Our Apprenticeships Program provides financial incentives to small and medium-sized employers in construction and manufacturing to help them hire first-year apprentices.

• Funding is available to hire a maximum of two new apprentices per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).
• Eligible employers can receive $10,000 for hiring a new first-year apprentice who voluntarily self-identifies as part of an eligible equity-deserving group.
• Eligible employers can receive $5,000 for hiring a new first-year apprentice who is not part of an equity-deserving group.
• Eligible equity-deserving groups for the purposes of this program are:
  • Women;
  • Indigenous people;
  • Newcomers to Canada (< 10 years);
  • Persons with disabilities;
  • Visible minorities (i.e., racialized communities); and
  • 2SLGBTQI+ people
• Employers can allocate the funding for any purpose that supports the apprenticeship, including:
  • Salaries for the apprentice or mentoring journeyperson;
  • Training costs;
  • Tools, equipment and PPE;
  • Hiring bonuses; and
  • Other purposes that offset the costs of the position.
• Employers can receive this funding in addition to any provincial or regional incentives; however, employers cannot receive hiring incentives from more than one organization supported by the Government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service program.
• Funding ends March 31, 2024.

To receive the financial incentive, you must sign a contribution agreement before hiring a first-year apprentice! All eligible employers will be approved until program funds are exhausted.

Steps

1. Complete our online application and we will prepare a contribution agreement.
2. Sign the agreement to confirm your participation in the program and start hiring.
3. Register each new apprentice with your provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority.
4. Request payment and funds will be sent by electronic transfer.

To apply, you will need:

• Your business’ legal name, address, and CRA business number (BN#);
• The contact information (name, job title, email, phone) for the person submitting the application; and
• The contact information, if different, for a person at the organization who is authorized to sign a legally binding agreement on behalf of the organization.

You will also be asked to specify:

• The size of your business: micro (1-4 employees), small (5-99 employees), or medium (100-499 employees);
• The eligible trade(s) in which you intend to hire new first-year apprentice(s); and
• The number of apprentices you intend to hire through the program between the date we receive your application and March 31, 2024 (the maximum is two apprentices per fiscal year – April 1 to March 31).

Small and medium-sized employers in all provinces and territories are eligible to participate in the program.

• Small and medium-sized employers are businesses with 1 to 499 paid employees
• Employers must have a Canada Revenue Agency business number (BN#) to apply
• Employers must not have a signed contribution agreement with any other organization receiving funding under the Apprenticeship Service Program for the purpose of receiving a financial incentive

• Will be apprenticed in one of the 39 eligible trades listed below
• Will be registered as an apprentice after the employer signs a contribution agreement confirming their participation in the program
• Will be in their first year of registered apprenticeship training
• May or may not have completed a pre-apprenticeship or pre-employment program
• May or may not identify as a member of an equity-deserving group

IMPORTANT: Apprenticeships registered before a contribution agreement is signed DO NOT qualify as eligible hires for the purposes of the financial incentive. 

The 39 construction and manufacturing trades eligible for funding under this program are:

• Boilermaker
• Bricklayer
• Cabinetmaker
• Carpenter
• Concrete Finisher
• Construction Craft Worker
• Construction Electrician
• Drywall Finisher and Plasterer
• Floorcovering Installer
• Gasfitter A
• Gasfitter B
• Glazier
• HEO Dozer
• HEO Excavator
• HEO TLB
• Industrial Electrician
• Industrial Mechanic (Millwright)
• Instrumentation and Control Technician
• Insulator (Heat and Frost)
• Ironworker Generalist
• Ironworker Reinforcing
• Ironworker S/O
• Landscape Horticulturist
• Lather (Interior Systems Mechanic)
• Machinist
• Metal Fabricator (Fitter)
• Mobile Crane Operator
• Painter and Decorator
• Plumber
• Powerline Technician
• Refrigeration and AC Mechanic
• Roofer
• Sheet Metal Worker
• Sprinkler Fitter
• Steamfitter/Pipefitter
• Tilesetter
• Tool and Die Maker
• Tower Crane Operator
• Welder

There’s huge potential to meet your employment needs by recruiting from groups that are under-represented in the trades. Plus, you would double your incentive!

Need help connecting to new talent? Our matching service pairs employers looking for talent with apprentices looking for work! Browse our list of employers currently looking for matches.