COVID-19 has affected all walks of life in every country where it has hit which is the majority of them. Among those affected are students. Many students have become overwhelmed on several different levels. They are uncertain as to what is going to happen to their education in the short term which could have a long term effect on them. Then they have the financial worries. Even if things go back to normal in the fall how are they going to pay for their schooling? Since a good number of students are missing out on summer employment which for many is their resource for paying for their schooling.
The Government Is Helping
Fortunately the government has recognized the plight of students when it comes to their finances and is providing some assistance.
CESB
This refers to the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). The eligibility is:
Students can be of any age that may be recent high school graduates and post-secondary students who are not able to find work because of the COVID-19.
It applies for students who are studying abroad ( provided the student is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
Three Categories of Eligible Students are those who are still enrolled as students, recent graduates or those who have dropped out and prospective students.:
Those who are still students. The ones who are currently enrolled in a post-secondary program. This can be on a full time or part-time basis or they can be a summer student. However, the program they are enrolled in must be at a university or college level. It must also be at least a 12-week course where the school is on the government’s list and the results must be a degree or a certificate or diploma.
Recent graduates or those who have recently left school as of December or after this can qualify if they have applied for post-secondary studies and will go ahead with enrollment if the application is accepted. But this group will only be eligible for the months of July and August. Different rules apply for those who have completed high school before June 7, 2020.
- Those who are not eligible are :
- International students
- Temp workers whose social insurance number begins with “9”
- Non-resident students who have international tax numbers.
Requirements
Students must confirm when they are applying that because of the pandemic
- They are not able to work
- They are looking for work with no success
- They are working but are not able to earn more than $1,000 during the four week period they are applying form.
Students must make the effort to look for work. Students may be required to produce proof that they were actively looking for work.
This is an overview of what CESB is about but for full details and any potential changes those who are interested in this should refer to the Government of Canada website.
