Federal Benefits Programs: How to Apply
The Canadian government has created three financial benefit programs to help Canadians deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. To apply, here’s what you need to know.
Common steps for all three programs
Verify your eligibility
To see if you are eligible, please see our article on admissibility.
Apply online or by phone
You can apply for all three benefits online on the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) “My Account” website or toll-free via the CRA’s automated phone-line – 1-800-959-2019 or 1-800-959-2041. You must confirm your identity with your social insurance number, your postal code, and your date of birth.
Gather the necessary information
The CRA may contact you after you apply to verify your information or to get more information.
It will be easier to apply if you have already filed your 2019 taxes.
No automatic renewals
The three benefits do not renew automatically, you must reapply for the:
- Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) every 2 weeks (maximum 26 weeks).
- Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) every week (maximum 2 weeks).
- Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) every week (maximum 26 weeks).
When will you receive the benefit?
The benefits are not paid ahead of time. You must wait until the end of each admissibility period before applying. You can apply up to 60 days after the end of each period.
It can take up to four weeks to process your application.
| Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) | Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) | Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can apply? | Employee or self-employed worker who has lost revenue due to COVID-19 (not eligible for EI) | You are sick due to COVID-19 and cannot work | You cannot work at least 50% of your normal hours because you are taking care of a family member due to COVID-19 |
| Amount per week | $500 | $500 | $500 |
| Maximum number of weeks | 38 weeks | 4 weeks | 38 weeks |
| When do you reapply (if necessary?) | Every 2 weeks | Each week | Each week |
| Maximum income allowed for the year | $38,000 (You must begin repaying once you make more than this) | None | None |
Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
This benefit is for workers who have lost their job or have had their income reduced due to COVID-19.
Follow the steps on the CRA’s website to apply.
For each year, you can apply for up to 19 periods of two weeks each (total 38 weeks). The benefit is available between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021. Please see the list of admissibility periods when you apply.
If your application is accepted, you will receive $1,000 ($900 after tax deductions at source) for each admissibility period of 2 weeks.
Caution! If you make more than $38,000 (net) in 2020 or 2021 (excluding the CRB), you will have to repay CRB payments at the rate of $0.50 per dollar earned over $38,000. This repayment will be made when you file your taxes for 2020 or 2021. You do not have to repay more than you received in CRB payments.
Examples:
- If you made $40,000 (net) in 2020 and you received $3,600 in CRB payments, you will have to repay $1,000 ($2,000 over $38,000, repaid at the rate of $0.50 per dollar, $1,000 total).
- If you made $50,000 (net) in 2020 and you received $1,800 in CRB payments, you will have to repay $1,800 (even though the $0.50 per dollar calculation gives $6,000, your repayment is capped at the amount of CRB benefits you received).
Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
This benefit is for workers who temporarily cannot work due to COVID-19.
Follow the steps on the CRA’s website to apply.
You can receive this benefit for a maximum of four weeks.
The benefit is available between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021. Please see the list of admissibility periods when you apply.
If your application is accepted, you will receive $500 ($450 after tax deductions at source) for each admissibility period of one week.
Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
This benefit is for workers who temporarily cannot work because they must care for a child or a family member due to COVID-19.
Follow the steps on the CRA’s website to apply.
You can receive this benefit for a maximum of 38 weeks.
For each year, you can apply for up to 38 periods of one week. The benefit is available between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021. Please see the list of admissibility periods when you apply.
If your application is accepted, you will receive $500 ($450 after tax deductions at source) after each admissibility period of one week.
To learn more, you can visit the federal government’s Questions and Answers about Canada Recovery Benefits website.