COVID-19 - CESB/CERB Eligibility + Immigration & Employment Issues May 28, 2020 ACCESS TO LEGAL INFORMATION & SERVICES FOR THOSE WITH COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) § Taxable benefit of $1,250 for each 4-week eligibility period § $2000 for students with dependents and those with a disability through a benefit top-up (see slide six) § Runs from May to August 2020 § Re-apply every 4-weeks if eligible § Submit all applications before Sept 30, 2020 § Apply by phone or online § Direct deposit paid in 3 business days, cheque in about 10 business days A PROJECT OF
Who is eligible for the CESB? § If you are able to work, you must be actively looking for work.* § You did not receive the CERB or EI benefits for the same eligibility period. § You are a Canadian citizen, registered Indian, permanent resident, protected person. § You are studying in Canada or abroad. § One of the following: § You are enrolled in a post-secondary program (at least 12 weeks long) that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate from a recognized post-secondary institution. § You completed or ended your post-secondary studies in December 2019 or later. § You completed or expect to complete high school, or received, or expect to receive your high school equivalency in 2020, and have applied for a post- secondary educational program that starts before February 1, 2021 (you don’t have to be accepted – just applied and waiting!). § One of the following: § You are unable to work due to COVID-19. § You are looking for, but cannot find work due to COVID-19. § You are working during the pandemic, but your income from employment and self- employment is $1,000 or less (before taxes) during the 4-week eligibility period. *Sign up for Job Bank to track the jobs you apply for in case the gov’t asks for proof! A PROJECT OF
Who is a protected person? Protected Person: A person who received a positive decision on a refugee claim or pre-removal risk assessment. A PROJECT OF
Who is not eligible for the CESB? § Refugee claimants § International students, and § Anyone else who has a study permit but lacks permanent residence (such as individuals granted first-stage approval on an application for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds) A PROJECT OF
What is the benefit top-up? If you meet all of the eligibility criteria, you may also be eligible for an extra $750 for each 4-week period IF at least one of the following applies: § You have a disability as defined for this benefit: § Any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment — or a functional limitation — whether permanent or episodic in nature , or evident (visible) or not , that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society. § You have at least one child under the age of 12 or other dependants: § A child (adopted child, stepchild, or foster child) who is under 12 years old and is completely dependent on the student, student’s spouse, or common-law partner for support, care, and upbringing. § A person with a disability who is completely dependent on the student, student’s spouse, or common-law partner for support, care, and upbringing. A PROJECT OF
What are the eligibility periods? Post-secondary students: § May 10 to June 6, 2020 § June 7 to July 4, 2020 § July 5 to August 1, 2020 § August 2 to August 29, 2020 A PROJECT OF
What are the eligibility periods? High school students who completed or expect to complete high school/high school equivalency between: § January 1-May 9, 2020: can apply for all four eligibility periods § May 10-June 6, 2020: can apply for three eligibility periods, starting on June 7 § June 7-Dec 31, 2020: you can only apply for 2 eligibility periods, starting July 5 A PROJECT OF
When should you return or repay the CESB? § You must return or repay the CESB if you: § Are able to find work and are earning more than $1,000 (before taxes) during an eligibility period you’ve applied for § Applied for CESB and later found that you are not eligible § Received more than what you are entitled to A PROJECT OF
Is Alba eligible for the CESB? § Alba is an international student from El Salvador. She has a nine-year-old daughter and is a single mother. Alba has epilepsy and occasionally suffers from seizures. Alba will begin her third year of studies at the University of Ottawa in September, but she is having trouble finding a summer job due to COVID-19. She is making $800 a month right now teaching Spanish remotely. This is nowhere near enough to support herself and her daughter. Does she qualify for the CESB? A PROJECT OF
Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) § Single payment of $2,000 every 4 weeks up to max of 16 weeks § Available from March 15-Oct 3, 2020 (can apply no later than Dec 2, 2020) § Not taxable at source, but must report as income in 2020 tax year § Re-apply every 4-weeks if still eligible § Individual family members can apply if they meet eligibility criteria § Can apply regardless of job type (full-time, part-time, self- employed) and whether or not you qualify for EI § Must reside in Canada to apply, but income can be earned elsewhere § Do not need a Record of Employment (ROE) A PROJECT OF
Who is eligible for the CERB? Eligibility Criteria: § You did not apply for, nor receive, CERB or EI benefits from Service Canada for the same eligibility period (see below) AND § You reside in Canada AND § You are at least 15 years of age or older AND § You have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) AND § You did not quit your job voluntarily AND You have stopped working due to reasons related to COVID-19*, or are eligible for EI regular § benefits or EI sickness benefits, or have exhausted your EI regular benefits or EI fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020 AND § In 2019, or in the last 12 months, you had a total income of at least $5,000 from employment, self- employment, or EI maternity or parental leave benefits AND If you are applying for the first time, you cannot have earned more than $1,000 (before taxes) § in employment and/or self-employment income for 14 or more days in a row during the 4-week benefit period AND § When re-applying for another period, you cannot have earned more than $1000 (before taxes) in employment and/or self-employment income during the entire 4-week benefit period (Will be verified against tax records). * Reasons include: you lost your job, or you are sick or in quarantine, or you are taking care of others because they are sick or in quarantine, or you are caring for children or other dependents because their care facility is closed. A PROJECT OF
Does Immigration status impact CERB eligibility? § Eligibility is based on the requirement to have a “valid” SIN § Permanent residents are eligible for a permanent valid SIN; they don’t have to submit proof of permanent residence to apply for CERB. § Anyone without permanent residence is eligible for a SIN if they have a valid work permit. Their temporary SIN will start with the number 9. § A temporary SIN is only valid as long as the individual’s work permit is valid. A PROJECT OF
Does Immigration status impact CERB eligibility? § For example, temporary foreign workers, refugee claimants, accepted refugees, failed claimants who are appealing to the Refugee Appeal Division, some international students, and failed refugee claimants (who have continued to renew their initial work permit) may all qualify for CERB IF they have a valid work permit and SIN. A PROJECT OF
Can you apply for CERB without legal status? § It doesn’t matter whether someone has a valid visa or particular form of status; what matters is that they have a valid work permit and valid SIN. § In some cases, a person without status may qualify, such as if their refugee claim and refugee appeal were denied but they continued to successfully renew the initial work permit they obtained as a refugee claimant. § Individuals from countries for which Canada has a Temporary Suspension of Removals or Administrative Deferral of Removals (countries to which Canada is not deporting people) may also obtain a work permit and thus a SIN even if they have no status. A PROJECT OF
What if you were working without a work permit? § For those not-yet permanent residents, working without a work permit means they are working without authorization. Such individuals do not have a valid SIN and thus do not qualify for CERB. § They may be able to apply for Ontario Works. A PROJECT OF
What if you are under an enforceable removal order? § When someone’s removal order comes into force, they are expected to leave Canada. Their work permit becomes invalid at that time. § They are therefore not eligible for CERB. § This is a problem right now because Canada has put a pause on deportations and individuals under enforceable removal orders could be here for months with no CERB access, even if they previously held a valid work permit. A PROJECT OF
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