Employer guide Young Canada Works (YCW)

On this page

Section 1: General Information

About YCW

YCW provides funding to employers to create jobs for students and internships for graduates.

These programs help youth acquire skills in the heritage, arts and cultural sector, as well as develop their second language.

YCW gives youth an opportunity to develop an awareness of our country's achievements and diversity, to connect with Canadians in other regions, and to gain an awareness of the values associated with citizenship and Canadian identity, while gaining valuable work experience and skills.

Note: YCW is highly competitive; requests for funding typically exceed our available resources. If your organization is eligible, submitting an application is not a guarantee of funding nor is the percentage of funding requested.

Jobs for Students and Internships for Graduates

YCW offers two job programs:

In general, these programs offer 6 to 16 week employment opportunities that allow students to gain practical work experience and skills while earning an income. Further financial assistance may be provided to facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities.

YCW offers two internship programs:

In general, these programs offer 4 to 12 month internships that allow college and university graduates to gain advanced career-related skills to help them make the transition to the job market. Funding varies between programs. Further financial assistance may be available to facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities.

In an emergency, 24-hour, 7 days a week assistance is available through government offices that provide consular services to Canadian citizens abroad.

Objectives of YCW

YCW works with employers who propose projects that support YCW's general objectives, namely to:

  • help young Canadians gain practical work experience, develop their skills, enhance their employability, and learn more about their career options;
  • increase the pool of skilled and qualified candidates in the heritage, arts or cultural sectors and offer opportunities to work in both official languages; and
  • enhance the knowledge and appreciation of Canada's achievements and cultural heritage.

Application Process for Employers

Who can apply

To determine if your organization is eligible to apply, please read the eligibility criteria specific to each program in Section 2 for employment programs and Section 3 for internship programs.

How to apply

YCW programs are implemented through various delivery organizations. You must apply online via the YCW website to the delivery organization most appropriate to your organization’s mandate and/or project objectives. Delivery organizations are responsible for evaluating and approving applications and for administering funding.

Application status

Our goal is to issue an official notification of the funding decision within 10 weeks of the application deadline.

If your application is approved, you will receive an email confirmation from your delivery organizations with a preliminary offer. If you accept the preliminary offer, you will then gain access to the online list of candidates in order to start recruitment for your YCW position(s).

If your application is refused, you will receive a written notification from the delivery organization.

All questions, including requests for feedback on your application, should be directed to the delivery organization to which you apply.

Deadlines

Deadlines for employer applications vary from one program to another. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered for evaluation.

Program Deadline
Jobs
YCW in Heritage Organizations January 19, 2024
YCW in Both Official Languages February 3, 2022
Languages and Work Please contact the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française.
Internships
YCW at Building Careers in Heritage

January 19, 2024

Please contact your delivery organization to confirm the deadline date.

YCW at Building Careers in English and French Please contact the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française.

Employer Obligations

As a YCW employer, you must adhere to the contractual terms and conditions of the program in which you are participating. Please contact your delivery organization for more details.

Recruiting and hiring

Inclusive hiring is essential to creating a diverse workforce that reflects all Canadians. And small changes to your practices can produce big results.

Here are some tips that can help:

  1. Planning – Ask yourself how your hiring process could contribute to increasing the diversity and talent in your workforce. Take the time to identify barriers faced by members of different communities so you can use inclusive hiring practices from the start.
  2. Job Posting – Post your job ad in an accessible format that is written concisely, in plain language, and uses inclusive terminology. Try to use social media and job posting platforms to further promote the opportunity to specific communities.
  3. Interviews – Ensure that the assessment effectively measures qualifications without bias. If possible, select interviewers who represent diversity and ensure an objective, merit-based assessment. Did you know that if you hire a person with a disability, YCW can reimburse reasonable expenses associated with workplace accommodation? Contact your delivery organization as soon as your selected candidate is approved to inform them of any special accommodations that may facilitate the person's participation.

