Employ PEI (Wage Subsidy)
Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read
- Scored mainly on the jobs it creates for other people. 22 lead with that.
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Wage subsidy covering up to 50% of wages (maximum $12.50/hour) for up to 20 weeks for PEI businesses hiring unemployed workers who have been out of high school for 2+ years. One of the most accessible provincial wage subsidy programs in Canada with minimal application requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
- Registered private sector businesses, organizations (including non-profits), municipalities and band/tribal councils on Prince Edward Island
- New employee must be unemployed and looking for full-time work, and legally authorized to work in Canada (Canadian citizen or permanent resident)
- Employee must have been out of high school for 2+ years
- Position must be a new addition to workforce (not replacing existing employee)
- Employer must demonstrate ability to retain employee after subsidy period
- The wage rate paid to the new employee must be within the wage range for the targeted occupation
- The application also screens for employees on layoff or awaiting recall, displacement of existing staff, a labour stoppage or dispute in progress, and union concurrence where applicable
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to 50% of wages (max $12.50/hr) for up to 20 weeks
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Provincial
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Very accessible — simple application
Below average competition
Simple — quick application
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipOne of the most accessible wage subsidies in Canada — a short form, but it needs a week-by-week training plan and a sustainability plan before SkillsPEI will assess it and fast approval.
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
How SkillsPEI judges your application
What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.
Distilled from 3 source documents on princeedwardisland.ca, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-11.
3 sources
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What SkillsPEI favours
Wage subsidy for on-the-job training of a new full-time employee◦
“An employer receives a temporary wage subsidy to provide on-the-job training for a new full-time employee.”
The form
Applicant information
- 1A - Applicant Informationshort answer
- 2A - Contact Information and Primary Contactshort answer
Screening and government history
- BB - Additional Informationyes/no + written
Is the proposed position full-time year round?; Is the proposed position full-time seasonal?; Are there any employees on layoff and/or waiting for notice of recall?; Will this proposed subsidy result in displacement of existing employees?; Is there a labour stoppage or labour management dispute in progress?; Is there union concurrence with this proposed subsidy (if applicable)?; Is there a reasonable opportunity that the proposed employee(s) be retained as part of the applicant's regular workforce after the subsidy ends?
- CC - Legal Signing Officerstable
- DD - Previous Experience with Governmentwritten answer
Please describe past agreements with the Government of Prince Edward Island and/or Federal Government (if applicable).
- EE - Amounts Owing to Government of Prince Edward Islandyes/no + written
Job and business detail
- FF - Job Description & Activities (position table)table
- F.1-2F.1-2 - Job Title and Detailed Job Descriptionwritten answer
- F.3F.3 - Description of Your Business (Company Profile)written answer
- F.4F.4 - Location of Activityshort answer
Training and sustainability
- F.5F.5 - Detailed Training Planwritten answer
- 12Sustainability Plan (supporting document)written answer
Budget
- GG - Budgettable
Declaration and signatures
- JJ - Declarationcheckbox
- KK - Organization Signaturesshort answer
SkillsPEI states no length limits for these answers.
Judged against
- 1
Will this job last after the subsidy?
Show them Show how the wage is paid once the subsidy ends and why this hire becomes part of your regular workforce.◦
In the funder’s words · 2
- Employ PEI is an employment program developed to help employers create long term employment opportunities for job seekers.
- Sustainability plan to maintain the new employee following the subsidy period.
- 2
Is this a real training position?
What to show, and the funder’s 2 criteria behind it in Premium
- 3
Do the wage and budget add up?
What to show them in Premium
- 4
Does your organization and hire qualify?
What to show, and the funder’s 1 criterion behind it in Premium
3 questions the reviewer answers about you, in Premium.
Where applicants fail
“Please note, the information requested below is required prior to the assessment of your application.”
