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Claiming benefits under implied status.

james donald

Full Member
Mar 28, 2020
22
1
Hi,
I am an international student under implied status (been waiting for SP extension for like 2 months now, bio metrics was cancelled/postponed- God knows when I will get my SP extension- may be when I am nearing my graduation- August 2020). I am temporarily out of work as due to the COVID situation however my employer expects to give work to everyone once the situation is normal.

I applied for EI (I believe I am eligible as I met all the requirements- except the tricky part to prove that I am actively looking for work)- there was a question whether I my study permit document expired and whether I applied for renewal- I answered YES.

Even I am eligible and qualified for EI (or possibly Canada Emergency Response Benefit if I don't get EI), will I receive any of the benefit during my implied status? Any one have any prior experience similar to my situation, please share your opinion as I want to be prepared.

What will be the best way to contact the relevant government body (such as Service Canada or IRCC to bring their attention into this matter- I already mailed and asked in their official twitter but no response yet. I understand my problem will be the least of worries for the government now but I have to let them somehow know that they need to figure out a solution as this is an unprecedented situation (may be an expedited SP extension for all those who applied or something like that).
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,558
7,196
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
Hi,
I am an international student under implied status (been waiting for SP extension for like 2 months now, bio metrics was cancelled/postponed- God knows when I will get my SP extension- may be when I am nearing my graduation- August 2020). I am temporarily out of work as due to the COVID situation however my employer expects to give work to everyone once the situation is normal.

I applied for EI (I believe I am eligible as I met all the requirements- except the tricky part to prove that I am actively looking for work)- there was a question whether I my study permit document expired and whether I applied for renewal- I answered YES.

Even I am eligible and qualified for EI (or possibly Canada Emergency Response Benefit if I don't get EI), will I receive any of the benefit during my implied status? Any one have any prior experience similar to my situation, please share your opinion as I want to be prepared.

What will be the best way to contact the relevant government body (such as Service Canada or IRCC to bring their attention into this matter- I already mailed and asked in their official twitter but no response yet. I understand my problem will be the least of worries for the government now but I have to let them somehow know that they need to figure out a solution as this is an unprecedented situation (may be an expedited SP extension for all those who applied or something like that).
IRCC has nothing to do with the benefits, so no point in contacting them. You need to contact Service Canada about EI or CRA (starting in April) about CERB. Apps are not being expedited for anyone. The posted processing time for study permit extensions was 4 months and that was before the pandemic, so you are going to still be waiting a few months at least.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
92,916
20,531
Toronto
Category........
Visa Office......
Buffalo
Job Offer........
Pre-Assessed..
App. Filed.......
28-05-2010
AOR Received.
19-08-2010
File Transfer...
28-06-2010
Passport Req..
01-10-2010
VISA ISSUED...
05-10-2010
LANDED..........
05-10-2010
Hi,
I am an international student under implied status (been waiting for SP extension for like 2 months now, bio metrics was cancelled/postponed- God knows when I will get my SP extension- may be when I am nearing my graduation- August 2020). I am temporarily out of work as due to the COVID situation however my employer expects to give work to everyone once the situation is normal.

I applied for EI (I believe I am eligible as I met all the requirements- except the tricky part to prove that I am actively looking for work)- there was a question whether I my study permit document expired and whether I applied for renewal- I answered YES.

Even I am eligible and qualified for EI (or possibly Canada Emergency Response Benefit if I don't get EI), will I receive any of the benefit during my implied status? Any one have any prior experience similar to my situation, please share your opinion as I want to be prepared.

What will be the best way to contact the relevant government body (such as Service Canada or IRCC to bring their attention into this matter- I already mailed and asked in their official twitter but no response yet. I understand my problem will be the least of worries for the government now but I have to let them somehow know that they need to figure out a solution as this is an unprecedented situation (may be an expedited SP extension for all those who applied or something like that).
To the best of my knowledge those under study permits do not qualify for EI since they do not meet the requirement of actively looking for work and are expected to be able to self-fund their studies and living expenses without relying on government support. Only temporary work permit holders qualify for EI. Study permit holders do not. I may be wrong about that. However that's my understanding of the rules.
 
Last edited:

Mirapr

Member
Apr 26, 2020
13
2
To the best of my knowledge those under study permits do not qualify for EI since they do not meet the requirement of actively looking for work and are expected to be able to self-fund their studies and living expenses without relying on government support. Only temporary work permit holders qualify for EI. Study permit holders do not. I may be wrong about that. However that's my understanding of the rules.
my friends international students were applying for EI and they received it. You got a wrong information.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.lowestrates.ca/blog/finance/how-apply-employment-insurance-coronavirus
Here they have information who is eligible
 

Copingwithlife

VIP Member
Jul 29, 2018
3,939
1,903
Earth
my friends international students were applying for EI and they received it. You got a wrong information.
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.lowestrates.ca/blog/finance/how-apply-employment-insurance-coronavirus
Here they have information who is eligible
First of all, that is a non governmental link,not a Government of Canada link.So I'd suppose anyone , especially on a visa, should take any of that information with a grain of salt . Secondly, the being available too work is one of the questions asked when filling out their EI reports . If you answer yes, and you are not available to work, that is known as EI fraud. It's not a tricky question .it's a simple yes or no .
If your friends have applied and received government funds when not eligible, they can be asked to pay those back So, no, you are wrong
Btw, the Government isn't going to expedite foreign national applications, when there are approximately 1.5 million Canadian's out of work. Isn't going to happen
 