As a YCW employer, you must:

  • undertake a fair and transparent selection process (including open competitions and unbiased adjudication of eligible candidates) and respond to applicants in a timely manner (you may be required to explain your selection process in writing to your delivery organization);
  • ensure that all candidates are registered in the YCW online candidate inventory and meet program eligibility criteria (see Candidate Eligibility);
  • complete and submit an online Candidate Eligibility Form to your delivery organization for pre-approval of your candidate(s) eligibility before hiring your chosen candidate;
  • sign a contract with your delivery organization, upon approval of your candidate, detailing the YCW contribution amount, contractual terms and conditions and the timing of payments;
  • complete an online Staffing Report within the first week of employment and ensure the candidate also has completed and submitted their portion of the Report;
  • comply with applicable federal, provincial or territorial labour laws, regulations and statutes, including occupational safety standards and employment insurance or equivalent; and
  • acknowledge the Government of Canada's financial support in your promotional and media activities. Please refer to the Public Acknowledgement guidelines.

As a YCW employer for an international internship, you must also:

  • confirm the intern's legal status (visa requirements, required financial guarantees, etc.);
  • subscribe to travel updates available on the Government of Canada website, Travel Advice and Advisories;
  • provide intern placement details to your delivery organization at least two months before the intern's expected departure;
  • inform interns with dual citizenship that they must travel with Canadian documents in order to receive services from the Government of Canada while abroad; and
  • ensure that each intern registers on the Government of Canada website, Registration of Canadians Abroad, before leaving Canada.

In an emergency, 24-hour, 7 days a week assistance is available through government offices that provide consular services to Canadian citizens abroad.

Email
sos@international.gc.ca
Emergency Contact Forms
Emergency contact form on travel.gc.ca
From outside Canada:
Call the nearest embassy or consulate
Embassies and consulates by destination directory
Telephone
+1-613-996-8885 (call collect where available)
From inside Canada:
Telephone (not related to passport)
613-996-8885

1-800-387-3124 (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada only)

SMS
613-209-1233 (carrier charges may apply)
TTY
613-944-1310

1-800-394-3472 (toll-free from the U.S. and Canada only)

Candidate Eligibility

Any student or graduate intern you hire must:

  • be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada;
    Note: Non-Canadian students or graduates holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status are not eligible.
  • be legally entitled to work in Canada (have a valid social insurance number);
  • be between 16 and 30 years of age inclusively at the start of employment (between 15 and 30 years of age for the YCW in Both Official Languages program);
  • meet the specific eligibility criteria of the program to which you apply; and
  • be registered in the YCW online candidate inventory.

Students in an YCW employment program must also:

  • have registered as a high school, college, CEGEP or university student.

Graduates in an internship program must also:

  • be a graduate from college or university.

Note: Priority will be given to graduates that have not previously participated in YCW internship programs and that are unemployed or underemployed.

Training and supervision

As a YCW employer, you must:

  • provide each YCW employee with a job description, orientation and a work plan that includes specific objectives; and
  • provide training in the required job tasks.

As a YCW employer for an internship, you must:

  • establish a professional skills development plan with the YCW intern that is tailored to their needs; and
  • offer job-search support and follow-up at the end of the internship.

As a YCW employer for an international internship, you must also:

  • consult the Government of Canada website, Travel Advice and Advisories for the Country Travel Reports (including up-to-date information on safety, security, health, and visa requirements); and
  • monitor your intern's progress using electronic and telephone communications.

Salary and benefits

As a YCW employer, you must:

  • pay wages and benefits in a timely manner and in accordance with labour laws and regulations of the province/territory of the work site. Employee wages must be in line with industry standards in the region where they are working and commensurate with their training and work experience. YCW contributions are based on the actual salaries paid to employees; and
  • pay participants from payroll and make the required source deductions.

Transportation arrangements

If transportation is required for the duties related to the job, you must:

  • provide adequate insurance coverage for each YCW employee required to drive a vehicle; and
  • cover transportation costs for each YCW employee who uses authorized public transportation.

As a YCW employer for an international internship, you must:

  • provide health and travel insurance for participants while outside Canada, including coverage for repatriation for medical, or security and safety emergencies; and
  • pay a living allowance abroad sufficient to maintain an equivalent standard of living to that in Canada, based on local conditions.

