Government of Ontario — Employment Ontario · Provincial
Better Jobs Ontario (formerly Second Career)
About this award
Up to $28,000 (1-year programs) or $35,000 (2-year programs) for unemployed and underemployed Ontarians retraining for in-demand jobs. Covers tuition, books, transportation, dependent care, and basic living allowance. Includes micro-credential programs. Successor to Second Career.
Better Jobs Ontario is the Province of Ontario's flagship retraining grant for unemployed and underemployed workers — the successor to the prior Second Career program with broader eligibility and higher funding. The program funds skills training for in-demand jobs and provides financial support during training: up to $28,000 for programs of 1 year or less in duration, and up to $35,000 for programs that are more than 1 year and up to 2 years. Better Jobs Ontario explicitly funds two distinct training durations: short-term programs of 52 weeks or less (including micro-credential programs — making this a key bridge for IT certifications, healthcare bridging programs, and other rapid-deploy training) AND longer-duration programs of up to 2 years (including college diplomas and applied-degree programs). The funding can cover tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies, transportation, dependent care during training, and a basic living allowance for the duration of the program. Better Jobs Ontario operates through Employment Ontario service-delivery partners — applicants don't apply directly to the province; they go through a network of community-based agencies, colleges, and employment counsellors who do the intake assessment, build the training plan, and submit it to Better Jobs Ontario for approval.
Can you get it?
- Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident or Protected Person — citizenship requirement
- All, Trades, Professional, Certificate, Career Changer — study level
- Resident of ON — provincial eligibility
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.
Collect reference letters2 weeks
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice and share your résumé.
Submit by No deadline~1 hour
Double-check every field, save a copy, and submit at least 24 hours early.
More details
Find your nearest Employment Ontario service provider and book an intake interview — the program intake is the gateway, not the website.
The intake counsellor will help you assess whether your target training is on the in-demand list, model what the funding covers in your specific case, and submit the application package.
The micro-credential funding pathway is under-utilised — if you are pursuing an AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud, or industry certification, this is the program you want.
it's modest and may not fully replace pre-layoff income, so combine with EI benefits if you're eligible.
The application path is different from federal Canada Apprentice Loan + EI; for Ontario residents in retraining, Better Jobs Ontario is the primary stack.