Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) provided financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who were directly affected by COVID-19.

Applicants received $2,000 for a 4-week period (the same as $500 a week), between March 15 and September 26, 2020. The last day to apply was December 2, 2020 .

On this page

• Eligibility criteria
• Verifying your eligibility
• If you need to repay
• Self-employment income (net vs. gross)
• CERB debt reduction for students

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the CERB payments, you must have met the following conditions:

• You did not apply for, nor receive, CERB or EI benefits from Service Canada for the same eligibility period
• You did not quit your job voluntarily
• You reside in Canada and are at least 15 years old
• You earned a minimum of $5,000 (before taxes) in the last 12 months, or in 2019, from one or more of the following sources:
  • employment income
  • self-employment income
  • provincial benefit payments related to maternity or parental leave
  • Your work hours were reduced because of COVID-19 (see last checkbox below for more details)
  • You stopped working because of COVID 19
  • You were unable to work because of COVID-19, for example because you were taking care of someone
  • You were paid EI regular or fishing benefits for at least one week of benefits since December 29, 2019 and you used up your entitlement to those benefits
  • If you were applying for the first time: You stopped working, or you were working reduced hours due to COVID-19, and you have not earned more than $1,000 in employment or self-employment income (before deductions) for at least 14 days in a row during the 4-week period.
  • If you were applying for a subsequent period: You were still not working, or you were working reduced hours due to COVID-19, and you have not earned more than $1,000 in employment or self-employment income (before deductions), and you expected this to continue during the entire 4-week period.

  If you did not meet the above criteria, you were not eligible for the CERB. Find out how to repay the CERB.

  If you met the above criteria, you were eligible for the CERB. You could have received $2,000 for each 4-week period that you qualified for.

  Period dates for the benefit

  Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  March : part of the March 15 to April 11 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Sunday March 1 , 2020	Monday March 2 , 2020	Tuesday March 3 , 2020	Wednesday March 4 , 2020	Thursday March 5 , 2020	Friday March 6 , 2020	Saturday March 7 , 2020
  Sunday March 8 , 2020	Monday March 9 , 2020	Tuesday March 10 , 2020	Wednesday March 11 , 2020	Thursday March 12 , 2020	Friday March 13 , 2020	Saturday March 14 , 2020
  Sunday March 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday March 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday March 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday March 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday March 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday March 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday March 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday March 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday March 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday March 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday March 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday March 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday March 27 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday March 28 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday March 29 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday March 30 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday March 31 , 2020: part of eligibility period

  April : part of the March 15 to April 11 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Wednesday April 1 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday April 2 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday April 3 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday April 4 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday April 5 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday April 6 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday April 7 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday April 8 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday April 9 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday April 10 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday April 11 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday April 12 , 2020	Monday April 13 , 2020	Tuesday April 14 , 2020	Wednesday April 15 , 2020	Thursday April 16 , 2020	Friday April 17 , 2020	Saturday April 18 , 2020
  Sunday April 19 , 2020	Monday April 20 , 2020	Tuesday April 21 , 2020	Wednesday April 22 , 2020	Thursday April 23 , 2020	Friday April 24 , 2020	Saturday April 25 , 2020
  Sunday April 26 , 2020	Monday April 27 , 2020	Tuesday April 28 , 2020	Wednesday April 29 , 2020	Thursday April 30 , 2020

  Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  April : part of the April 12 to May 9 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Wednesday April 1 , 2020	Thursday April 2 , 2020	Friday April 3 , 2020	Saturday April 4 , 2020
  Sunday April 5 , 2020	Monday April 6 , 2020	Tuesday April 7 , 2020	Wednesday April 8 , 2020	Thursday April 9 , 2020	Friday April 10 , 2020	Saturday April 11 , 2020
  Sunday April 12 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday April 13 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday April 14 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday April 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday April 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday April 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday April 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday April 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday April 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday April 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday April 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday April 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday April 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday April 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday April 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday April 27 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday April 28 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday April 29 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday April 30 , 2020: part of eligibility period

