Youth Employment and Skills Strategy – Funding programs

The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) is a Government of Canada initiative delivered by various federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations. The Strategy supports diverse youth (aged 15 to 30) to become job-ready. It provides youth, including those who face barriers to employment, with work experience, training, skills development and wraparound supports that allow them to successfully transition into diverse sectors of the labour market. Through its wide range of programs, the Strategy invests in young people to build a strong Canadian economy while supporting those who may struggle to get ahead.

Learn about and apply to YESS funding programs

Title	I am an…	Funding intake happens…	Size of Employer…	Programs that support…	Programs with a focus on…	Type of opportunities…	Description
Canada Summer Jobs	audience_employeraudience_serving	frequency_annually	size_under50	support_youthsupport_barrierssupport_indigenoussupport_newcomersupport_studentsupport_postsecondary		opportunity_summer	Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) helps youth develop and improve their skills through quality summer jobs. CSJ provides wage subsidies to employers, from not-for-profit organizations and the public sector, as well as private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees.
Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Program	audience_employeraudience_servingaudience_youth	frequency_few	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_barrierssupport_indigenoussupport_newcomersupport_studentsupport_postsecondary			ESDC’s YESS Program provides funding to organizations to deliver a wide variety of activities that help youth reach their employment goals, with a focus on those furthest from opportunity.
International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)	audience_employeraudience_serving	frequency_few	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_barrierssupport_indigenoussupport_studentsupport_postsecondary	focus_international		The IYIP gives Canadian youth, especially those facing barriers to employment, opportunities to gain professional experience abroad in the field of international development.
First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy - Skills Link Program	audience_employeraudience_serving	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_indigenous		opportunity_summer	The First Nations and Inuit Skills Link Program helps First Nations and Inuit youth gain essential employment skills, learn about job and career options, and prepare for employment and career development.
First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy -Summer Work Experience Program	audience_employeraudience_serving	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_indigenoussupport_student		opportunity_summer	The First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program gives First Nations and Inuit students summer job opportunities. These opportunities allow them to gain work experience, develop important employability skills, prepare for full-time employment and earn income to support post-secondary education.
Computers for Schools Internship (CFSI)	audience_youth	frequency_few		support_youthsupport_indigenoussupport_newcomersupport_studentsupport_postsecondary	focus_stim		The CFSI seeks to enhance the employability and marketability of youth through paid, practical internships where they can develop expertise and the skills needed to actively participate in the digital economy
Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y) Program	audience_employeraudience_servingaudience_youth	frequency_few	size_under50size_under500	support_youthsupport_postsecondary	focus_stim		DS4Y connects underemployed post-secondary graduates with small businesses and not-for-profit organizations where they can gain meaningful work experience building the digital skills needed for the digital economy.
Science and Technology Internship Program (STIP) - Green Jobs	audience_employeraudience_youth	frequency_few	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_barrierssupport_indigenoussupport_newcomersupport_studentsupport_postsecondary	focus_stimfocus_greenfocus_agriculture		The STIP - Green Jobs funds employers to hire and mentor youth for green jobs and STEM positions in the natural resources sector, including in energy, forest, mining, earth sciences, and clean technology.
Housing Internship for Indigenous Youth (HIIY)	audience_employeraudience_serving	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_indigenous	focus_housing		CMHC’s HIIY program provides wage subsidies to organizations and businesses in the housing sector to hire Indigenous youth for internship positions.
Science Horizons Youth Internship Program	audience_employeraudience_servingaudience_youth	frequency_few	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_postsecondary	focus_stimfocus_green		Science Horizons provides wage subsidies to eligible employers across Canada to hire recent university, college and polytechnic graduates for 4 to 12 month long internships in the environmental science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors.
Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)	audience_employer	frequency_continuously	size_under50size_under500	support_youthsupport_postsecondary	focus_stim		IRAP provides financial assistance to technologically innovative Canadian small-medium enterprises to help fund job opportunities for post-secondary graduates.
Youth Experience Employment Program	audience_employeraudience_youth	frequency_continuously	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_indigenoussupport_newcomersupport_studentsupport_postsecondary	focus_greenfocus_agriculture	opportunity_summer	Parks Canada's Youth Experience Employment Program helps youth facing barriers gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition into the labour market, while preserving national parks, historical sites and marine conservation areas.
Official language job opportunities	audience_employeraudience_youth	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_student		opportunity_languageopportunity_summer	YCWBOL offers short-term jobs to youth aged 15 to 30 to gain work experience and improve their second official language or use their first official language while working for an employer from an official language minority community. The YCWBOL Languages and Work initiative helps youth who have completed the Explore program to continue learning their second language in a professional environment.
Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage	audience_employeraudience_youth	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_postsecondary	focus_culture		YCWBCH offers two types of paid internships (internships in Canada and international internships in museology), to college or university graduates aged 16 to 30 years old. YCWBCH program helps youth acquire professional skills and begin a career in the heritage, arts, or cultural sectors.
Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations	audience_employeraudience_youth	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_student	focus_culture	opportunity_summer	YCWHO offers short-term employment opportunities for students aged 16-30. Employers benefit from wage subsidies to create jobs. The work experiences will offer youth the opportunity to improve employment skills while acquiring practical knowledge in the heritage fields such as museums, archives, libraries etc.
Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP)	audience_employer	frequency_annually	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_youthsupport_barrierssupport_indigenoussupport_newcomersupport_studentsupport_postsecondary	focus_agriculture		AAFC'S YESP funds job opportunities to help youth gain valuable work-related skills and experience by providing wage subsidies to encourage the creation of jobs in the agricultural sector.
Settlement Program	audience_employeraudience_servingaudience_youth	frequency_few	size_under50size_under500size_over500	support_newcomer			The Settlement Program provides funding to organizations for projects designed to meet the unique needs of newcomer youth aged 15-30 through employment-related services with wrap-around supports.

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2026-05-20