Note: YCW interns must receive salary (in Canada) and a living allowance (abroad) in a timely manner, and in keeping with industry standards.

The Canada Revenue Agency considers the intern's income and supplementary benefits taxable income. Earnings in most cases are pensionable and insurable and must be declared by the interns.

Reporting and follow-up

As a YCW employer, you must:

  • keep an account of cash and in-kind contributions and expenditures;
  • ensure that you and your YCW employee(s) complete ALL of the following forms that are available online via the YCW website in a timely manner:
    • Candidate Eligibility Form (before hiring)
    • Staffing Report (due the first week of the employment period)
    • Evaluation Questionnaire (employee(s)'s portion due during the last week of employment; employer's portion due within 30 days of the last day of employment)
    • End of Work Term Report (employee(s)'s portion due during the last week of employment; employer's portion due within 30 days of the last day of employment)
  • provide any additional information or documentation that may be requested by your delivery organization (i.e. supporting payroll documentation).

Questions?

Contact your delivery organization if you have questions or need more information.

Or, call the Government of Canada's Youth Information Line:

Toll free
1-800-935-5555
TTY
1-800-926-9105

Section 2: Employment Programs

Young Canada Works offers two employment programs:

YCW in Heritage Organizations

Who can apply

To be eligible for funding, your organization must be:

  • an incorporated, non-profit organization in Canada with a heritage mandate, such as a museumFootnote 1, archive, a library, or an organization managing built heritage (heritage site)Footnote 2;
  • an educational or cultural institution that has distinct objectives, programs and budget related to heritage;
  • a non-profit organization under a provincial, territorial, regional or municipal government, that has distinct objectives, programs and budget related to heritage;
  • a professional heritage service organization; or
  • an Indigenous regional government or governing body (band/tribal council) and/or Indigenous organization with a mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage (First Nations, Inuit and Métis); and
  • stable and financially healthy.

Your organization is not eligible if it is:

  • a federal department, federal agency or a Crown Corporation;
  • a provincial or territorial government department;
  • a for-profit organization; or
  • a non-profit organization, with a heritage mandate in support of a federal entity, that is operationally dependent on the federal entity by virtue of its administrative and/or contractual relationship.

For more information about the employer eligibility criteria, please consult the Employer Selection Criteria webpage.

What objectives should your application address?

Your application should meet YCW objectives as well as the following specific program objectives that follow.

Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCWHO) helps Canadian students to acquire, through summer jobs and short-term jobs, the knowledge and skills needed to prepare for the heritage sector labour market, and to consider career choices in the heritage sector.

The specific objectives of YCWHO are:

For students:
  • help youth find short-term employment in order to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to work in the heritage sector to increase their employability;
  • provide them with opportunities to network with heritage sector professionals;
  • increase their knowledge and appreciation of significant local and national achievements and of heritage field;
  • encourage them to consider a career in a heritage field.
For the heritage sector:
  • help heritage organizations maintain their operations in key functions through the work of youth.
Repeat participants

Given the increasing demand from youth for YCWHO jobs, employers are encouraged to give priority to recruiting new participants in this program. Employers whose preferred candidate has previously participated in a YCWHO position at their organization must provide written justification to their delivery organization explaining how the new position will further develop the participant's skills and knowledge.

Note: A participant cannot be rehired more than three times by the same employer.

Government priorities

Please note that the application assessment process will take into account the following priorities:

  • Indigenous employers (eligible projects);
  • projects aimed at Indigenous participants (Indigenous or non-Indigenous employer);
  • projects focusing on Indigenous cultural heritage (Indigenous or a non-Indigenous employer); and
  • hiring youth that are part of equity-deserving groups.

For more information about the evaluation process, please contact the delivery organization to which you intend to apply.

How to apply

You must apply online via the YCW website to the delivery organization with a mandate closest to your organization's mandate or to that of the proposed job.

How much assistance is available?

YCWHO generally contributes approximately 50% of total eligible employment costs (wages, benefits and other eligible expenditures), and may, if justified, contribute a higher percentage.

