their jobs and are looking for work. This benefit pays a minimum of $400 per week, or $240 per week for extended parental benefits, for up to 26 weeks.
EI special benefits are applicable to those who have left work due to situations such as sickness, maternity leave, or having to act as a caregiver.
For individuals who have not worked enough hours to qualify for EI, credits of 300 hours or 480 hours are available for one year.
Who qualifies for the three new benefit programs?
The government is introducing three new benefits alongside the modified EI program.
The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit will give $500 per week for a maximum of two weeks to those who have had to self-isolate due to COVID-19.
For individuals who are taking care of a dependent whose daycare or daytime facility has closed due to COVID-19, the Canada Recovering Caregiving Benefit of $500 per week is available for up to 26 weeks.
And finally, the Canada Recovery Benefit is providing individuals who are self-employed and cannot return to work with $400 per week for up to 26 weeks.
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