  May : part of the April 12 to May 9 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Friday May 1 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 2 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday May 3 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 4 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 5 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 6 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 7 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 8 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 9 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday May 10 , 2020	Monday May 11 , 2020	Tuesday May 12 , 2020	Wednesday May 13 , 2020	Thursday May 14 , 2020	Friday May 15 , 2020	Saturday May 16 , 2020
  Sunday May 17 , 2020	Monday May 18 , 2020	Tuesday May 19 , 2020	Wednesday May 20 , 2020	Thursday May 21 , 2020	Friday May 22 , 2020	Saturday May 23 , 2020
  Sunday May 24 , 2020	Monday May 25 , 2020	Tuesday May 26 , 2020	Wednesday May 27 , 2020	Thursday May 28 , 2020	Friday May 29 , 2020	Saturday May 30 , 2020
  Sunday May 31 , 2020

  Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  May : part of the May 10 to June 6 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Friday May 1 , 2020	Saturday May 2 , 2020
  Sunday May 3 , 2020	Monday May 4 , 2020	Tuesday May 5 , 2020	Wednesday May 6 , 2020	Thursday May 7 , 2020	Friday May 8 , 2020	Saturday May 9 , 2020
  Sunday May 10 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 11 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 12 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 13 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 14 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday May 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday May 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday May 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday May 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday May 27 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday May 28 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday May 29 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday May 30 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday May 31 , 2020: part of eligibility period

  June : part of the May 10 to June 6 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Monday June 1 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 2 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 3 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 4 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 5 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 6 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday June 7 , 2020	Monday June 8 , 2020	Tuesday June 9 , 2020	Wednesday June 10 , 2020	Thursday June 11 , 2020	Friday June 12 , 2020	Saturday June 13 , 2020
  Sunday June 14 , 2020	Monday June 15 , 2020	Tuesday June 16 , 2020	Wednesday June 17 , 2020	Thursday June 18 , 2020	Friday June 19 , 2020	Saturday June 20 , 2020
  Sunday June 21 , 2020	Monday June 22 , 2020	Tuesday June 23 , 2020	Wednesday June 24 , 2020	Thursday June 25 , 2020	Friday June 26 , 2020	Saturday June 27 , 2020
  Sunday June 28 , 2020	Monday June 29 , 2020	Tuesday June 30 , 2020

  Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  June : part of the June 7 to July 4 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Monday June 1 , 2020	Tuesday June 2 , 2020	Wednesday June 3 , 2020	Thursday June 4 , 2020	Friday June 5 , 2020	Saturday June 6 , 2020
  Sunday June 7 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 8 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 9 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 10 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 11 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 12 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 13 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday June 14 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday June 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday June 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday June 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday June 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday June 27 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday June 28 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday June 29 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday June 30 , 2020: part of eligibility period

  July : part of the June 7 to July 4 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Wednesday July 1 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 2 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 3 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 4 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday July 5 , 2020	Monday July 6 , 2020	Tuesday July 7 , 2020	Wednesday July 8 , 2020	Thursday July 9 , 2020	Friday July 10 , 2020	Saturday July 11 , 2020
  Sunday July 12 , 2020	Monday July 13 , 2020	Tuesday July 14 , 2020	Wednesday July 15 , 2020	Thursday July 16 , 2020	Friday July 17 , 2020	Saturday July 18 , 2020
  Sunday July 19 , 2020	Monday July 20 , 2020	Tuesday July 21 , 2020	Wednesday July 22 , 2020	Thursday July 23 , 2020	Friday July 24 , 2020	Saturday July 25 , 2020
  Sunday July 26 , 2020	Monday July 27 , 2020	Tuesday July 28 , 2020	Wednesday July 29 , 2020	Thursday July 30 , 2020	Friday July 31 , 2020

  Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  July : part of the July 4 to August 1, 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Wednesday July 1 , 2020	Thursday July 2 , 2020	Friday July 3 , 2020	Saturday July 4 , 2020
  Sunday July 5 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 6 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 7 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 8 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 9 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 10 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 11 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday July 12 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 13 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 14 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday July 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday July 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday July 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday July 27 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday July 28 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday July 29 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday July 30 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday July 31 , 2020: part of eligibility period

