Students will finally be able to apply for the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) beginning on Friday, May 15 after the benefit was originally announced on April 22.
The government launched the CESB to assist students and recent graduates who are unemployed or making less than $1,000 a month because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible students and graduates include Canadian citizens, registered Indians, permanent residents, and protected persons who are currently enrolled in a postsecondary institution, have graduated since December 2019, or are enrolling in a postsecondary program that begins before February 1, 2021.
The CESB provides a benefit of $1,250, which may be increased to $2,000 for students with disabilities, children under 12, or other dependents. If students are eligible, they can apply for the benefit for the first four week period, which runs from May 10 to June 6. Students must reapply for the CESB for each consecutive four-week period from May to August, and applicants must attest to the fact that they are searching for work throughout this period.
Those who have already applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance cannot apply for the CESB.
While the CERB was launched earlier to help those who lost work due to COVID-19, “the Canada Emergency Student Benefit is coming out at a time when we know that students would normally be finding jobs and gaining income to prepare for the fall semester,” said MP Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, in an interview with The Varsity.
The Varsity has reached out to the Government of Canada for comment.