During the application assessment process priority will be given to employers’ proposals that meet Government priorities to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion, including Indigenous organizations, Indigenous youth, Indigenous cultural heritage (First Nations, Inuit or Métis), ethnocultural and official language minority communities, and youth facing barriers to employment.

If you hire a person with a disability, YCWHO may reimburse a maximum of $3,000 per participant for reasonable costs related to job accommodation requirements. Additional financial support, to help remove barriers to employment, could be granted. For more information, please contact your delivery organization.

The maximum YCWHO contribution is in general $10,000 per job.

Note: YCWHO is committed to strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion and encourages employers to consider hiring youth that are facing barriers to employment. If you hire a youth that is facing barriers to employment, please communicate with your delivery organization to talk about your project.

The program may cover reasonable transportation costs (one round trip) in accordance with program policy for a participant (employee) who must travel more than 125 km between their primary residence and the YCW job work site. Please contact your delivery organization for more details.

Note: The Canada Revenue Agency considers a YCW employee's income and supplementary benefits taxable income. Earnings in most cases are pensionable and insurable and must be declared by the YCW employee.

For more information on financial assistance, please contact your delivery organization.

How will the funds be delivered?

Your selected delivery organization will evaluate your application. If your YCWHO application is approved:

  • You will receive an email confirmation with a preliminary offer from your delivery organization. If you accept the preliminary offer, your job poster will then become viewable on the YCW website for registered candidates to view and you will have access to the online list of registered candidates so you can begin your recruitment process.
  • Once you have selected a candidate, and before hiring, you and the candidate must complete an online Candidate Eligibility Form and submit it to your delivery organization for pre-approval of your candidate. Upon approval, you may officially hire the candidate.
  • Your delivery organization will then issue a contract, to be signed by both parties, detailing the contribution amount, contractual terms and conditions and the timing of payments.
    Note: If you cannot meet the terms and conditions of employment as set out in your contract, or these change, you must immediately contact your delivery organization to amend your contract.
  • Upon receipt of your signed contract and completion of the online Staffing Report by you and your YCW employee (during the first week of employment), you will receive from your delivery organization a first payment of 75% of the total approved amount.
  • The balance owing (up to 25%) will be paid upon the receipt and approval by your delivery organization of your Employer and Student End of Work Term Reports, Employer and Student Evaluation Questionnaires and other required documents, which are due within 30 days of the end of the work term. Final payments are based on the actual project costs.

Questions?

Contact your selected delivery organization if you have questions or need more information.

OR, call the Government of Canada's Youth Information Line:

Toll free
1-800-935-5555
TTY
1-800-926-9105

YCW in Both Official Languages

YCW in Both Official Languages offers two types of jobs:

  • a job in which the employee's first official language is used to foster the development of an official-language minority community (Francophone community outside of Quebec or English-speaking community within Quebec); or
  • a job offering the opportunity to practice second-language skills (including Languages at Work).

Who can apply

To be eligible for funding, your organization must be:

  • a private, public, non-profit organization, or a municipality;
  • incorporated;
  • involved in national, provincial, territorial, municipal or community activities; and
  • conducting activities in both official languages.

Your organization is not eligible if it is:

  • a federal department, federal agency or a Crown Corporation;
  • a provincial or territorial government department; and
  • not stable and financially unhealthy.

What objectives should your application address?

Your application should meet YCW objectives as well as the following Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages (YCWBOL) objectives.

To better meet the growing demand of young people for YCWBOL jobs, employers are strongly encouraged to give priority to recruiting new participants in this program.

For students:

  • explore career opportunities in both official languages;
  • gain practical work experience;
  • build professional networks in official language minority communities; and
  • discover a new region of Canada.

For the official languages sector:

  • promote the benefits of Canada's linguistic duality;
  • assist businesses and organizations in providing services in both official languages across Canada; and
  • support the development of official-language minority communities.

For the community, region and country:

  • enhance services in both official languages by businesses and organizations in various regions of the country;
  • contribute to the labour force needs of official-language minority communities; and
  • contribute to the sustainable development of official-language minority communities and help address the exodus of young people.

