If you have lost your job, or you want to move into a different line of work, most of the money for retraining in Canada comes from government, not from scholarships. It arrives in three forms:
- Income while you train. Employment Insurance (EI) can keep paying you while you attend a full-time program, if you are referred to it.
- Training grants. Every province runs programs that pay tuition and sometimes living costs for people who are unemployed or underemployed.
- Tax tools. The Canada Training Credit pays back part of your tuition, and the Lifelong Learning Plan lets you borrow from your own RRSP.
This guide covers each one: who it is for, what it pays, and what to do first. Every amount and rule below comes from the program's official page, opened in September 2026. These programs change often, so read the official page before you apply.
TL;DR
- Apply for EI first if you lost your job. Then talk to your province's employment office before you enrol in anything.
- Do not pay tuition or start a course until you are approved. Some programs will not pay for training you have already started.
- EI can keep paying during referred training, but it does not add weeks. Plan for the gap if your program is longer than your claim.
- The Canada Training Credit adds $250 a year to your limit, up to $5,000 over your life, for adults aged 26 to 65.
Quick answer: which program does what
| What you need | Program | What the official page says it gives |
|---|---|---|
| Income while you train full time | EI referred training (section 25) | Your regular EI: for most people 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to $729 a week in 2026 |
| Tuition and living costs after a layoff (Ontario) | Better Jobs Ontario | Up to $28,000 for training of 1 year or less, up to $35,000 for 1 to 2 years |
| Part of your tuition back at tax time | Canada Training Credit | $250 a year added to your limit, up to $5,000 in a lifetime |
| Short job training (BC) | StrongerBC future skills grant | Up to $3,500 for eligible short-term training |
| Short training (Northwest Territories) | Skills Development Program | Up to $26,000 for up to 52 weeks |
| Apprentice technical training | Canada Apprentice Loan | Up to $4,000 interest-free per period of technical training |
| Money from your own RRSP | Lifelong Learning Plan | Up to $10,000 a year and $20,000 in total, repaid generally within 10 years |
| Veterans | Education and Training Benefit | Up to $50,569.97 with 6 years of service, $101,139.94 with 12 |
Start here: the order matters
The costliest mistake with government training money is doing things in the wrong order. Many programs decide your funding before the course starts, not after.
- If you lost your job, apply for EI right away. Your EI claim is what a training referral is attached to, and it takes time to process.
- Book a meeting with your province's employment office. That is Employment Ontario in Ontario, a WorkBC Centre in BC, Nova Scotia Works in Nova Scotia, and so on. These offices decide provincial funding and can refer you to training while you are on EI. In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador the first step is an employment plan made with a counsellor, and Newfoundland and Labrador says that can take a few weeks.
- Do not enrol, pay tuition or start classes until you are approved in writing. Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador both say so on their program pages.
- Tell Service Canada about the training before it starts, whether or not you have a referral.
- Keep your tuition receipts and your T2202 slip. You need them for the Canada Training Credit.
Federal programs you can use in any province
EI while you train: referred training (section 25)
Going to school full time usually ends your EI, because you are no longer available for work. Section 25 of the Employment Insurance Act is the exception. If Service Canada, or an authority it designates, refers you to a course, the law treats you as available for work while you attend, and your EI can keep paying.
Canada.ca splits training into two kinds:
- Referred training. A program you have been approved to attend by Service Canada, your province or territory, or an Indigenous organization. Provinces, territories and Indigenous organizations can refer EI clients to training, including apprenticeship training.
- Non-referred training. A course you choose without that approval, such as a college course or a certification. You can take it while on EI, but you must stay capable of and available for work, keep looking for a job and be ready to change or cancel the training if you get a job offer.
Service Canada can also refer you itself. You may be eligible for that referral if you are receiving or eligible for regular EI, you are approved for a program at a designated school, you are a full-time student, you pay for the training yourself, and you are a long-tenured worker. Canada.ca defines a long-tenured worker as someone who got fewer than 36 weeks of regular benefits in the 3 years before the claim, and paid at least 30% of the annual maximum EI premiums in 7 of the last 10 years.
How much EI pays. For most people it is 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum. As of January 1, 2026, the maximum is $729 a week. You can get regular benefits for 14 to 45 weeks, depending on your insurable hours and your region's unemployment rate.
The catch. Canada.ca is plain about it: if your training lasts longer than the weeks of EI you are entitled to, no additional weeks are provided. A two-year diploma on a 30-week claim leaves a long stretch with no EI. Some provincial programs below pay a living allowance to people who are not on EI, which is one way to cover that gap.
Declare it before it starts. Service Canada asks you to declare training before the course begins. For referred training you give the name and contact details of the counsellor or authority that referred you, the start and end dates and the school. If you start before your referral is confirmed and it is not approved, you may have to pay back benefits you received.
Our award page: EI Section 25: EI while in approved training.
