Employment grants and programs in Quebec and Canada

What help is available for your job search?

The governments of Quebec and Canada fund two broad kinds of support. The first is aimed at you: an allowance during training, a tax credit, a loan or a youth program. The second is aimed at the employer who hires you: a wage subsidy that reimburses part of your salary for a set period.

The difference matters. Support you apply for depends on your eligibility and your own steps. A wage subsidy depends on the employer, the position and the government’s approval: you can point it out, but you cannot guarantee it.

Amounts, conditions and dates change often. Each section gives the update date of the official page: check your eligibility with the responsible organization before taking any step.

How can you train with an allowance in Quebec?

The Manpower Training measure (opens in a new tab) funds training that prepares you for a job when lack of training is a significant barrier. According to the Québec.ca page, you must be at least 16, have stopped full-time studies for at least 24 months (with some exceptions) and meet the admission requirements of the program you choose.

Training can last up to 48 months. The page lists an employment assistance allowance of $400 a week for qualifying training and $300 a week for general education, with possible exceptions (French page updated July 15, 2026). Depending on your situation, some costs may also be reimbursed: childcare, transportation, training and accommodation.

You apply through My Account, the online form or an employment help organization. If your occupation is regulated and the order prescribes bridging training, look instead at the PAFFARC, covered in our guide to getting a licence from a professional order.

Which federal programs help you train?

The Canada training credit (opens in a new tab) is a tax credit. According to the Canada Revenue Agency (page modified January 20, 2026), your limit increases by $250 a year if you qualify, up to a lifetime maximum of $5,000. You must, among other things, have been a resident of Canada throughout the year, be at least 26 and under 66 at the end of the year, and file your return. The credit cannot exceed half of your eligible tuition fees. Your limit appears on your latest notice of assessment.

For apprentices, the two federal cash grants, the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant and the Apprenticeship Completion Grant, closed on March 31, 2025 (opens in a new tab). What remains is the Canada Apprentice Loan, up to $20,000 interest-free, and possible access to Employment Insurance benefits during technical training (page modified June 23, 2026). Be wary of older documents that still present these grants as available. If you receive EI, declare any training before it starts: our guide to Employment Insurance while job hunting explains how.

Which programs are there for youth aged 15 to 30?

The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (opens in a new tab) helps young people aged 15 to 30 prepare for the job market. The federal government funds organizations that offer, depending on the project, mentoring, training, support and paid work experience (French page modified June 10, 2026). The federal portal lists the programs; some accept applications directly from young people.

The second component, Canada Summer Jobs (opens in a new tab), provides wage subsidies to employers that create summer jobs for youth aged 15 to 30 (French page modified August 14, 2026). The employer applies; on your side, look for summer postings on Job Bank for youth (opens in a new tab). Our guide to student jobs and internships covers the other sources and the calendar.

How do you mention a wage subsidy to an employer?

In Quebec, the wage subsidy (opens in a new tab) reimburses the employer, for a set period, part of your salary, part of the salary of a person who supports you within the company and the cost of refresher training. To be eligible, you must be unemployed or have difficulty finding or keeping a job, and meet an employment assistance officer who will assess your eligibility (page updated February 6, 2025).

PRIIME (opens in a new tab) (in French) applies the same logic to immigrants or members of visible minorities who are unemployed or underemployed and have no North American work experience in their field. The person must be found eligible by a Services Québec officer and hold a valid eligibility letter; the employer then files its application at a Services Québec office (page updated January 27, 2026).

If you get an eligibility letter, mention it briefly, in your cover letter or in the interview: "I am eligible for a Services Québec wage subsidy (PRIIME); the employer can check the conditions with its local office." Never present the subsidy as a sure thing: the amount and approval depend on the position and on Services Québec’s decision. Your application must first convince on your skills. Our guide to a first job without Canadian experience offers other levers.

How do you avoid unpleasant surprises?

Always check the information on the official page and note its update date: a program can close, as the apprenticeship grants did, or change its amounts. When in doubt, an employment help organization or a Services Québec office can confirm your eligibility.

The programs in this guide are applied for directly with governments or their partner organizations. Be wary of anyone who asks you for money to "get a grant" or a job: our guide to fake job postings explains how to spot these scams.

How can Postulio help?

Postulio does not apply for any grant or program on your behalf. The Premium plan adds one session with a person a month, your choice of mentoring, resume review or mock interview, which can help you prepare how to present your eligibility to an employer. Newcomers also get a dedicated path on credential equivalency, Canadian workplace norms and networking. These tools do not guarantee a job or an interview.

Sources

• Québec.ca, Manpower Training measure (opens in a new tab) — eligibility, duration, $400 and $300 weekly allowances, reimbursable costs (French page updated July 15, 2026).
• Canada Revenue Agency, line 45350, Canada training credit (opens in a new tab) — eligibility, $250 a year, $5,000 limit, half of fees (page modified January 20, 2026).
• Government of Canada, apprenticeship grants (opens in a new tab) — grants closed March 31, 2025, Canada Apprentice Loan, Employment Insurance (page modified June 23, 2026).
• ESDC, Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (opens in a new tab) — youth aged 15 to 30, program components.
• ESDC, Canada Summer Jobs (opens in a new tab) — wage subsidies for employers, youth aged 15 to 30.
• Québec.ca, Promoting yourself and finding a job (wage subsidy) (opens in a new tab) — eligibility and assistance paid to the employer (page updated February 6, 2025).
• Québec.ca, PRIIME (opens in a new tab) — eligible people, eligibility letter, employer application (in French; page updated January 27, 2026).