Manitoba paid work experience tax credit

The Manitoba paid work experience tax credit includes the following:

• youth work experience hiring incentive (25%, lifetime maximum $5,000)
• co-op student hiring incentive (15%, lifetime maximum $5,000)
• co-op graduate hiring incentive (15%, maximum $2,500)
• apprentice hiring incentive (15%, 20% for rural or northern early level, 25% for high school, maximum $5,000)
• journeyperson hiring incentive (15%, maximum $5,000)

Employers self-assess salary and wages for qualifying employees based on the fiscal year, as long as the employee is progressing through their co-op or apprenticeship program.

The credit is fully refundable, but it must first be applied against total taxes payable.

A corporation that is exempt under section 149 of the federal Income Tax Act is also eligible to claim this credit, except Crown corporations and other provincial government entities. Along with Schedule 384, Manitoba Paid Work Experience Tax Credit, the exempt corporation will also have to complete Schedule 5, Tax Calculation Supplementary – Corporations, and file a T2 Corporation Income Tax Return.

Youth work experience hiring incentive

You can claim this credit if you have been approved by the province to provide paid work experience to an individual who has completed an approved high school course or training program.

The credit is equal to 25% of the eligible salary and wages paid to a qualifying youth, less government assistance, up to a lifetime maximum of $5,000 per youth.

The eligible employment period of the youth must be completed by the end of the calendar year following the academic year that the youth completed the approved course.

Co-op student hiring incentive

You can claim this credit if you are an employer who provides a work placement for a student enrolled in a qualifying post-secondary co-operative education program.

The credit for each qualifying work placement is 15% of the salary and wages paid to the student for work performed mainly in Manitoba, less government assistance, to a lifetime maximum of $5,000 per student.

The credit will be nil if the student under the work placement has had five previous qualifying work placements.

Co-op graduate hiring incentive

You can claim this credit if you are an employer that has hired co-op graduates in full-time employment in Manitoba. The students must have graduated from a recognized post-secondary co-operative education program in a field related to the employment.

The credit is equal to 15% of the net salary and wages paid to the graduate, less government assistance, in each of the first two full years of employment, to a maximum of $2,500 for each year, where the employment starts within 18 months of graduation.

Apprentice hiring incentive

You can claim this credit if you are an employer who hires high-school and post-secondary apprentices in Manitoba.

The maximum amount of the credit is $5,000 per apprentice per year. The rate of salary and wages is:

• 15%
• 20% for employers of apprentices who normally reside outside of Winnipeg and whose work is performed outside of Winnipeg
• 25% for employers of high school apprentices for tax years ending after 2015

This component of the credit also covers employers eligible for the federal apprenticeship job creation tax credit, who will receive a top-up that is equal to the difference between this provincial credit and the federal credit.

Journeyperson hiring incentive

You can claim this credit if you are an employer that has hired recent graduates of apprenticeship programs in full-time employment in Manitoba. The journeyperson must have received their certificate of qualification in Canada in a field related to the employment.

The credit is equal to 15% of salary and wages paid to the journeyperson, less government assistance, in each of the first two full years of employment, up to a maximum of $5,000 for each year, where the employment starts within 18 months of certification.

Employment periods must be continuous and consecutive, but an employment period may be interrupted by a seasonal layoff of not more than three months.

Claiming the credit

File a completed Schedule 384, Manitoba Paid Work Experience Tax Credit, with the return. For more details, see the schedule.

Enter the amount of the credit you are claiming on line 622 of Schedule 5, Tax Calculation Supplementary – Corporations.

Forms and publications

• Schedule 384, Manitoba Paid Work Experience Tax Credit
• Schedule 5, Tax Calculation Supplementary – Corporations
• T2 Corporation Income Tax Return

Government partners

• Manitoba Finance – Corporation Tax Credits
• Manitoba (provincial site)