Canada extends its Canada Emergency Response Benefit

CERB is a wage underpin program launched on a temporary basis by the Canadian government for those who are affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admits that since few months, citizens of Canada have been applying and depending on the CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit) to survive through a tough time. And the fact is that even if market reopens and people start hunting for jobs, a lot of people still need this support to pay their bills.

To overcome from such situation Canada is extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) by an additional 8 weeks that brings 24 week’s maximum time span of benefits or 12,000 Canadian dollars whichever is fulfilling CERB application requirements. The motto of such kind step is just as millions of CERB recipients were about to exhaust their benefits. People who are suffering from such situation are also eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or Employment Insurance fishing benefits between December 29, 2019, and October 3, 2020.

Initially, new entries to the country had to email Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) an image of their valid work permit or study permit, or confirmation that they had applied for renewal. Yet a month back the Government of Canada made eligibility easy for temporary work permit holders and international students to apply for CERB. These new entries to Canada need to just prove that they have a valid work permit or study permit, or have applied for a renewal, to obtain the CERB. Such an update affects those with a “900-series” social insurance number — people ranging from students to refugee claimants to temporary foreign workers.

Ultimately applicants still need to fulfil other CERB regulations as described above,

Some internationally famous monitors had commented – “By allowing candidates unambiguously to give an oral promise that they have a work permit or study permit, rather than asking them for a proof of such a permit, opens the door for potential fraud”. To protect from such threat they said – “Applicants for the CERB should note that the government has the ability to identify fraudulent claims at a later date, and penalties may apply”.