For more information about the employer eligibility criteria, please consult the Employer Selection Criteria webpage.

How much assistance is available?

YCWBOL may contribute up to 50% of the employment costs for youth hired by private and public sector organizations. It may contribute up to 70% for a non-profit organization.

YCWBOL will offer an allocation to help cover lodging costs to students living more than 125 km from their workplace and pay the cost of one round trip between the student's residence and workplace, in accordance with its policies. If you are considering candidates from another part of the country, telephone interviews are recommended.

If you are planning to hire a person with a disability, please notify your delivery organization upon approval of your chosen candidate regarding any special requirements to facilitate the student's participation. Reasonable costs related to job accommodation requirements may be reimbursed up to a maximum of $3,000 per participant.

The Canada Revenue Agency considers the student's income and supplementary benefits taxable income. Earnings in most cases are pensionable and insurable and must be declared by the students.

For more information on financial assistance, please contact your delivery organization.

How will the funds be delivered?

Your organization will enter into a contract with and receive payments from the appropriate delivery organization. Payments will be made once the delivery organization has received and accepted the documents required by the terms of the contract.

Languages at Work

Important: Languages at Work has special conditions. Please read carefully.

The goals of the program are to provide Canadian students with a practical job experience and a chance to practice and improve their second official language following their participation in the Explore program (bursary program offered by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC)).

Your organization is eligible if it:

  • meets YCWBOL eligibility criteria;
  • offers a practical work experience;
  • hires a young student from another part of Canada who is already in the Explore program;
  • offers guidance and orientation; and
  • is willing to hire someone who is still improving his or her second official language.

For more information, please contact the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française at 613-562-4624 or visit languagesatwork.ca.

How to apply

You must apply online via the YCW website to the delivery organization responsible for delivering the program in your province/territory.

YCW in Both Official Languages is delivered by six delivery organizations.

For more information, please contact the delivery organization to which you plan to submit your application directly.

Note: YCWHO is committed to strengthening diversity and inclusion and encourages employers to consider hiring youth that are facing barriers to employment. If you hire a youth that is facing barriers to employment, please communicate with your delivery organization to talk about your project.

Section 3: Internship Programs

Young Canada Works offers two internship programs for college and university graduates:

YCW at Building Careers in Heritage

Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (YCWBCH) helps college and university graduates to acquire advanced skills and professional experience through career-oriented internships in Canada and abroad, and to integrate into the labour market in the heritage, arts or cultural sectors.

Internships in Canada

  • In heritage fields related to the key functions of museums, archives, libraries, or heritage sites (built heritage);
  • In conservation sciences; or
  • In arts or cultural fields.

International Museology Internships

For more details on international museology internships, please communicate with the Canadian Museums Association.

Who can apply

To be eligible for funding, your organization must be:

  • an incorporated, non-profit organization in Canada with a heritage mandate, such as a museumFootnote 1, archive, library, or an organization managing built heritage (heritage site)Footnote 2, or an arts organization;
  • an educational or cultural institution that has distinct objectives, programs and budget related to heritage;
  • a non-profit organization, under a provincial, territorial, regional or municipal government, that has distinct objectives, programs and budget related to heritage;
  • a professional heritage or arts service organization; or
  • an Indigenous regional government or governing body (band/tribal council) and/or Indigenous organization with a mandate to preserve and support Indigenous heritage (First Nations, Inuit or Métis); and
  • stable and financially healthy.

Your organization is not eligible if it is:

  • a federal department, federal agency or a Crown Corporation;
  • a provincial or territorial government department;
  • a for-profit organization; or
  • a non-profit organization with a heritage or arts mandate in support of a federal entity that is operationally dependent on the federal entity by virtue of its administrative and/or a contractual relationship.

For more information about Employer Selection Criteria, please consult Internships in Canada and/or International Museology Internships.

What objectives should your application address?

Your application should meet YCW objectives as well as specific program objectives that follow.

