Apprenticeship in Saskatchewan

CLAC Frank Kooger Apprenticeship Award

Each year, CLAC distributes several awards to apprentices in the construction trades who strive to excel and who are dedicated to becoming journeypersons in their trades. One award is for apprentices who have completed at least their second block of apprenticeship trades school, while the other is for apprentices who have competed in a Skills Canada provincial or national competition.

Learn more and apply

Government of Canada Apprenticeship Incentive Grant

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant AIG) is a taxable cash grant of $1,000 per year or level, for a lifetime maximum amount of $2,000 per person. The deadline to apply is June 30 of the year after you complete the first and/or second year or level.

Government of Canada Apprenticeship Completion Grant

The Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG) is a one-time taxable cash grant with a lifetime amount of $2,000 per registered apprentice who completes their apprenticeship training and obtains their journeyperson certification. The deadline to apply is June 30 of the year after you complete your apprenticeship and receive your journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade.

Government of Canada Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women (AIGW) was announced in 2018 to further support women in entering, progressing, and completing their training in the Red Seal trades. This is a taxable cash grant for $3,000 per year up to a lifetime maximum of $6,000 per person. The deadline to apply is 12 months following your date of progression, but if you progressed in 2018, your deadline is June 30, 2019.

Saskatchewan Apprenticeship Training Allowance (ATA)

As an apprentice, you may be eligible to receive Employment Insurance (EI) while attending apprenticeship technical training. You must apply for Employment Insurance online at Service Canada. 

Apply immediately after your last day of work. Your claim Start Date is the day you apply online. You do not need your Record of Employment to start your claim process.

In addition, you may be eligible to receive an Apprenticeship Training Allowance providing:

• you apply for, and are eligible to collect, Employment Insurance; are currently receiving Employment Insurance; or are deemed an “Insured Participant” by Employment Insurance officials (which means you don’t have enough hours to start a new EI claim, but you have been on EI within the last three years).
• you are required to maintain a second residence at the location of training, at additional cost; and
• your home residence is 50 kilometres or more away from the training location.

For the purposes of attending technical training, the rate for apprentices whose principal or secondary residence is located in the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District will receive $175 per week. In all other cases, $125 per week applies.

To apply for an Apprenticeship Training Allowance, complete the Training Allowance application through your MyATC account. For further help with the Apprenticeship Training Allowance application, log in to your MyATC account and visit the MyATC Knowledge Centre.

Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) Industry Scholarships

Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) Industry Scholarships are valued at $1,000 and awarded to selected, eligible high school graduates throughout the province who have completed the SYA program and will be pursuing a career in the skilled trades. Students are nominated for SYA Industry Scholarships each April by selected provincial high schools.

To qualify for the scholarship, both the high school and the student must participate in the SYA program.

The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) awards approximately 100 scholarships each year. Nomination forms are sent to schools, who are asked to nominate one SYA graduate. The graduate's achievements and dedication to pursuing a career in the skilled trades are considered as scholarship recipients are chosen. The scholarship certificates will be made available for presentation at the graduation ceremony or other event.

Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit

The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit (AJCTC) is a nonrefundable investment tax credit (ITC) equal to 10% of the eligible salaries and wages payable to eligible apprentices in respect of employment after May 1, 2006. The maximum credit an employer can claim is $2,000 per year for each eligible apprentice. If your business hires an eligible apprentice, you qualify to claim the credit.

An eligible apprentice is someone who is working in a prescribed trade in the first two years of their apprenticeship contract. This contract must be registered with a federal, provincial, or territorial government under an apprenticeship program designed to certify or license individuals in the trade.

Tool reimbursement or allowance

If you reimburse or provide an allowance to your employees to offset the cost of tools that they need for their job or you pay for their tools, the amount of the payment is a taxable benefit and should be included in the employees' income.

When employed tradespersons (including apprentice mechanics) file their income tax and benefit return, they may be able to deduct part of the cost of eligible tools they bought to earn employment income as a tradesperson.