Toronto 
The federal government today announced that applications are now open for Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit.
Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit provides $300 a week as taxable income to eligible workers who are directly affected by a COVID-19-related public health lockdown.
The government temporarily expanded the eligibility criteria of the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit to include workers who lost at least 50 per cent of income due to the new restrictions and capacity limits of 50 per cent or more introduced by provinces and territories across Canada.
The payments are retroactive to December 19, 2021 and will apply from December 19, 2021, to February 12, 2022.
To be eligible for the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit. you must meet the eligibility criteria which includes, but is not limited to:
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- You earned at least $5,000 in 2020, 2021, or in the 12 months leading up to the day you apply for the benefit;
- You filed a 2020 tax return;
- A region where you work or provide a service is designated as a COVID-19 lockdown region during the application period;
- A designated COVID-19 lockdown in your region resulted in one of the following during the application period:
- you lost your job and are unemployed
- you are self-employed but unable to continue your work
- you are employed or self-employed but had a reduction of at least 50% in your average weekly income as compared to the previous year.
According to the news release, those who tried to apply for the CWLB prior to noon of December 30th in regions not yet designated as eligible by the Canada Revenue Agency are asked to call the CRA at 1-800-959-8281 to finalize their application.