The specific objectives of YCWBCH are:

For graduates:
  • help youth find career-oriented internships in order to acquire knowledge and specialized skills in key areas that will help their transition to the labour market in the heritage, arts or cultural sector;
  • help them integrate into the labour force in the heritage, arts or cultural sector after their internship, or pursue post-graduate studies.
For the heritage, arts and cultural sectors:
  • help heritage, arts and cultural organizations have professional human resources to maintain their operations in key functions.

Government priorities

Please note that the application assessment process will take into account the following priorities:

  • Indigenous employers (eligible projects);
  • projects aimed at Indigenous participants (Indigenous or non-Indigenous employer);
  • projects focusing on Indigenous cultural heritage (Indigenous or a non-Indigenous employer); and
  • hiring youth that are part of equity-deserving groups.

For more information on the evaluation of the applications, please contact the delivery organization to which you intend to apply.

How to apply

You must apply online via the YCW website to the delivery organization with a mandate closest to your organization's mandate or to that of the proposed project.

For internships in Canada:

  1. in heritage fields related to the key functions of museums, archives, libraries, or heritage sites (built heritage), please apply online directly to the most appropriate delivery organization:
    • Fédération des milieux documentaires (Canadian Francophone librairies and documentation centres);
    • Canadian Council of Archives (Canadian archives and related organizations or Canadian libraries operating in English);
    • Canadian Museums Association (Canadian museums and related organizations); or
    • The National Trust for Canada (Canadian built heritage sites and related organizations).
  2. in conservation sciences, please apply online directly to the Canadian Museums Association.
  3. in arts or cultural field, please apply online directly to the Cultural Human Resources Council.

For International Museology Internships:

Please apply online directly to the Canadian Museums Association.

Applications are accepted from Canadian museumsFootnote 1 and related heritage organizations which, in collaboration with a museum or related heritage organization situated outside Canada, propose a museology internship project to take place, in part or in whole, at the foreign host organization. For example, an exhibition project requiring research or on site work abroad.

How much assistance is available?

YCWBCH generally contributes approximately 50% of total eligible employment costs (wages, benefits and other eligible expenditures), and may, if justified, contribute a higher percentage.

During the application assessment process, priority will be given to employers’ proposals that meet Government priorities to strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion including Indigenous organizations, Indigenous youth, Indigenous cultural heritage (First Nations, Inuit or Métis), ethnocultural and official language minority communities, and youth facing barriers to employment.

If you hire a person with a disability, YCWBCH may reimburse a maximum of $3,000 per participant for reasonable costs related to job accommodation requirements.  Additional financial support, to help remove barriers to employment, could be granted. For more information, please contact your delivery organization.

The maximum YCWBCH contribution is in general $15,000 per internship in Canada and $17,000 for an international museum internship.

Note: YCWBCH is committed to strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion and encourages employers to consider hiring youth that are facing barriers to employment. If you hire a youth that is facing barriers to employment, please communicate with your delivery organization to talk about your project.

Participant Travel Assistance
Internships in Canada

The Program may reimburse transportation and en route accommodation costs incurred by participants who must relocate more than 125 km from their permanent residence to work at a YCW job site.

International Museology Internships

The Program will cover the cost of transportation and partial accommodation costs of a participant working abroad as stipulated in the contract between the employer and the participant.

Please contact your delivery organization for more details.

Note: The Canada Revenue Agency considers a YCW employee's income and supplementary benefits as taxable. Earnings in most cases are pensionable and insurable and must be declared by the YCW employee.

For more information on financial assistance, please contact your delivery organization.

How will the funds be delivered?

