Canada Apprenticeship Service (employer hiring incentives for first-year apprentices)
Employment and Social Development Canada, delivered via intermediary organizations (e.g., Canadian Apprenticeship Forum and partners)
Up to $10K
smes will receive $5,000 for each new, first-year apprentice hired, for a maximum of two eligible apprentices per year, and they can use the incentive to pay for upfront costs such as salaries and training. this incentive will be doubled to $10,000 for employers who hire from equity-deserving groups
Funded intermediary organizations paid financial incentives to SMEs that hired new first-year apprentices in Red Seal trades, with a higher amount for apprentices from equity-deserving groups.
Open the official page ↗How to apply
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Who qualifies
SMEs with 499 or fewer paid employees hiring a new first-year apprentice in a Red Seal trade. Incentives were distributed through funded intermediaries, not directly by ESDC.
Good to know
- Funding: Intermediary organization funding was up to $72,500,000 per year.
- Notes: Included as closed/legacy. I could not find a current employer-facing page confirming a successor.
Evidence from the official page
- status“Current status: Closed” source ↗
- eligibility“SMEs with 499 or fewer paid employees are eligible for the funding.” source ↗
- amount“under the apprenticeship service, smes will receive $5,000 for each new, first-year apprentice hired, for a maximum of two eligible apprentices per year” source ↗
- amount“this incentive will be doubled to $10,000 for employers who hire from equity-deserving groups” source ↗
Verified 2026-11-02 · Low confidence. Always confirm on the official page before applying.