Youth Employment and Skills Program

Insider Tip

Individual employers should NOT try to apply to YESSP directly — the program funds intermediary organizations, not employers. Instead, search for YESS-funded organizations in your region (many are community agencies, Indigenous organizations, or employment centres) and offer to host a youth placement. These intermediaries are actively looking for quality employer partners. If you are an intermediary organization, the strongest applications demonstrate deep employer partnerships already in place and a track record of serving youth facing multiple, compounding barriers — not just any unemployed youth. The Youth with Disabilities stream has a protected 20%+ allocation, so organizations with disability employment expertise face less competition.

Rejection Pitfalls 9

• Application does not demonstrate all 5 mandatory criteria (automatic disqualification)
• Organization lacks track record in youth employment programming
• Project does not specifically target youth facing barriers — serving general youth population is insufficient

Success Profile

For intermediary organizations applying to deliver programming: established not-for-profits with 3+ years of youth employment service delivery, strong employer networks, experience serving Indigenous, racialized, or disabled youth, and presence in underserved communities. For employers hosting placements: any size, any sector, willing to provide structured mentorship and quality work experience — not just an extra pair of hands. Agriculture employers have their own dedicated AAFC stream.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications are assessed on 5 mandatory criteria (automatic disqualification if any are unmet): organizational capacity and track record in youth employment; quality of employer engagement strategy; demonstration of serving youth facing barriers (not general youth population); SMART objectives with clear performance measurement plan; and evidence of partnerships and community support. Projects targeting underrepresented demographics (Indigenous, racialized, disabled, rural, LGBTQ2+ youth) and underserved geographic areas receive additional consideration.

Application Steps

Required Documents 12

Eligible Expenses 8

• Participant wages and mandatory employment-related costs (EI, CPP, vacation pay)
• Participant support costs (living expenses, dependent care, transportation, accommodation) up to $50,000/participant
• Staff salaries for project coordination, mentoring, and case management
• Training and skills development activities for youth participants
• Administrative and overhead costs (typically capped at 15-20% of total budget)
• Disability-related accommodations (exempt from per-participant cap)
• Work placement equipment (safety gear, uniforms, criminal record checks — max $300/participant)
• Project evaluation and performance measurement activities

Ineligible Expenses 5

• Capital expenditures and land/building acquisition
• Fundraising activities or partisan political activities
• Core organizational operating costs unrelated to the funded project
• Expenses incurred before the contribution agreement is signed
• Activities that are discriminatory or violate the Canadian Charter of Rights

Intake Periods

Periodic calls for proposals — not continuous intake. The most recent Youth Focused Projects call launched October 2023, with decisions announced July 2024. Budget 2025 allocated $307.9M over two years starting FY 2026-27, so a new call is expected in 2026. The AAFC agricultural stream has separate intake windows (last opened January 2025).

Deadline Notes

YESSP (ESDC-administered) uses periodic calls for proposals, not ongoing intake. The most recent Youth Focused Projects call launched October 4, 2023, with funding decisions announced July 2024 for 200+ projects. The Strategic Collaboration stream (invitation-only) had applications due July 10, 2024. Both are currently closed. Budget 2025 allocated $307.9M over two years starting FY 2026-27, meaning a new call for proposals is expected in 2026. The AAFC agricultural stream operates separately with its own intake windows (last opened January 2025). Individual employers do NOT apply to YESSP — they connect with already-funded intermediary organizations. [Apr 2026: URL updated — URL moved from canada.ca. Youth Employment and Skills Strategy restructured.]

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• Individual employers (must partner with funded intermediaries instead)
• For-profit corporations applying as lead applicants (some streams allow as partners)
• Organizations without demonstrated experience in youth employment programming
• Quebec organizations applying for the Regional Component (must apply National only)
• Organizations proposing discriminatory programming or partisan political activities

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk