The federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit is 10% of an apprentice’s wages, up to $2,000 a year, in their first two years. In Ontario, the Achievement Incentive adds milestone payments: a first-year apprentice under 25 comes to up to $15,000 in total.
A first-year apprentice, by province
| Where | Gets | From |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | up to $15,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit + Ontario Achievement Incentive |
| Quebec | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| British Columbia | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Alberta | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Manitoba | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Saskatchewan | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Nova Scotia | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| New Brunswick | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Prince Edward Island | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Yukon | up to $28,288 | Yukon Staffing UP + Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Northwest Territories | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
| Nunavut | $4,000 | Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit |
A Red Seal trade, under 25, $20.00 an hour, 40 h a week, kept on for two years. The Build Canada Apprenticeship Service (up to $10,000, announced September 18, 2026) is not counted until it opens.
Hiring money is one corner of it. What else does your business qualify for?
Grants, tax credits and loans are matched on your business, not on who you hire. The eligibility map checks 850+ programs and ranks what fits.
Questions owners ask
How much is the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit?
10% of eligible salaries, up to $2,000 per apprentice per year, for the apprentice’s first two years in a prescribed Red Seal trade. It is a non-refundable credit, so it helps an employer that pays federal income tax.
Can I claim the credit and the Ontario Achievement Incentive together?
Yes. The Achievement Incentive is a milestone grant, not a wage subsidy, so it does not reduce the wages the tax credit is worked out on.
The full calculator checks all 32 hiring programmes at once: hiring subsidy calculator.