What this grant opportunity offers
Introducing the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program
The Workforce Retention and Retraining Program combines the Work-Sharing Program and the Retraining Grant (formerly the Worker Retention Grant) to help employers retain and retrain workers.
Special measures are extended to March 31, 2028, with expanded eligibility and program flexibilities. For more information visit Canada Strong: Government support programs for workers and businesses.
The Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Retraining Grant provides funding to eligible employers participating in the retention support measure of Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement. Employers can use this funding to pay for employee training and provide a weekly income top-up to workers who have reduced hours and are taking training while receiving Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.
This additional top-up support will help workers keep their income closer to their normal wages while they participate in training opportunities. It will boost their income while on Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing, increasing their income replacement rate from 55% to about 70%.
This grant will also provide up to $1,000 per eligible participant to support training and administrative costs, subject to program requirements.
On this page
Objective of this grant opportunity
The Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Retraining Grant aims to:
- support greater workforce retention while businesses retool and adapt by:
- encouraging greater use of the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program in all sectors, including businesses in high tariff-exposed sectors (for example, steel, softwood lumber, auto parts)
- helping workers maintain employment while receiving a larger proportion of their total income through receipt of a top-up to their Workforce Retention and Retraining Program benefits
- supporting employers to retain their skilled workforce to support recovery and better readiness for future business opportunities
- increasing uptake of training for workers while on Workforce Retention and Retraining Program to help improve their resiliency during an adjustment period
- creating a concrete incentive for employers to provide employees to take part in training opportunities while participating in Workforce Retention and Retraining Program to remain resilient in the labour market
Glossary
Here is a list of key terms used within this application guide.
- Active Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing Agreement
- A signed and implemented Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work Sharing agreement is considered active when a utilization report has been submitted within the last 6 weeks, and the last 6 submitted utilization reports do not all indicate 0% utilization.
- Average/Normal Weekly Earnings
- Typically, the average weekly gross earnings correspond to the regular weekly pay, before deductions. In addition to wages paid for normal and overtime hours, the weekly earnings can also include:
- regular shift premiums
- a percentage paid as vacation pay included with each pay
- commissions paid at regular intervals
- Cross-owned Affiliate
- When "one company can use or direct the assets of the other company in essentially the same way it can use its own assets. Normally, this standard will be met where there is a majority voting ownership interest (50% +1) between 2 corporations or through common ownership of 2 or more corporations."
- Employment Insurance Benefit Rate
- Please refer to the EI Regular Benefits - How much you could receive website. For the purpose of determining the initial amount of funding, we will consider the gross weekly EI benefit rate (before any garnishments are deducted or family supplements are added).
- Implementation date
- The implementation date is related to the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement, the Sunday of the week in which all members of the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program – Work-Sharing unit first experienced at least a 10% reduction in their normal work hours, as reported by the employer to ESDC.
- Implemented Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing Agreement
- A Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement is considered implemented when the employer has notified ESDC of the week in which all members of the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing unit have had a minimum 10% reduction in work.
- Training
- A course or program of instruction.
- Workforce Retention and Retraining Program employer
- Funding to eligible employers participating in the retention support measure of Work-Sharing.