Hiring Youth
Small businesses play a key role in providing young people with early and practical work experience. CFIB’s research finds that while many of you want to hire youth, you face ongoing challenges related to labour costs, skills readiness, and the complexity of available hiring supports.
Government programs intended to support youth hiring exist across Canada, but access varies significantly by province and territory. In some regions, there are no direct financial incentives for small businesses hiring youth, while in others, supports are time limited, capped, or limited to specific groups such as co op students or seasonal workers.
Tips for attracting and retaining young workers
Use job postings to clarify expectations
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Clearly describe day to day tasks, hours, and required availability.
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Limit work experience requirements to what is truly necessary for the role to allow youth with little to no work experience feel empowered to apply.
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Highlight training, supervision, or skill building opportunities where applicable as young workers tend to be attracted to work experience that strengthens their skills and abilities for their career growth.
Expand recruitment channels
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Post jobs through online platforms commonly used by younger workers such as Indeed or advertise them on social media.
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Share opportunities with your local schools, colleges, universities, and community employment organizations.
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Use referrals and local networks to locate motivated youth in your community to work for your company
Explore structured work based learning options
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See if co op placements, internships, and other work-integrated learning programs can help you address short term labour needs while building longer term talent.
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Connect with educational institutions near you. See what they have on offer. These programs may reduce recruitment and onboarding time and allow you to test or assess a young worker before seeking to hire them full time or on an ongoing basis.
Financial supports for hiring youth
Financial supports for hiring young workers vary by province and territory and include:
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Wage subsidies that cover a portion of hourly wages for a defined period
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Refundable tax credits tied to co op placements, recent graduates, or young workers during training periods.
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Targeted hiring programs for students, first time workers, or individuals with limited work experience that support with all hiring costs.
Keep in mind:
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Many programs are application based and subject to caps or annual funding limits.
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Eligibility rules can depend on business size, industry, hours worked, or worker status.
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Some regions currently offer no provincial financial incentives for small businesses hiring youth and rely on federal programs.
Businesses should review provincial and territorial program details carefully and confirm deadlines, documentation requirements, and eligibility before hiring.
Existing regional supports as of May 2026:
| Province | Program | Type of Support | What it Offers | Notes |
| BC | No provincial financial incentive for small businesses hiring youth workers | |||
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AB |
Alberta Youth Employment Incentive | Wage subsidy/grant | Up to $7,500 per employer (based on hours and number of youth hired) | First-come, first-serve system; new program, effectiveness not yet assessed. Only available for new hires. |
| SK | No provincial financial incentive for small businesses hiring youth workers | |||
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Paid Work Experience Tax Credits - Co-op Student Hiring Incentive | Refundable tax credit | 15% of wages, up to $5,000 per co-op student | Student must be in registered co-op program |
| Co-op Graduate Hiring Incentive | Refundable tax credit | 15% of wages, lifetime max. $5,000 per graduate | Applies only after graduation | |
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Ontario Co-operative Education Tax Credit | Refundable tax credit | 25-30% of wages (30% for small businesses), max. $3,000 per placement | Must hire students from eligible post-secondary co-op programs |
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Co-op & Internship Placement Credits | Refundable tax credit | up to ~40% of eligible student wages (subject to caps) | Institutional approval required |
| NB | No provincial financial incentive for small businesses hiring youth workers | |||
NS |
Co-op Education Incentive (CO-OP) | Wage subsidy | $8/hour $9.50 for designated groups), reimbursed up to 640 hours | Set application windows; hourly caps |
PE |
Jobs for Youth/Post-Secondary Student Programs | Wage subsidy | 50% of provincial minimum wage + 4% vacation pay | Summer only; students must return to school |
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Small Enterprise Co-op Placement Assistance Program (SECPAP) | Wage subsidy | Subsidizes wages for SMEs hiring co-op students | Small business specific subsidies to encourage youth to work for SMEs and for small businesses to gain access to co-op students |
| JobsNL Wage Subsidy | Wage subsidy | Offsets salary costs (60-80%) to help create new positions, especially for individuals who lack work experience | Targeted to create long-term or seasonal jobs; 42 weeks employment period or 10- to 28-week employment period | |
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Student Training and Employment Program (STEP) | Wage subsidy | Subsidizes $8.25 per hour to a maximum of 60 hours between May 1 and Sept. 1 | Seasonal and application based |
| Yukon Business Incentive Program - Youth Labour Rebate | Wage rebate | ~15% rebate on gross wages for hiring Yukon youth (ages 16-24), including students | Application based; applies only to firms working on Government of Yukon contracts | |
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NWT |
Wage Subsidy Program | Wage subsidy | Wage subsidies up to $30,000 for hiring NWT residents with limited experiences, plus up to $500 for equipment | Accessible year round; businesses must apply within three months of the position starting |
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Training Assistance Program (TAP) | Wage subsidy | Provides 50% of the trainee's wage up to a maximum of 40 hours per week | Helps SMEs hire and train unemployed/under skilled workers, including youth |
Existing federal programs that support employers with youth hiring include:
Student work placement program - This program helps employers offset the cost of hiring post-secondary students by providing wage subsidies for paid co-ops, internships, practicums, and other work-integrated learning placements related to a student’s field of study.
Canada Summer Jobs program - Canada Summer Jobs helps employers hire young people for summer positions by providing wage subsidies to offset the cost of employing youth aged 15–30.
More information on hiring and retaining employees can be found in CFIB’s HRNow! For small business. CFIB members can also contact our Business Advisors at 1-833-568-2342 or cfib@cfib.ca with any questions.
Not a member? Join today to access help, resources, and discounts.
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