
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provides financial relief to students and graduates who are unable to work or find work due to COVID-19. However, there is some confusion about whether international students are eligible for the benefit. While the CESB is available to Canadians studying in Canada and students completing post-secondary schooling abroad, international students are not specifically mentioned as being eligible. Some sources indicate that international students are not eligible for the CESB, as they are expected to have the necessary funds to support themselves during their studies in Canada. However, others argue that international students contribute significantly to the Canadian economy through tuition fees and taxes, and therefore should be included in the benefit program. It is important for international students to seek official information and consult relevant government sources to understand their eligibility for the CESB and any other support they may require during their studies in Canada.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Eligibility for international students | Not eligible |
| Eligibility for Canadian students | Eligible |
| Eligibility for students studying abroad | Eligible |
| Eligibility for students with a SIN starting with "9" | Not eligible |
| Eligibility for non-resident students with international tax numbers | Not eligible |
| Eligibility for students who lost their job due to COVID-19 | Eligible |
| Eligibility for students earning less than $1,000 (before taxes) in a four-week period | Eligible |
| Eligibility for students enrolled in CEGEP | Eligible |
| Eligibility for students who graduated from CEGEP no earlier than December 2019 | Eligible |
| Eligibility for high school students who graduated in 2020 and applied to post-secondary education before February 1, 2021 | Eligible |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

International students are not eligible for CESB
International students are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). The benefit provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work or find work due to reasons related to COVID-19. It is also available for those working but earning less than $1,000 (before taxes) over a four-week period.
To be eligible for the CESB, students must be enrolled in a post-secondary program at a recognised institution. While the program has no age restrictions, there are specific criteria that must be met. These include studying at a post-secondary level, such as university or college, and taking a series of courses that last at least 12 weeks and lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
International students are typically expected to have the necessary funds to support themselves during their studies in Canada. As such, they are not eligible for the CESB and are advised to seek financial assistance from their home country's government. However, international students in Canada are allowed to work more than 20 hours during the summer, which is a concession made by the Canadian government.
While some may argue that international students contribute significantly to the Canadian economy through their tuition fees, the CESB is currently only available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. This restriction may be due to the requirement for students to have paid taxes in Canada to qualify for the benefit. As international students are considered non-residents for tax purposes, they do not meet this requirement and, therefore, cannot claim the emergency benefit.
Study Medicine in Thailand: Options for International Students
You may want to see also

Canadian students are eligible for CESB
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work or find work due to reasons related to COVID-19. The benefit is available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents enrolled in post-secondary education programs at eligible institutions.
To be eligible for the CESB, students must meet certain criteria. Firstly, they must be enrolled in a post-secondary program at a recognised university or college, and the program must lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate. Secondly, there are no age restrictions for CESB eligibility, and high school students who graduated in 2020 and have applied to a post-secondary program beginning before February 1st, 2021, are also eligible. Finally, students must be actively looking for work if they are unemployed and must not be earning more than $1,000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying.
It is important to note that international students, temporary workers with specific SIN numbers, and non-resident students with international tax numbers are not eligible for the CESB. This exclusion of international students has been a point of contention, with some arguing that it is unfair or detrimental to Canada's economy, which benefits significantly from international student tuition fees.
Eligible Canadian students can receive $1,250 per month, with an additional $750 per month available for those with dependents or a disability, for a maximum benefit of $2,000 per month. Students must reapply for the CESB for each four-week period and ensure they meet the eligibility criteria each time.
International Students: Getting a Driver's License in Canada
You may want to see also

Permanent residents are eligible for CESB
International students are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). This is because international students are required to bring all the necessary funds to support themselves in Canada. However, permanent residents are eligible for CESB.
The CESB provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work or find work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also available for those who are working but earning less than $1,000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying. Students can receive $1,250 per month, plus an additional $750 per month if they have dependents or a disability, for a maximum of $2,000 per month.
To be eligible for the CESB, a student must be enrolled in a post-secondary program that meets the following criteria:
- Taken at a post-secondary level (university or college level)
- A series of courses that last at least 12 weeks and lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate
- At a listed institution from the Government of Canada's Master List of Designated Educational Institutions or Quebec's Répertoire des Établissements d’enseignement et des Programmes d’études
It is important to note that students who are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or Employment Insurance benefits for the same four-week period as their CESB application are not eligible for the CESB.
International Students Flock to Vancouver
You may want to see also

International students are eligible for CERB
International students in Canada are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). This benefit is only available to Canadian students and permanent residents. International students are expected to have the necessary funds to support themselves during their studies in Canada and are advised to seek assistance from their own government if required.
However, international students in Canada are eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). To be eligible for CERB, international students must have lost their job due to COVID and have made at least $5000 in the previous year, on which they paid taxes.
The CESB provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work or find work due to reasons related to COVID-19. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a post-secondary program at a recognised institution and must not be earning more than $1000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying.
The CERB, on the other hand, is a benefit available to individuals who have lost their income due to COVID-19, regardless of whether they are students or not. It is intended to provide temporary income support to those who are unemployed or self-employed and is not restricted to Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
It is important to note that students cannot receive both the CESB and CERB for the same four-week period. They must choose one or the other, depending on their eligibility and specific circumstances.
While the CESB is specifically designed for students, the CERB is a more broad-reaching benefit that includes students as well. International students in Canada who have lost their income due to the pandemic can thus still receive support through the CERB, even if they are not eligible for the CESB.
International Students: Your US CPA Pathway
You may want to see also

CESB eligibility criteria
The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) provides emergency financial relief to students and recent graduates who are unable to work or find work due to reasons related to COVID-19. It is also available for those working but earning less than $1,000 (before taxes) over the four-week period for which they are applying.
There are three categories of students eligible for the CESB:
- Students enrolled in a post-secondary program: This includes education at a university or college level, as well as technical, vocational, or secondary-level vocational training in Quebec. The program must last at least 12 weeks and lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
- Students enrolled at a listed institution: The institution must be on the Government of Canada's Master List of Designated Educational Institutions, the Master List of Certified Educational Institutions, or Quebec's Répertoire des Établissements d’enseignement et des Programmes d’études. It can also be an Indigenous Institution recognized by a province or territory.
- High school graduates from the class of 2020 who have applied to a post-secondary educational program beginning before February 1st, 2021, and students enrolled in CEGEP or who graduated from their CEGEP program no earlier than December 2019.
However, it is important to note that international students, temporary workers with a Social Insurance Number (SIN) beginning with "9", and non-resident students with international tax numbers are not eligible for the CESB. This restriction has been a source of confusion and discussion, with some arguing that international students contribute significantly to Canada's economy through tuition fees. Nonetheless, the current eligibility criteria stand, and only Canadian students and permanent residents are eligible for the benefit.
International Students: Financial Aid Options in the US
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
No, international students are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). This benefit is only available to Canadian students and permanent residents.
International students are not eligible for CESB because they are expected to have the necessary funds to support themselves during their studies in Canada. They are also not contributing to the Canadian tax system, which funds the CESB program.
International students can seek financial assistance from their own governments or apply for other benefits in Canada, such as the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), if they lost their job due to COVID-19 and met certain income requirements.