Last edited:

Mirapr

Member
Apr 26, 2020
13
2
First of all, that is a non governmental link,not a Government of Canada link.So I'd suppose anyone , especially on a visa, should take any of that information with a grain of salt . Secondly, the being available too work is one of the questions asked when filling out their EI reports . If you answer yes, and you are not available to work, that is known as EI fraud. It's not a tricky question .it's a simple yes or no .
If your friends have applied and received government funds when not eligible, they can be asked to pay those back So, no, you are wrong
Btw, the Government isn't going to expedite foreign national applications, when there are approximately 1.5 million Canadian's out of work. Isn't going to happen
All international students are eligible to work. If you meet all EI requirements you can apply, you just have to have sin. I checked with my school, my consultant and my manager from work if I can apply for EI/CERB and they answered “no matter on what visa you were if you HAD SIN, WERE PAYING TAXES AND MEET OTHER REQUIREMENTS, you can apply. “ Applying when you don’t meet requirements is different.
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,558
7,196
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
All international students are eligible to work. If you meet all EI requirements you can apply, you just have to have sin. I checked with my school, my consultant and my manager from work if I can apply for EI/CERB and they answered “no matter on what visa you were if you HAD SIN, WERE PAYING TAXES AND MEET OTHER REQUIREMENTS, you can apply. “ Applying when you don’t meet requirements is different.
It's not just about immigration eligibility to work. Being ready and able to work means not turning down jobs. If offered a 9-5 Mon-Fri job during school hours, students must be able to quit their studies and take the job in order to qualify. This applies to domestic students as well. For international students who are required to continue their studies to maintain their status, quitting school to work obviously isn't possible, hence the not qualifying.
 

Mirapr

Member
Apr 26, 2020
13
2
It's not just about immigration eligibility to work. Being ready and able to work means not turning down jobs. If offered a 9-5 Mon-Fri job during school hours, students must be able to quit their studies and take the job in order to qualify. This applies to domestic students as well. For international students who are required to continue their studies to maintain their status, quitting school to work obviously isn't possible, hence the not qualifying.
If you worked 420-600 hrs you qualify for EI. Working part time as a student you can do more than this. I made almost 400 hrs just working half of the year part time and during breaks full time. My immigration consultant proved that I qualify for CERB, if I worked at least one more month I would qualify for EI ( and it’s only 6 month of working, working full year will give you more than 400hrs and it means you eligible for EI). Here is the simple math for you: I’m international student I work and allowed to work 20 hrs per week, which is 80hrs a month, we have 12 month, 80*12= 960. And for some students it’s more because they work full time on holidays. But even if you worked part time you have 960 hrs a year which is more than you need to qualify for EI, it’s all in Canada Service website, I took it from there. You don’t have to work full time to qualify.
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,558
7,196
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
If you worked 420-600 hrs you qualify for EI. Working part time as a student you can do more than this. I made almost 400 hrs just working half of the year part time and during breaks full time. My immigration consultant proved that I qualify for CERB, if I worked at least one more month I would qualify for EI ( and it’s only 6 month of working, working full year will give you more than 400hrs and it means you eligible for EI). Here is the simple math for you: I’m international student I work and allowed to work 20 hrs per week, which is 80hrs a month, we have 12 month, 80*12= 960. And for some students it’s more because they work full time on holidays. But even if you worked part time you have 960 hrs a year which is more than you need to qualify for EI, it’s all in Canada Service website, I took it from there. You don’t have to work full time to qualify.
Nothing in your post has anything to do with what I said. I said zero about hours needed to qualify, full-time vs. part-time, CERB eligibility etc.

Again, here is the simple fact: you are NOT able to take any job that is offered because of your studies, so you don't meet that requirement.
 

Mirapr

Member
Apr 26, 2020
13
2
Nothing in your post has anything to do with what I said. I said zero about hours needed to qualify, full-time vs. part-time, CERB eligibility etc.

Again, here is the simple fact: you are NOT able to take any job that is offered because of your studies, so you don't meet that requirement.
Thanks for telling me it after 4 years studying and working in here and perfectly managing my time, paying taxes.
 

Mirapr

Member
Apr 26, 2020
13
2
Really ? I guess the 12 weeks of training I did , and the one year I worked at the EI Call Centre, what they were telling us in training was all wrong, and your manager and consultant was right
Who’d of thought ? Thanks for bringing a touch of levity to the whole situation, though
https://www.educanada.ca/study-plan-etudes/covid-19/update-covid-19-mise-a-jour.aspx?lang=eng
Go to this website, eligibility and read. Official information from government of Canada. You’re welcome
“International students who meet the eligibility criteria laid out for either the Employment Insurance (EI) program, or the new Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program, may qualify to receive financial support. Internationalstudents who are currently in Canada, who have worked the minimum number of hours and who meet the minimum income”
 

canuck_in_uk

VIP Member
May 4, 2012
31,558
7,196
Visa Office......
London
App. Filed.......
06/12
https://www.educanada.ca/study-plan-etudes/covid-19/update-covid-19-mise-a-jour.aspx?lang=eng
Go to this website, eligibility and read. Official information from government of Canada. You’re welcome
“International students who meet the eligibility criteria laid out for either the Employment Insurance (EI) program, or the new Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program, may qualify to receive financial support. Internationalstudents who are currently in Canada, who have worked the minimum number of hours and who meet the minimum income”
It just says "who meet the eligibility criteria" for EI. It does not specify that international students can or DO meet the criteria. Generic statement.