Canada Training Credit
The Canada Training Credit (CTC) is a refundable tax credit for adults who pay for training. Here is how the CRA page describes it:
- Each year you file a tax return, the CRA checks the criteria and, if you qualify, adds $250 to your Canada training credit limit, up to $5,000 in a lifetime. You keep building the limit even in years you claim.
- When you claim, the credit is the lesser of your limit or 50% of the eligible fees you claim on Schedule 11.
- It is refundable. If the credit is more than the tax you owe, you get the difference back.
- You must have been at least 26 and under 66 at the end of the year, a resident of Canada all year, and the fees must also be eligible for the tuition tax credit.
- Fees can go to a college, university or other post-secondary school in Canada, to a certified occupational skills school in Canada, or to certain bodies for an occupational, trade or professional exam.
Your current limit is printed on your latest notice of assessment. If a grant or an employer covered your tuition, check the CRA's eligible tuition fee rules before you claim.
Our award page: Canada Training Credit (CTC). For how it fits with the tuition credit, see our student tax credits guide.
Lifelong Learning Plan (RRSP)
The Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) lets you take money out of your RRSP to pay for training or education for you or your spouse or common-law partner, without paying tax on the withdrawal. The CRA limits are up to $10,000 in a calendar year and $20,000 in total each time you take part. You must repay it to your RRSP, generally within 10 years, and any amount you don't repay when it is due is added to your income. The student generally has to be enrolled full time.
It is a loan from your own savings, not free money, so use it after the grants.
Canada Apprentice Loan
If you are an apprentice in a designated Red Seal trade, the Canada Apprentice Loan offers up to $4,000 in interest-free loans per period of technical training. You can use it for tuition, tools, equipment and living costs, to cover lost wages, or to support your family. You make no payments and no interest builds up until you finish or leave your apprenticeship training. It is available everywhere except Quebec, which has its own support.
Our award page: Canada Apprentice Loan.
Education and Training Benefit for veterans
The Education and Training Benefit (ETB) from Veterans Affairs Canada helps pay for college, university, technical programs and shorter courses. You may qualify if you were honourably released from the Canadian Armed Forces on or after April 1, 2006 (or are in the Supplementary Reserve) and have at least 2,191 paid days of service. You have 10 years from your release to apply.
The current maximums on the Veterans Affairs rates page are $50,569.97 with 6 years of service and $101,139.94 with 12 years. Up to $6,321.24 of that can go to short courses for certifications, professional designations and personal or professional development. The benefit is taxable and paid to you directly.
Our award page: Education and Training Benefit (ETB) for Veterans.
Provincial and territorial programs
Each province pays for training differently, and each has its own door. Below are the programs we have checked, with a link to the official page for each.
Ontario
Better Jobs Ontario (formerly Second Career) pays for skills training for in-demand jobs.
- Up to $28,000 for training of 1 year or less, and up to $35,000 for programs of more than 1 year and up to 2 years.
- It can cover tuition, books, other instructional costs (student fees, supplies, electronic devices), transportation and a basic living allowance of up to $500 a week. Extra help may be available for childcare, disability supports, living away from home and language training.
- You may qualify if you were laid off and are not working, were laid off and are working a temporary job to cover costs, or were not laid off but have been unemployed for 12 weeks or longer and are in a low-income household.
- You can still apply if you get EI, Ontario Works or ODSP.
- You apply through an Employment Ontario service provider, not online. You will usually need to research at least 3 schools, including at least one public college and one career college. If you pay the tuition yourself, one school is enough.
Our Better Jobs Ontario guide walks through the application step by step.
Ontario Bridge Training Program helps internationally trained newcomers get jobs that match their training, through occupation-specific training, work placements, mentoring and exam preparation. You need to live in Ontario, have international training and work experience in a high-skilled occupation, and have language skills at Canadian Language Benchmark 6 or higher. Eligible statuses include permanent residents and naturalized citizens, among others listed on the official page. Fees may apply. The Ontario Bridging Participant Assistance Program (OBPAP) is a bursary that helps pay for bridge training.
Skills Development Fund Training Stream. You may see this Ontario program in search results. It funds organizations (employers, unions, non-profits and others) to run training projects. You cannot apply to it as an individual, and its application period is closed.
British Columbia
StrongerBC future skills grant. If you live in BC and are 19 or older, you may get up to $3,500 for eligible short-term training. Applications for 2026/27 are open. 24 public post-secondary schools will offer over 250 eligible programs, focused on sectors such as health care, construction, mining, clean technology and AI. Training may start as early as September 2026. Program listings are on EducationPlannerBC.
WorkBC Skills Training for Employment. For people in BC who are unemployed or in precarious work and need extra support to get into the job market. Programs combine skills training (occupational skills, certificates, academic upgrading) with supports such as child care, transportation, work experience and wage subsidies. Eligibility varies by program, so contact the organization running the program in your region.
