International Students In Canada Can Also Get Help From The Government During COVID-19

Some help is on the way. Despite the Prime Minister's announcement about supports for students, there are still a lot of unknowns. For the CESB, international students might not get the funding but other measures have been put into place to help during COVID-19.

With the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), eligible students can get $1,250 a month from May to August.

If someone takes care of another person or has a disability, it's $1,750 per month.

However, there are questions surrounding just who is eligible to get that money.

While the government hasn't set out the requirements, international students might not be included.

According to CTV News, the office of employment minister Carla Qualtrough clarified that the funds from the benefit will only be available for Canadians studying here in Canada or completing post-secondary degrees abroad.

So, non-citizens like international students can't get money from the CESB.

Despite that, there are other measures in place to help those students.

The federal government is removing the restriction on the number of hours international students can work.

It used to be that those students can only work a maximum of 20 hours a week while classes are going on.

With this change, that maximum doesn't apply if those students are working in an essential service like healthcare or the supply of food.

The government said that international students and their employees should consult Guidance on Essential Services and Functions in Canada during the COVID-19 Outbreak put out by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada.

That will help them figure out if the student is doing a job that would let them work more than 20 hours a week during the pandemic.

Also, this rule change is temporary and is only in place until August 31.

Along with the benefit Justin Trudeau announced on April 22 and the help for international students, there are other measures in place.

"For today, for the summer, for next year, we're going to be there for you," he said.

76,000 jobs for young people will be created in sectors that need help or are on the frontlines right now.

Education grants given out by the federal government for the 2020-2021 school year will be doubled.

Students volunteering over the summer to help the fight against COVID-19 could get $1,000 to $5,000 as part of the Canada Student Service Grant.

According to the government, more specific details about help for young learners will be coming soon.