Revenu Québec invites workers eligible for the Programme incitatif pour la rétention des travailleurs essentiels (PIRTE) to apply according to a schedule determined by their month of birth. Customer service hours will also be extended to enable agents to provide applicants with the best possible support.
The PIRTE provides financial assistance of $100 per week to workers in essential sectors earning between $5,000 and $28,600 per year. More than 600,000 full- and part-time employees will be eligible.
In view of the expected high volume, Revenu Québec is informing the public that applications will have to follow a set sequence over the first four days. This strategy is designed to avoid overloading the website and customer service.
From May 19 to 22, Revenu Québec will accept applications from eligible workers based on their month of birth:
- May 19: January, February and March
- May 20: April, May and June
- May 21: July, August and September
- May 22: October, November and December
To make things easier for applicants, customer service hours will be extended. From May 19 to 22, it will be open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and exceptionally on Saturday May 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
After May 22, all citizens will be able to apply for PIRTE, regardless of their date of birth. Revenu Québec will accept applications until November 15.
REGISTER TO MY FILE
Revenu Québec invites eligible workers to start the process of registering for PIRTE today by logging on to Mon dossier, on the Revenu Québec website, and updating their direct deposit banking details.
The financial assistance will be paid retroactively to March 15 and will cover a maximum of sixteen weeks. In addition to their salary, workers will receive a taxable lump sum of up to $100 per week, for a total of $1,600.
The first instalments of $1,000 will be paid between May 27 and May 29, depending on the date of registration.
To qualify, applicants must
- work full-time or part-time in a sector related to essential services;
- earn a gross salary of $550 or less per week;
- have an annual working income of at least $5,000 and a total annual income of $28,600 or less for the year 2020;
- be at least 15 years old at the time of application for PIRTE benefits;
- have resided in Quebec on December 31, 2019 and plan to reside in Quebec throughout 2020.
For each eligible week of work, an applicant must not have received any Canada Emergency Benefit (CEP), Canada Student Emergency Benefit (CSEB) or Temporary Worker Assistance Program (TWAP COVD-19). However, a worker may be eligible for WITP even if the company he or she works for receives federal government wage assistance.
