About the program

Employers can apply for funding for projects that give work experience to unemployed Ontarians, help their community and benefit their local economy.

Job seekers, also known as participants, can work on projects that:

  • add recent work experience to their resume
  • develop or enhance employable skills
  • increase their chances of finding long-term employment

Apply to be an employer

Employers can apply for funding for projects that give work experience to unemployed Ontarians, help their community and benefit their local economy.

Eligible employers

Eligible employers, also known as sponsors, include:

  • not-for-profit organizations
  • municipalities
  • Indigenous councils, institutions, and organizations
  • public health and educational institutions
  • businesses

Project requirements

Employers can apply for funding for a project that meets all the following requirements:

  • participants must gain meaningful work experience
  • project activities must not be part of the organization’s normal operations
  • activities must have a defined start and end date
  • projects must not be longer than 52 weeks

How employers apply

Employers must complete an online sponsor application to apply for Ontario Job Creation Partnerships funding.

If you need help completing your application, please refer to the sponsor application guide or contact us.

Apply to be a participant

Job seekers, also known as participants, can apply to the program to:

  • add recent work experience to their resume
  • develop or enhance employable skills
  • increase their chances of finding long-term employment

Eligible participants

Eligible participants must:

  • be a resident of Ontario
  • be unemployed
  • be legally authorized to work in Canada
  • meet at least 1 of the following criteria:
    • have an active employment insurance (EI) claim
    • have an EI benefit period that ended within the past 5 years
    • have paid employee premiums in at least three of the previous 10 years (where earnings have been at least $2,000 in each of those years)
    • received the employment insurance emergency response benefit within the previous 60 months

How participants apply

Follow these steps to apply to become an Ontario Job Creation Partnerships participant:

  1. Request an appointment with a service provider online or contact Employment Ontario.
  2. Your employment service provider will help you develop a plan that outlines your skills, career interests and the services needed to help reach your goals.
  3. Your employment service provider will identify suitable Ontario Job Creation Partnerships opportunities available in your community.
  4. If opportunities are available, your employment service provider will supply an application form to complete.

How participants are paid

Eligible participants will be paid through either:

  • Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
  • financial assistance from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

Contact us

For more information on Ontario Job Creation Partnerships, contact Employment Ontario, Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm ET: