Youth Employment Program

This program provides financial assistance to innovative Canadian SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) for the hiring of post-secondary graduates to work on innovation projects in these firms. In addition to meeting the needs of innovative firms, this program will facilitate the advancement of highly skilled young people within a rapidly changing labor market. The program is an initiative of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) of the Government of Canada with funds from the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development.

Firms
To be eligible for financial assistance under the Youth Employment Program, your small and medium-sized enterprise must:

• be incorporated and for-profit;
• have 500 or less full-time equivalents; and
• be ready to enhance their innovation capacity, and willing to establish a trusting relationship with IRAP.

• research and development, engineering, multi-media
• development of new products and processes
• market analysis for a new technology-based product
• business development related to science and technology activities
• improvement of customer services, etc.

• Interested firms are encouraged to contact IRAP for more information and to complete an application.
• In order to be considered for one of IRAP's Youth Employment Programs, the firm and the youth candidate must be assessed for eligibility.
• The Program will cost-share a portion of the salary costs of a youth candidate. The firm is responsible for other expenses such as benefits and overhead costs.