Adult Upgrading Grant. For adults with financial need taking upgrading at a BC public post-secondary school, such as adult basic education or English as a second language. It helps with fees, books, supplies, transportation and unsubsidized childcare. You apply through your school's financial aid office.
Alberta
Integrated Training Program. For unemployed and under-employed adults in Alberta who are permanent residents or Canadian citizens and can commit to full-time training. Programs combine industry-recognized training, unpaid work experience and workplace essential skills. The training is at no cost to eligible Albertans, and financial help for living costs may be available depending on your situation. Start with the Employment and Training Services Directory to find an organization near you.
Saskatchewan
Education and Training Incentive (ETI). For adult learners with low incomes who are in an approved adult basic education, workforce development or skills training program and are eligible for Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) or the Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID). It pays $50 a month for single adults, $100 for families with one child and $200 for families with two or more children, on top of other income assistance. You need at least 90% attendance and satisfactory progress to keep it.
Quebec
Manpower Training measure (Mesure de formation de la main-d'œuvre). For people aged 16 or older who have been out of full-time school for at least 24 months (with some exceptions) and for whom a lack of training is a significant barrier to getting a job. Training is normally full time. Quebec.ca lists $400 a week for qualifying training and $300 a week for general education, with possible reimbursement of daycare, transportation, training and accommodation costs. Training under the measure can last up to 48 months.
PAFFARC (financial assistance for skills recognition). For people trained outside Canada who need refresher training, required by a Quebec regulatory body, to practise an eligible profession or regulated trade. The training must be in French, and you must be 18 or older. You cannot get it at the same time as EI, social assistance or the Manpower Training measure.
New Brunswick
Training and Skill Development (TSD). Grants for training or education that help you get back to work quickly. You need an employment action plan made with an employment counsellor, who decides your eligibility and how much of your tuition, books and other costs are covered. Regular post-secondary training can be funded for up to two consecutive years. Apprentices may also get a tuition rebate of $85 for every week of technical training once they pass the level exam.
Nova Scotia
Skills Development. Non-repayable funding, based on your income and your spouse's, for unemployed Nova Scotians who need new job skills. You must have a current EI claim, an EI claim that ended in the past 60 months, or insurable earnings of $2,000 or more in at least 5 of the last 10 years. You also need 36 months of labour-market attachment, or 24 months if you belong to an underrepresented group. If you are on EI you may keep getting it for the rest of your claim (the program does not add weeks). If you are not on EI, you may get a weekly living allowance. You contribute part of the cost, and Employment Nova Scotia must approve your application before training begins.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Skills Development Program. Funding for full-time post-secondary training of 12 weeks or longer, for residents who are current or past EI participants and have been out of high school for at least two years. You build an employment plan with a case manager first, which can take a few weeks. You must be approved before you start, and funding is not retroactive.
Northwest Territories
Skills Development Program. Up to $26,000 for full-time training of up to 52 weeks, including tuition (up to $7,200), a living allowance, books, child care and travel. You must live in the NWT, be 16 or older, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person. There is no deadline. Apply through your ECE Regional Service Centre.
Manitoba, PEI, Yukon and Nunavut
We have not yet checked the training programs in these four, so we do not describe them here. Canada.ca's EI and training page links to each province's and territory's training programs, and your local employment office can tell you what applies.
How the pieces fit together
- EI covers income, grants cover costs. A referral can keep your EI coming while a provincial program pays tuition. Better Jobs Ontario, for example, says you can still apply if you are on EI.
- Watch the end of your EI claim. No program adds EI weeks. If your training runs past your claim, ask the provincial office about a living allowance before you commit.
- Claim the Canada Training Credit on fees you pay. It is small but refundable, and it builds every year you file a return.
- Scholarships stack on top. Many awards for adult learners and career changers sit outside government programs. Take the 2-minute quiz to see which ones may fit you, or read our mature student funding guide and IT certification funding guide.
Sources, all opened September 2026: Canada.ca: Employment Insurance and training programs, Canada.ca: EI regular benefits, how much you could receive, Employment Insurance Act, section 25, CRA: Line 45350, Canada training credit, CRA: Participating in the Lifelong Learning Plan, Canada.ca: Canada Apprentice Loan, Veterans Affairs Canada: Education and Training Benefit and rates, Ontario: Better Jobs Ontario, Ontario Bridge Training Program, Ontario: Skills Development Fund Training Stream, WorkBC: StrongerBC future skills grant, WorkBC: Skills Training for Employment Program, StudentAid BC: Adult Upgrading Grant, Alberta: Integrated Training Program, Saskatchewan: Education and Training Incentive, Québec: Manpower Training measure, Québec: PAFFARC eligibility, New Brunswick: Training and Skill Development, Nova Scotia: Skills Development, Newfoundland and Labrador: Skills Development, Northwest Territories: Skills Development Program.