First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program
This program provides youth with summer employment opportunities where they can gain work experience and develop important employability skills.
Funding is provided to eligible First Nations and Inuit communities, governments and organizations, as well as not-for-profit associations, private sector employers and schools and employers who then provide activities for First Nations and Inuit secondary and post-secondary students.
Offered by Indigenous Services Canada
Amount
Not-for-profit organizations: up to 100% of wage costs and mandatory employment-related costs; private sector employers: up to 50% of wage costs and mandatory employment-related costs
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Who can apply
Eligible recipients are:
- First Nations and Inuit communities
- Governments and organizations
- First Nations schools or federal schools on reserve
- First Nations and Inuit governments and organizations
- Not-for-profit associations
- Private sector employers
Eligible recipients may offer employment opportunities directly to youth or enter into agreements with private sector and non-profit sector employers to access employment opportunities for youth.
Not-for-profit organizations and private sector employers based in Canada may be eligible for direct funding for activities that provide opportunities for eligible First Nations and Inuit youth in Canada and fall within the national program guidelines.
- Eligible participants
Eligible participants include:
- First Nations secondary and post-secondary students ordinarily resident on reserve, in recognized communities or on community lands, such as an approved settlement on Crown land
- Inuit secondary and post-secondary students who are residents in Canada but reside outside their territory and are no longer eligible to be funded by their territory
- Since territorial governments are the primary service providers for Inuit youth who reside on their territory, youth must provide proof that they are ineligible to receive funding from their territorial government to participate in eligible Summer Work Experience Program activities
Eligible youth must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Youth refers to persons aged 15 to 30 years at the start of the program's activities.
Eligible youth must be a secondary or post-secondary student in a recognized educational institution and be returning to studies in the next academic session.
About the funding
Not-for-profit organizations may be eligible to receive funding to cover up to 100% of wage costs and mandatory employment-related costs.
Private sector employers may be eligible to receive funding to cover funding up to 50% of wage costs and mandatory employment-related costs.
The maximum amount of funding given to a funding recipient in a fiscal year is set out in the funding agreement signed by the funding recipient.
Transfer payments to funding recipients of the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy Summer Work Experience Program will be made using fixed contribution, however set contribution may be used if the recipient so wishes.
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The recipient will determine the wage rate for participants. It must be at or above the applicable provincial or territorial minimum wage.
Eligible expenditures include:
- Participant wage costs that meet or exceed the applicable minimum wage in the province or territory where the work placement occurs and Mandatory Employment-Related Costs. Mandatory Employment-Related Costs including the gross employee share of the Canada Pension Plan, Quebec Pension Plan, employment insurance, vacation pay, Worker's Compensation Benefits or Commission de la santé et de la Sécurité du travail and where applicable, health insurance premiums:
- The non-profit sector is eligible to receive a contribution of up to 100% of the applicable minimum wage, plus Mandatory Employment-Related Costs. The private sector is eligible to receive up to 50% of the applicable minimum wage only
- All employers are eligible to apply for 100% of the wage and Mandatory Employment-Related Costs when a participant with disabilities is hired. In addition, a maximum contribution of $3,000 per participant with disabilities may be available, on an actual cost basis, for special equipment and facilities to accommodate participant needs
- Other necessary costs directly related to a work placement including, but not limited to, a criminal record check, uniforms and other office attire required by the workplace for participants and personal protective equipment such as work boots or safety hats up to a maximum of $300 per participant
Administration costs for direct recipients must not exceed 15% of the sub-total amount requested before administration costs. The data collection instrument will automatically calculate the amount.
Eligible administration costs include, but are not limited to:
- office or general expenses of the recipient organization
- materials and supplies
- advertising specific to promotion of First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy program delivery
- communication and printing costs
- professional services
Further distribution of funds by Indigenous Services Canada 's funding recipients
When a funding recipient further transfers funds that they received under this program to a third party the 15% allowed for administration costs must be divided between the parties, as agreed to between the parties.
The total administration costs retained by all parties must not exceed 15% of the sub-total amount requested before administration costs.
Similar programs
| Program | Type | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Summer Jobs Program | Subsidy | No fixed amount | Open |
| ESDC Student Work Placement Program | Subsidy | Up to $5,000 for every opportunity offered to a student through the program | Open |
| NRC IRAP Youth Employment Program (YEP) | Subsidy | No fixed amount | Open |
| Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages (employers) | Grant, Subsidy | Up to 50% of the costs associated with hiring a youth participant in a public or private sector organization, and up to 70% in a not-for-profit organization | Open |
