Students in distress prompt Canada government aid

The students who are affected by the COVID-19 crisis in Canada are getting the Canadian government’s support. Canada is known for its timely and generous policies for its people in the pandemic crisis period. The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that affected students will be able to claim a new Canada Emergency Student Benefit soon. This will be a great help to the students and recent graduates whose prospects of education and employment are hampered by the pandemic.

This plan is, in fact, the part of a $9 billion package that is used to implement measures aimed at helping youngsters. With this new measure, eligible post-secondary students will get $1,250 a month as assistance. This will be made available from May 2020 to August 2020. In case, the recipient is looking after someone with a disability, the amount increases to $1,750.

The ones eligible for this assistance are those students who are:

• In school at present,
• Planning to start studies in September 2020,
• Completed graduation in December 2019, or
• Working students earning less than $1000 a month

Mr. Trudeau Is making efforts to get a bill passed as soon as possible to implement the new program for students. In addition to this, the government is also working on:

• Creating additional jobs for young people to the tandem of 76,000. These will be in sectors requiring extra help now or works that matter in COVID-19 scenarios like contact tracing or helping out on farms.
• An investment of $291.6 million meant to extend fellowships, scholarships, and grants for 3 or 4 months. This will help continue research projects and placements. This will include postdoctoral fellowships.
• Making eligibility broader for financial assistance and increasing the maximum weekly amount for a student from $210 to $350 in 2020-21.
• Launching a new Canada Student Service Grant. The grant will offer $1,000 and $5,000 for students towards their fall tuition as they volunteer to fight COVID-19.
• Providing increased support for First Nations, Metis Nation, and Inuit students. $75.2 million will be specifically allocated for this.
• Doubling the Canada Student Grants for all full-time students who are eligible, to up to $6,000. The grant will be increased to $3,600 for part-time students in 2020-21. The Canadian student grants for students with Dependents and students with Permanent Disabilities are also being doubled.

Though these measures may not solve all the problems students are facing, they will do what they can to help them survive the present crisis. While these measures address the Canadian native students only, there are measures announced for international students too. These students have reached Canada on a student visa.

They will be allowed to work more than 20 hours a week, which is currently the maximum allowed for them while their classes are ongoing. The condition here is however that they should be working in an essential service such as food supply, healthcare, critical infrastructure, or supply of critical goods.

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