- Are international students eligible for the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)?
Unfortunately, most international students are not eligible for the Canadian Emergency Student Benefit (CESB). Only those with permanent resident status are eligible for CESB. See eligibility criteria here.
The Canadian Federation of Students has a phone campaign designed to place pressure on the Federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Quatrough to expand CESB eligibility to international students.
- Is there a possibility that graduate students might get any kind of extension to the end date of their program for those that are affected by COVID?
CUPE 3903 is attempting to negotiate an extension of program time limits with funding attached. The Employer has not responded favourably to our proposal. Along with the York University Graduate Students Association, CUPE 3903 will continue to push York University and the Faculty of Graduate Studies to support member requests for extensions with priority pool funding attached.
In our current collective agreement Unit 1 and Unit 3 members can petition for an extension of program time limits based on a protected ground as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Commission for which members require an accommodation up to 24 months past Faculty of Graduate Studies deadlines. For example, members can apply for an extension of program time limits based on a disability, or an illness or an injury. Medical certification and statements shall be reviewed by FGS to assess the petition.
- My TA insurance ends in September 2020. If COVID issue continues, is there a possibility of getting benefits after September 2020?
We are in discussions with the Employer about extending health benefits to those members whose contracts ended December 31, 2019, and April 30th, 2020. The Employer has not yet responded favourably.
- How would a timeline extension affect 6th year Phd Unit 1s, who don’t have an approved extension and therefore are paying fees and tuition out of pocket, and are no longer a union member after contracts end April 30 2020?
We regret that we have been unable to persuade the Employer to grant funded program timeline extensions to Unit 1 members whose priority pool status will lapse. We continue to advocate for members along with the York University Graduate Students Association and other organizations.
- Do scholarships, fellowships, or Grant-in-Aid (GIA) count toward the maximum $1000 a month of employment or self employment income you are allowed to earn for 14 or more consecutive days within the four week benefit period of a CERB claim?
According to the CERB website, bursaries and scholarships should not count toward the maximum monthly $1000 in income you may earn while receiving CERB. If you are a recipient of a major scholarship such as SSHRC or NSERC, you should call Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or Service Canada hotline to ensure that this sort of scholarship is not categorized as employment income.
CUPE 3903 Executive and staff have inquired with York University as to whether the Grant-in-Aid (GIA) we receive as part of our TA pay will count toward the maximum $1000 in employment income permitted to receive CERB. There is some uncertainty since GIA is associated with employment income (e.g. you need to have a TA contract in order to get the GIA). York has indicated that these monies are accounted for on a T4A form that is generated for scholarship monies and other non-traditional income sources, but they are unsure how the Canada Revenue Agency might classify these payments.
Members should call Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or Service Canada hotline to ask whether GIA payments might be categorized as employment income.
- Do grants from OSAP count towards the maximum $1000 of employment income you are allowed to earn for 14 or more consecutive days within the four week benefit period of a CERB claim?
Our understanding is that OSAP grants do not count towards either the $5000 in qualifying earnings or the $1000 allowable earnings as they are not employment income.
The CERB website states that “Student loans and bursaries do not count toward the $5000 in income” and that “Student loans and bursaries do not affect eligibility for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit”.
- Are there any updates on how taking a Leave of Absence from graduate studies affects CERB eligibility? How might it impact my eligibility for CESB?
In most circumstances, taking an academic leave should not affect one’s eligibility for CERB since CERB is tied to your employment status as a result of COVID and not to your student status. As always, if in doubt, it is best to contact Canada Revenue Agency or Service Canada hotline if you have questions.
It is unclear whether taking a leave of absence from your educational studies in the summer of 2020 would impact your ability to qualify for CESB. One of the CESB eligibility criteria indicates that you must have “completed or ended your post secondary studies in December 2019 or later”. You should contact CESB hotline to see whether you qualify for CESB.
- Is there a sense of how many Unit 1 members have work this summer as opposed to previous years? This data would be helpful for those of us who apply for CERB and will need to provide documentation for covid affecting our lack of work.
The Union is currently requesting the data on summer 2020 enrollment from the Employer. We will update members as soon as we have this information.
Based on information we received from York President Rhonda Lenton and Provost and Vice President Academic Lisa Phillips this week, summer undergraduate enrollment has increased by about 15%. However, it is unclear whether or how this might positively impact our members’ chances for TA and CD work.
In the summer of 2019, there were approximately 450 Unit 1 summer contracts.
- How many insurable hours are needed to be eligible for Employment Insurance?
EI Insurable hours vary by region. To determine if you have met the threshold to qualify, go to Search EI Economic Regions by Postal Code.
For Unit 1 members: 0.5 TAship assignment = 178 EI Insurable Hours (1.0 TAship = 356 Insurable Hours)
For Unit 2 members: 1.0 CD = 535 EI Insurable Hours
If you have not met the threshold for EI Insurable Hours, you could apply for CERB if you meet the eligibility criteria for the latter.