Top Funding Programs for Hiring and Training in 2025

As the saying goes, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” By investing in your workforce through hiring and training funding programs, your business is not only enhancing your team’s capabilities but also positioning your business for long-term success.

Therefore, it’s important that small businesses in Canada are aware that there are Canadian government grants available to offset hiring and training costs such as onboarding new employees and offering training to new and existing staff. These grants can help to increase and enhance an organization’s talent pool while also connecting applicants with meaningful opportunities.

Read through this blog to discover hiring and training grants that are currently available on a yearly basis across Canada to support small businesses in accessing and supporting staff.

The listed government funding programs can aid businesses in hiring or retraining staff, improving their effectiveness, and upskilling in new areas such as advanced technologies or operational processes. If you are reading this article in the future, a funding program listed below may or may not be open.

Canadian Small Business Grants for Hiring and Training

Navigating the landscape of government funding can be complex, but the benefits to your business can be of utmost importance. Stay informed about application deadlines and eligibility criteria to make the most of these funding opportunities.

1. Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ)

The Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) government funding program provides wage subsidies to employers to create quality summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30.

In 2025, the CSJ program aims to support 70,000 summer jobs across Canada. Eligible employers include not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private-sector employers with 50 or fewer full-time employees.

The application period for 2025 opened on November 19, 2024, and closed on December 19, 2024. Funding confirmations are sent out starting in April 2025, with job placements beginning as early as April 21, 2025, and ending by August 30, 2025.

2. Mitacs Accelerate Program

The Mitacs Accelerate government funding program connects businesses with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for research-based internships.

The program provides $15,000 per four- to six-month internship, with the partner organization contributing $7,500.

As of April 1, 2025, the program has been streamlined to better support postdoctoral fellows, offering up to $60,000 annually in funding. This initiative allows businesses to leverage academic expertise to address research challenges and drive innovation.

3. IRAP Youth Employment Program (YEP)

Administered by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) Youth Employment Program (YEP) provides government funding support to small and medium-sized businesses to hire young post-secondary graduates.

Eligible employers can receive up to $30,000 per graduate for a period of 6 to 12 months. The program supports roles in research and development, engineering, multimedia, market analysis, and more. To qualify, businesses must be incorporated for-profit entities with 1 to 500 employees.

4. Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG)

The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (COJG) provides direct government funding support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their employees. The grant covers up to two-thirds of the cost of training, to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee.

Employers must contribute the remaining one-third of the training costs. This program is open to private and not-for-profit sector employers in Ontario.

5. Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP)

Targeting the agricultural sector, the Youth Employment and Skills Program (YESP) provides government funding to employers to hire Canadian youth aged 15 to 30 for work experiences in agriculture. In 2025, the program opened for applications on January 27, with an investment of approximately $13.5 million.

This funding program aims to help young Canadians gain valuable work experience while supporting the growth of the agricultural community.

Learn More About Government Funding Opportunities

The Canadian government funding programs for hiring and training listed in this blog are intended for small to medium-sized businesses. If your business does not meet requirements of any given program, you can gain access to our free Canadian Startup Business Resources.

If your business is looking to get started on accessing grants for hiring and training, connect with the Ryan team to learn which grant program could fit for your business, and subscribe to our Weekly Funding Newsletter to stay updated with the latest government funding news.