“If the information provided in this Application is false or misleading, the Applicant may be required to repay some or all of the funding that may be approved by the Department under the Program”
“Any amounts payable to the Applicant under the Program may be set-off against any debts owed to the Government of PEI, which are in default.”
Premium · the rest of this brief
See all 7 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.
3 more criteria · 11 more prompts
Do you pass?
Each one can rule you out. Tick the ones you meet.
Your organisation
Registered business, organization, municipality or council
Registered private sector businesses; Organizations; Municipalities; Band/tribal councils.
The project
Full-time job with on-the-job training
An employer receives a temporary wage subsidy to provide on-the-job training for a new full-time employee.
Wage within occupation's wage range
The wage rate paid to the participant must be within the wage range for the targeted occupation.
Wait for approval before hiring
To be eligible for funding, you must wait for this approval before your new employee begins working.
The trainee
New hire unemployed and seeking full-time work
Unemployed and looking for full-time work;
Employee authorized to work in Canada
Legally authorized to work in Canada (Canadian citizen or permanent resident);
New hire lacks relevant work experience
If you are hiring a new employee who lacks the work experience necessary for the position, we can subsidize up to 50% of the wages to a maximum of 20 weeks.
Documents to attach
Ticks are kept on this device.
The money
Wage subsidyUp to 50%, $12.50/hour
SkillsPEI can subsidize up to 50% of the wages by making a maximum contribution of $12.50 per hour for the new employee's wages during the training period.
Maximum subsidy weeksUp to 50% for 20 weeks
If you are hiring a new employee who lacks the work experience necessary for the position, we can subsidize up to 50% of the wages to a maximum of 20 weeks.
CPP and EI costsEmployer covers CPP and EI
The Employer is responsible to cover the mandatory employment related costs including CPP, and EI.
Your shareEmployer pays the remaining wage share
If you are hiring a new employee who lacks the work experience necessary for the position, we can subsidize up to 50% of the wages to a maximum of 20 weeks.
Costs before approvalApproval needed before employee starts work
To be eligible for funding, you must wait for this approval before your new employee begins working.
What it pays for · 1
- SkillsPEI can subsidize up to 50% of the wages by making a maximum contribution of $12.50 per hour for the new employee's wages during the training period.
What it does not pay for · 1
- The Employer is responsible to cover the mandatory employment related costs including CPP, and EI.
From application to money
- Submit the applicationSubmit by email or drop-off
- Officer contacts youOfficer contacts within a few days
- Sign the agreementSign agreement before work starts
- Employee starts workEmployee starts after approval
- Claims and reportingSigning officers sign claims
In the funder’s words · 5
- Submit the application
- Submit the completed application and supporting documentation by email to [email protected] or drop-off at a SkillsPEI office.
- Officer contacts you
- A Program Officer will contact you within a few days to discuss your application.
- Sign the agreement
- The proposed project(s) will not commence until an agreement has been signed with the Government of Prince Edward Island and an agreement start date has been established.
- Employee starts work
- Once you receive confirmation that your application has been approved for the Employ PEI program, your new employee can start work.
- Claims and reporting
- Signing officers sign any payment claim form or other report submitted to SkillsPEI.
Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.
Everything you need to win Employ PEI (Wage Subsidy)
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 9-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Your Application Game Plan — the print-ready PDF the preview below describes
- 9-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 4-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 9
Eligible Expenses 2
Ineligible Expenses 7
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskHow Employ PEI (Wage Subsidy) Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employ PEI (Wage Subsidy) | Up to 50% of wages | Easy | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Canada Summer Jobs | Up to 100% wage subsidy | Easy | Reimbursement | Annual — 2026 cycle... |
| Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency ... | Up to 50% of capital costs | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Business Development Program (BDP) - ... | Varies (Repayable Contribution) | Moderate | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| PEI Small Business Investment Grant | Up to $3,750 | Easy | Reimbursement | March 31, 2027 (annual... |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Employ PEI (Wage Subsidy)