Government of Canada — Employment and Social Development Canada · National
Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) — DISCONTINUED 2025-03-31
About this award
DISCONTINUED 2025-03-31. The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) was a federal $1,000-per-year taxable grant for registered apprentices in Red Seal trades, with a $2,000 lifetime maximum. Closed effective March 31, 2025 — apprentices now rely on the Canada Apprentice Loan + EI benefits during technical training.
The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) was a Government of Canada cash grant for registered apprentices completing first-year and second-year levels in designated Red Seal trades. The grant paid $1,000 per year or level, with a lifetime maximum of $2,000 per person. The AIG closed on March 31, 2025 — applications and supporting documents are no longer accepted. The Government of Canada continues to support apprentices financially through (a) Employment Insurance benefits during technical training periods, (b) the Canada Apprentice Loan (up to $4,000 interest-free per training period, cumulative up to $20,000 across an apprenticeship), and (c) project funding under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy that supports apprenticeship organizations. Quebec residents are not affected by the AIG closure because Quebec was always served by AFE rather than this federal program. If you completed eligible training years before March 31, 2025 and submitted your application by that deadline, you may still receive the grant payment if your supporting documents arrive by their respective sub-deadlines. This entry is preserved for historical search context — students Googling 'Apprenticeship Incentive Grant' or 'AIG apprenticeship' deserve to land on a page that explains the program closed and points them to current alternatives.
Can you get it?
- Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident or Protected Person — citizenship requirement
- Trades — study level
- Studying red-seal-trades — field of study
How to apply
Review eligibility and gather your documents~1 hour
Read the official award page end-to-end. Confirm you meet every requirement before you start.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
If you submitted an AIG application before the March 31, 2025 deadline and your supporting documents are still in transit, you have until 12 months from your application deadline to submit them — but no later than March 31, 2026 in any case.
Contact the AIG processing line (1-866-742-3644) with your Social Insurance Number for status of any pending application.
For new apprentices starting after March 31, 2025: apply for the Canada Apprentice Loan instead — it provides substantially more dollar value ($4K/period × multiple periods, up to $20K cumulative) than the discontinued AIG ever did.
AFE Programme de prêts et bourses is your channel.