  August : part of the July 4 to August 1, 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Saturday August 1 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday August 2 , 2020	Monday August 3 , 2020	Tuesday August 4 , 2020	Wednesday August 5 , 2020	Thursday August 6 , 2020	Friday August 7 , 2020	Saturday August 8 , 2020
  Sunday August 9 , 2020	Monday August 10 , 2020	Tuesday August 11 , 2020	Wednesday August 12 , 2020	Thursday August 13 , 2020	Friday August 14 , 2020	Saturday August 15 , 2020
  Sunday August 16 , 2020	Monday August 17 , 2020	Tuesday August 18 , 2020	Wednesday August 19 , 2020	Thursday August 20 , 2020	Friday August 21 , 2020	Saturday August 22 , 2020
  Sunday August 23 , 2020	Monday August 24 , 2020	Tuesday August 25 , 2020	Wednesday August 26 , 2020	Thursday August 27 , 2020	Friday August 28 , 2020	Saturday August 29 , 2020
  Sunday August 30 , 2020	Monday August 31 , 2020

  A table with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  August : part of the August 2 to August 29, 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Saturday August 1 , 2020
  Sunday August 2 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 3 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 4 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 5 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 6 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 7 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 8 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday August 9 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 10 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 11 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 12 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 13 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 14 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday August 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday August 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday August 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday August 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday August 27 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday August 28 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday August 29 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday August 30 , 2020	Monday August 31 , 2020

  Two tables with all the days that apply to eligibility period

  August : part of the August 30 to September 26, 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Saturday August 1 , 2020
  Sunday August 2 , 2020	Monday August 3 , 2020	Tuesday August 4 , 2020	Wednesday August 5 , 2020	Thursday August 6 , 2020	Friday August 7 , 2020	Saturday August 8 , 2020
  Sunday August 9 , 2020	Monday August 10 , 2020	Tuesday August 11 , 2020	Wednesday August 12 , 2020	Thursday August 13 , 2020	Friday August 14 , 2020	Saturday August 15 , 2020
  Sunday August 16 , 2020	Monday August 17 , 2020	Tuesday August 18 , 2020	Wednesday August 19 , 2020	Thursday August 20 , 2020	Friday August 21 , 2020	Saturday August 22 , 2020
  Sunday August 23 , 2020	Monday August 24 , 2020	Tuesday August 25 , 2020	Wednesday August 26 , 2020	Thursday August 27 , 2020	Friday August 28 , 2020	Saturday August 29 , 2020
  Sunday August 30 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday August 31 , 2020: part of eligibility period

  September : part of the August 30 to September 26, 2020 eligibility period

  S	M	T	W	T	F	S
  Tuesday September 1 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday September 2 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday September 3 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday September 4 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday September 5 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday September 6 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday September 7 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday September 8 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday September 9 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday September 10 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday September 11 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday September 12 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday September 13 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday September 14 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday September 15 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday September 16 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday September 17 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday September 18 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday September 19 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday September 20 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Monday September 21 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Tuesday September 22 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Wednesday September 23 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Thursday September 24 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Friday September 25 , 2020: part of eligibility period	Saturday September 26 , 2020: part of eligibility period
  Sunday September 27 , 2020	Monday September 28 , 2020	Tuesday September 29 , 2020	Wednesday September 30 , 2020

  Verifying your eligibility

  The CRA will verify that you were eligible to receive the CERB. We may ask you to provide additional details to validate your application.

  As part of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the CRA will also be comparing employers' payroll records with the information you provide. We will use this information to check if you became ineligible when you returned to work.

  To report any suspected misuse: CRA's Leads program

  If you need to repay

  If you received any benefit payments that you were not eligible for, the CRA will contact you to make arrangements to repay.

  Self-employment income (net vs. gross)

  Self-employed individuals who applied for the CERB based on their gross self-employment income may be able to keep their payments. Those who have already repaid, may be able to get it reimbursed.

  CERB debt reduction for students

  If you were a student in 2020 and were asked to repay the CERB, you may be able to keep some or all of your payments.

  Find out if you are eligible to apply for a credit towards your CERB debt.