Employment Insurance and the Canada Recovery Benefit

 
New recovery benefits
The new recovery benefits are available between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.


To give Canadians seeking employment the support they need to get back on their feet, the government has made changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) program.
EI is now available to more Canadians, including those who would not have qualified for EI in the past, extending coverage to more than 400,000 people. Anyone receiving EI is eligible for a taxable benefit rate of at least $400 per week, or $240 per week for extended parental benefits, and regular benefits are accessible for a minimum duration of 26 weeks.
Additionally, to ensure that Canadians receive the support they need during these challenging times, 3 new benefits have been implemented:

• The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) will provide $400 per week, for up to 26 weeks, to workers who are self-employed or are not eligible for EI and who still require income support and are available and looking for work. This benefit will support anyone residing and present in Canada whose income has dropped or not resumed due to COVID-19.
• The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) will provide $500 per week, for up to 2 weeks, for workers who are sick or must self-isolate for reasons related to COVID-19.
• The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) will provide $500 per week for up to 26 weeks per household for eligible Canadians unable to work because they must care for
  • a child under age 12, due to school or daycare closures because of COVID-19
  • a family member with a disability, or a dependant, because their day program or care facility is closed due to COVID-19, or
  • a child, a family member with a disability, or a dependant who is not attending school, daycare or any other care facility upon the advice of a medical professional due to being at high risk if they contract COVID-19

Transition from Canada Emergency Response Benefit to Employment Insurance The Government of Canada has announced changes to EI, and new recovery benefits that will better support Canadians.
If you need financial assistance after your CERB ends As of September 27, 2020, there are some temporary changes to the EI program to help you access EI benefits. These changes will be in effect for 1 year.
Find out if you qualify
If you received the CERB through Service Canada After you receive your last CERB payment, continue completing reports. In most cases, you do not need to apply for EI benefits. We'll automatically review your file and your Record of Employment, then start a claim for EI regular benefits if you qualify. If you do not qualify, you will be notified by mail.
You will need to apply for EI after your CERB ends if

• you have a social insurance number that starts with a 9
• you are self-employed, or
• you declared that you returned to work full-time on your CERB report

If you need sickness benefits instead of regular benefits You can declare on your reports that you are unable to work for medical reasons, and you could receive up to 15 weeks of sickness benefits.
If you received the CERB through the Canada Revenue Agency You need to receive all your CERB payments before applying for EI benefits. You can apply after the end of your last CERB eligibility period. Visit EI benefits and leave to determine which benefit is right for your situation and to apply online.
Apply for Employment Insurance
Canada Recovery Benefit The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are directly affected by COVID-19 and are not entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. The CRB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.
If you are eligible for the CRB, you can receive $1,000 ($900 after taxes withheld) for a 2-week period.
If your situation continues past 2 weeks, you need to apply again. You may apply for up to a total of 13 eligibility periods (26 weeks) between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.
For more information, go to Canada Recovery Benefit.

Canada Recovery Benefit:
Frequently asked questions
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Who is eligible for the Canada Recovery Benefit? 
The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) is available to anyone who is residing and present in Canada for the 2 weeks for which they are applying for the CRB, and

• was at least 15 years of age on the first day of the period
• has a valid social insurance number
• had a total income of at least $5,000 for 2019, 2020 or in the 12-month period preceding the day on which they make their first application for the CRB, from one or more of the following sources:
  • employment income
  • self-employment income, or
  • Employment Insurance (EI) maternity or parental benefits or Quebec Parental Insurance Plan benefits
• meets one of the following conditions for the period for which they are applying:
  • stopped work for reasons related to COVID-19, or
  • had a reduction of at least 50% in their employment income or self-employment income for reasons related to COVID-19,
• was seeking work during the period for which they are applying
• did not place undue restrictions on their availability for work on or after September 27, 2020, unless reasonable to do so
• did not quit their employment or voluntarily ceased to work on or after September 27, 2020
• did not
  • fail to return to their employment when it was reasonable to do so, if their employer so requested
  • fail to resume self-employment when it was reasonable to do so, or
  • decline a reasonable offer to work that would have started during the 2-week period
• was ineligible for EI benefits
• was not in receipt of the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, short-term disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, any EI benefits, or Quebec Parental Insurance Plan benefits.