Your selected delivery organization will evaluate your application. If approved:

  • You will receive an email confirmation with a preliminary offer from your delivery organization. If you accept the preliminary offer, your job poster will then become viewable on the YCW website for registered candidates and you will have access to the online list of registered candidates so you can begin your recruitment process.
  • Once you have selected a candidate, and before hiring, you must complete and submit an online Candidate Eligibility Form to your delivery organization for pre-approval of your candidate. Upon approval, you may officially hire the candidate.
  • Your delivery organization will then issue a contract detailing the contribution amount, contractual terms and conditions and the timing of payments for signing by both parties.
    Note: If you cannot meet the terms and conditions of employment as set out in your contract, or these change, you must immediately contact your delivery organization to amend your contract.
  • Upon receipt of your signed contract and completion of the online Staffing Report by you and your YCW intern (during the first week of employment), you will receive from your delivery organization a first payment of 75% of the total approved amount.
  • The balance owing (up to 25%) will be paid upon the receipt and approval by your delivery organization of your Employer and Intern End of Work Term Reports, Employer and Intern Evaluation Questionnaires, and other required documents, which are due within 30 days of the completion of the work term. Final payments are based on the actual project costs.

Questions?

Contact your selected delivery organization if you have questions or need more information.

Or, call the Government of Canada's Youth Information Line:

Toll free
1-800-935-5555
TTY
1-800-926-9105

YCW at Building Careers in English and French (Internships in Canada)

Who can apply

To be eligible for funding, your organization must:

  • be a private, public or non-profit organization with opportunities to build advanced skills through internships;
  • be incorporated;
  • conduct activities in an official-language environment; and
  • offer internships that meet the labour market needs in linguistic duality and where workforce shortages are anticipated in official-language minority communities or to staff positions in official-language minority community media (radios and newspapers).

Eligible organizations include, but are not limited to, language schools, publishers, educational institutions, translation firms, visual and performing arts, film and video companies, and cultural and heritage organizations.

Your organization is not eligible if it is:

  • a federal department, federal agency or a Crown Corporation;
  • a provincial or territorial government department; and
  • not stable and financially healthy.

What objectives should your application address?

Your application should meet YCW general objectives as well as the following YCWBCEF specific objectives.

For graduates:

  • gain practical work experience and build advanced skills in career-related work;
  • acquire specialized skills in linguistic duality where workforce shortages are anticipated (ex., in French immersion education);
  • acquire specialized skills to meet the labour market needs of official-language minority communities (ex., in health and education) and to support rural and isolated regions;
  • enter the workforce during or at the end of the employment period; and
  • acquire specialized skills useful to meet the labour market needs of official-language minority communities.

For the official language sector:

  • help develop the knowledge economy relating to Canada's language industries;
  • support employers and host organizations in official-language minority communities; and
  • increase the pool of highly qualified youth in linguistic duality priority areas where workforce shortages are anticipated in key sectors of the labour markets related to official-languages including in community media (radios and newspapers).

For the community, region and country:

  • assist in building official-language capacity, job opportunities and opportunities for new immigrants in official-language minority communities;
  • support the sustainable development of organizations and communities; and
  • increase the pool of young Canadians able to function in both official languages in official language-related sectors.

For more information on the evaluation process, please contact the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française (FJCF).

How much assistance is available?

For internships in Canada, YCWBCEF can subsidize up to a maximum of 50% internship fees organizations in the private and public sectors and 75% internship fees for nonprofit organizations. The maximum contribution is $15,000 per internship.

For internships abroad, the maximum contribution is $13,000 per internship. YCWBCEF can subsidize up to a maximum of 75% of the internship costs, which may include salary, social security, administration, and accommodation and transportation costs.

Preference will be given to employers who offer an internship between 6 and 12 months. Your organization will be expected to demonstrate its commitment to the project by providing a contribution equal to or greater than that of the Government of Canada through cash and in-kind contributions.

If you are planning to hire a person with a disability, please notify your delivery organization, upon approval of your chosen candidate regarding any special requirements to facilitate the intern's participation. Reasonable costs related to job accommodation requirements may be reimbursed up to a maximum of $3,000 per participant.

The Canada Revenue Agency considers the student's income and supplementary benefits taxable income. Earnings in most cases are pensionable and insurable and must be declared by the students.

For more information on financial assistance, please contact your delivery organization.

How will the funds be delivered?

You will enter into a contract with and receive payment from the Fédération de la jeunesse canadienne-française (FJCF). Payments for approved positions will be sent when the FJCF receives and accepts the required reporting forms.

How to apply

Go to the YCW website and submit your application online directly to the FJCF.

Page details

Date modified: