- Part of Ontario’s Youth Jobs Strategy
For Youth
If you are unemployed, not in school full-time and between 15 and 29, Ontario will do more to help you connect with employers and get a job placement of four to six months.
We will provide incentives to employers to help cover the cost of wages and training for new hires and help youth cover costs like transportation or tools required for the job.
Job placements will provide more opportunities for youth to build skills and confidence, get valuable work experience and connect with employers.
Who is eligible
You may be eligible if you are:
- between 15 and 29 years of age
- unemployed
- not attending school full-time and
- a resident of Ontario.
We will make special effort to help youth facing barriers to work, including:
- Youth on social assistance
- Aboriginal youth
- Youth with a disability
- Youth with a poor history of educational attainment or employability
- Youth in communities with high youth unemployment.
How to apply
The Ontario Youth Employment Fund will be available by September 23, 2013 through Employment Ontario’s Employment Service network.
You can book an appointment now with an Employment Service representative near you.
We will assess your skills, education, work experience and interests to help find a suitable program or job placement and decide together how you can achieve your goals.
What support will I receive?
Support will be flexible and tailored to your needs – a combination of training, employment and individual help.
If needed, you may receive up to $1,000 to cover costs like transportation to work and tools for the job.
The employer providing your placement may receive an incentive to help cover the cost of wages and training.
For Employers
The Ontario government is expanding employment opportunities to help employers find the skilled workers they need and to help young people gain job skills and experience.
Employers will receive incentives to help cover the cost of wages and training for new hires when they provide a job placement of four to six months.
How can I qualify for incentive funding?
To be eligible for hiring incentive funding, you must:
- Be licensed to operate in Ontario
- Be compliant with legislation (health and safety, employment standards, etc.)
- Provide job placements of four to six months in Ontario, and be covered by safety insurance
- Provide job placements that do not displace current or laid-off employees.
The job placements you provide will be assessed for the quality of the placement opportunity, your previous track record, potential for employee retention after the placement ends, and level of employer financial contribution.
To learn more or to discuss opportunities, book an appointment with an Employment Ontario Employment Services representative for an eligibility assessment.
How much funding can I get and what can I use it for?
Employers can receive up to $6,800 to offset training and wage costs linked with a job placement.
Incentives are also meant to support on-the-job training and to offset the risk of hiring youth employees with less experience. Incentives are flexible and there is no set formula for whether funding is used for training and/or for wages.
Are there any priority sectors or industries that will be targeted for the Youth Employment Fund?
No. All employers, regardless of sector or industry affiliation, who have job placement opportunities that provide meaningful on-the-job training for youth may be eligible for funding.
Can I apply for more than one job placement?
Yes. An employer can access the fund for more than one job placement, provided it meets the eligibility criteria and passes an assessment by the Employment Service representative. There is no limit to the number of placements an employer can take on.
More information at http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/employmentontario/youthfund/