Individuals must apply after every 2-week period for which they are seeking income support, and must attest that they continue to meet the requirements.
To encourage people to work, beneficiaries may earn income from employment and/or self-employment while receiving the CRB, as long as they continue to meet the other requirements.
However, to ensure that the CRB helps those who need it most, beneficiaries will need to repay through their income tax return $0.50 of the benefit they receive, for every dollar of net income earned above an annual net income of $38,000 (excluding the amount received for the CRB), up to the total of the CRB they received in a calendar year. Amounts repaid will not be included in taxable income.
Can I receive the Canada Recovery Benefit if I’m not a citizen or a permanent resident? 
Yes, as long as you are residing and present in Canada during the period for which you are claiming the benefits and meet the other eligibility criteria.
When can I access the Canada Recovery Benefit? 
Unlike the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) payment is retroactive. This means you

• you can only apply for the CRB after the period for which you’re applying has ended, and
• you must apply within 60 days after the period for which you’re applying has ended

How do I apply for the Canada Recovery Benefit?
The best way to apply for any of the recovery benefits is online, via My Account. However, anyone who does not have access to the Internet can apply using the CRA’s automated toll-free phone lines: 1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041.
To obtain further information on how to apply for the Canada Recovery Benefit visit the transitioning to new benefits Web page.
Can I receive more than one of the recovery benefits between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021? 
Yes, as long as you meet the applicable eligibility criteria. 
However, you cannot claim more than one of the recovery benefits for a given period. 
Also, you may not receive any of the recovery benefits if you are receiving Employment Insurance benefits, provincial maternity or parental benefits, or any other paid leave for the same period.
Can I access any Employment Insurance benefits while receiving the Canada Recovery Benefits? 
No.  You may not receive any of the recovery benefits at the same time you are receiving any Employment Insurance Benefits, provincial maternity or parental benefits, or any other paid leave.
Once I receive my first payment, can I assume that I will continue to receive my next payments without doing anything?
 No, the payments will not continue automatically.
A new application must be submitted for each eligibility period because you must attest that you were unable to work.
How will you decide my tax rate? The Canada Revenue Agency will apply a flat 10% deduction at source for all of the recovery benefits.
How do I know whether to apply for Employment Insurance benefits or the Canada Recovery Benefit? 
If you’ve paid Employment Insurance (EI) premiums as an employee, and have at least 120 hours of insurable employment, you are likely eligible for EI benefits and should apply.
If you don’t have the minimum number of hours needed for an EI claim, you may be eligible to receive the Canada Recovery Benefit if you meet the eligibility criteria.
For how many weeks can I receive the Canada Recovery Benefit? 
You can receive the Canada Recovery Benefit for up to 26 weeks between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.
I was receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit until the end of June and then found employment but, although still employed, I am being asked by my employer to work reduced hours. 
Am I eligible for the Canada Recovery Benefit? 
You may be eligible for the Canada Recovery Benefit if you have suffered a reduction in income of 50% or more due to COVID-19 and you meet all of the other eligibility criteria.
What constitutes a reduction in income when compared to pre-COVID times? Does a $1 reduction count? 
​To be eligible for the Canada Recovery Benefit while still working, you must have suffered a reduction in average weekly income of at least 50% relative to pre-pandemic levels.
A reduction in income is defined as a reduction in total average employment and self-employment income for the 2-week benefit period compared to your average employment income for a 2-week period the previous year.
To calculate your reduction in average income

• use your annual net income for 2019 or 2020, or the 12-month period prior to your application, and
• divide it by 26 to determine your average earnings for a 2-week period

