Program
Federal
Active
Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program
Employment and Social Development Canada
Maximum Funding
Varies
Ongoing
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Not Applicable
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
Varies
Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program offers funding that varies by project. Supports skills development and employment training for Indigenous peoples through funding agreements with Indigenous service delivery organizations across Canada. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Eligibility check
Can you win this grant?
Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.
Takes about 20 seconds. We use this program’s real eligibility rules.
Want your full match picture across 850+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Free
Program Description
Supports skills development and employment training for Indigenous peoples through funding agreements with Indigenous service delivery organizations across Canada.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be an Indigenous organization or Indigenous community entity (First Nation, Inuit, or Métis)
- Organization must be mandated to deliver employment and skills training services to Indigenous individuals
- Must have an established service delivery capacity and community presence
- Funding is provided through multi-year agreements, not one-time project grants
- Indigenous individuals seeking personal training must access services through a funded ISET agreement holder, not apply directly
Provinces
Industries
Business Stage
Quick Assessment
Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Varies
First-Timer
Friendly
Funding Details
- Amount
- Varies
- Type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- Ongoing
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Competition
Varies
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
Premium
See your real odds on this program — and exactly what it takes to win it.
What's in this Playbook
Everything you need to win Indigenous Skills and Employment Training ...
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 5 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
$19 covers this one program. $39/mo covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Premium
Insider TipThis is NOT a program businesses apply to directly.
Premium
See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.
Rejection Pitfalls 5
- Business or non-Indigenous organization applies directly to ESDC — ISET is only for designated Indigenous service delivery organizations
+4 more pitfalls
Premium
See the most common reasons applications get rejected — before you submit yours.
Success Profile
Premium
See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.
Evaluation Criteria
Premium
See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Don’t lose this one to a preventable rejection
5 reasons applications get rejected, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
Paid grant writers quote $2,000–$5,000 per program. Premium covers all 850+ for $39/mo.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Premium
5 steps
Application Steps
1
Find your local ISET agreement holder Visit canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/indigenous-skills-employment-training/service-delivery-organizations.html and search by province/territory. Note: First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban/non-affiliated organizations serve different client populations — find the one covering your location and identity.
Eligible Expenses 8
Ineligible Expenses 5
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Premium
Get the step-by-step application guide — documents, timeline, and what to prepare.
Applying for Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Premium
3 partners
Compatible Programs
Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF)
Employment Insurance Part II
Provincial/territorial training programs
Combined Funding Potential
See your total funding potential
Clawback Risk
Low Risk
Premium
See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.
How Indigenous Skills and Employment Training ... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
Free
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indigenous Skills and Employment Trai... | Varies | Moderate | Not Applicable | Ongoing |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
| Investissement Québec — Project Finan... | Varies | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Export Development Canada (EDC) Finan... | Varies | Easy | Equity | Ongoing |
| Canadian Northern Economic Developmen... | Varies | Moderate | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Main EOI for 2026-27... |
Related Programs
Other programs you might be eligible for
Free
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Indigenous Skills and Employment Training ...
Free
Can non-Indigenous organizations apply?
No. Only Indigenous organizations (First Nation, Inuit, Métis) or Indigenous community entities with mandated employment training roles qualify. Non-Indigenous groups applying directly get rejected immediately.
Do I need to be Indigenous to get training?
Yes. Individual clients must be Indigenous (self-identification required) and connect to the agreement holder's catchment area. Non-Indigenous people cannot access services directly.
How do employers get wage subsidies?
Contact your local ISET agreement holder directly. They offer wage subsidies to employers hiring Indigenous workers — no direct application to ESDC. Search 'ISET agreement holders' + your province on ESDC site.
Can I stack ISET with other programs?
Yes. ISET agreement holders routinely stack with provincial training grants and SPF. Employers can combine ISET wage subsidies with EI Part II and other employer supports.
Why do individual applications get rejected?
Common reasons: not Indigenous, not connected to the agreement holder's service area, or requesting ineligible services (e.g., non-employment training).
Browse More Funding
Full Playbook: Indigenous Skills and Employment Training ...
5 steps · reviewer insights