For example, Deborah had net income of $39,000 in 2019. To determine her average earnings for a 2-week period prior to the pandemic, Deborah divides this amount by 26, producing $1,500. Because Deborah is currently earning only $700 every 2 weeks, she has suffered an income reduction of more than 50%, and is eligible to claim the Canada Recovery Benefit.
I’m a seasonal worker. I wasn’t able to work my usual number of hours because of the pandemic, so I do not qualify for Employment Insurance. Am I eligible for the Canada Recovery Benefit? If you are not eligible for Employment Insurance, but are unable to work or are working reduced hours due to COVID-19, you could be eligible to receive the Canada Recovery Benefit, as long as you meet all of the other eligibility criteria.
This includes having earned at least $5,000 from employment or self-employment in the previous calendar year, or the 12 months prior to your first application for the Canada Recovery Benefit. You must also be unable to work, or have suffered an income reduction of 50% or more due to COVID-19.
I entered the labour force late in 2019 so was not able to earn $5,000, but I would have been able to earn that much in 2020 if I hadn’t lost my job due to COVID. Do I qualify for the Canada Recovery Benefit? No.
To be eligible to receive the Canada Recovery Benefit, you must have had employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in 2020, or in the 12-month period prior to your first application for the CRB.
If I’m paid income after applying for the Canada Recovery Benefit for work done before I applied, does it impact my ability to get the benefit?  You may earn income from employment and/or self-employment while receiving the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) as long as you continue to meet the other requirements. This includes earning 50% or less of your previous income for a 2-week period due to COVID-19.
However, you will be required to repay $0.50 of the CRB for every dollar in net income you earn above $38,000 for the year (excluding the CRB amount received). This would include amounts you earned in the year prior to applying for the CRB.
What constitutes the $38,000 in net income I am allowed to earn before I become subject to the repayment requirement?You are allowed to earn up to $38,000 in net income (excluding the Canada Recovery Benefit amount received) before becoming subject to the repayment provision. 
What happens if I have net income over $38,000 in the tax year? How will the Canada Recovery Benefits be returned? If you receive the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), you’ll need to repay some or all of the benefit CRB through your income tax return if your annual net income, excluding the CRB payment, is more than $38,000.
In other words, you’d need to repay $0.50 of the CRB for each dollar of your annual net income above $38,000 in the calendar year, to a maximum of the amount of benefit you received.
This will be reconciled when you file your taxes for that calendar year.
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit Read this section in another language Make your selection...لْعَرَبِيَّةُ (PDF, 111KB)فارسی (PDF, 104KB) Italiano (PDF, 42KB)한국어 (PDF, 184KB)Português (PDF, 44KB)ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (PDF, 242KB)简化字 (PDF, 104KB)Español (PDF, 42KB)正體字 (PDF, 190KB)Tiếng Việt (PDF, 152KB)The Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are unable to work because they are sick or need to self-isolate due to COVID-19, or have an underlying health condition that puts them at greater risk of getting COVID-19. The CRSB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.
If you are eligible for the CRSB, you can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for a 1-week period.
If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to apply again. You may apply for up to a total of 2 weeks between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.
For more information, go to Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit Read this section in another language Make your selection...لْعَرَبِيَّةُ (PDF, 107KB)فارسی (PDF, 106KB) Italiano (PDF, 42KB)한국어 (PDF, 186KB) Português (PDF, 43KB)ਪੰਜਾਬੀ (PDF, 247KB)简化字 (PDF, 86KB)Español (PDF, 43KB)正體字 (PDF, 179KB)Tiếng Việt (PDF, 116KB)The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) gives income support to employed and self-employed individuals who are unable to work because they must care for their child under age 12, or a family member who needs supervised care.
This applies if their school, regular program or facility is closed or unavailable to them due to COVID-19, or because they are sick, self-isolating, or at risk of serious health complications due to COVID-19. The CRCB is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency.
If you are eligible for the CRCB, your household can receive $500 ($450 after taxes withheld) for each 1-week period.
If your situation continues past 1 week, you will need to apply again. You may apply for up to a total of 26 weeks between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.
For more information, go to Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit.
How financial benefits affect family sponsorship If you collect the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), you are still eligible to sponsor your spouse, parent, grandparent, child or other relative as long as you meet all of the requirements to be a sponsor.
The CERB is not considered social assistance. Collecting the CERB will not make you ineligible to sponsor.
Employment Insurance and the CERB will not cause you to default If the person you sponsored collects Employment Insurance or the CERB during the undertaking period, it will not cause you to default.
However, if the person you sponsored collects social assistance during the undertaking period, you have to repay the amount. If you do not, you will be in default of your undertaking.

Please visit :
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/coronavirus-covid19/financial-assistance.html