CASP | FAQs

How many first-year apprentices can I get funding for?

Up to four first-year apprentices. The incentive is available after the date you sign a CASP agreement.

Two first-year apprentices can be hired between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.
An additional two first-year apprentices can be hired between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.

What happens if I sign a CASP agreement and I don’t end up hiring a new first-year apprentice?

Nothing. You are under no obligation to hire a new first-year apprentice. You simply won’t be eligible for the financial incentives.

Are there any restrictions on how my company uses the money?

No.

My company has separate operating divisions. Can each division access the funding?

Yes, as long as each division has a separate Business Registration Number with the Canada Revenue Agency, has 499 employees or less, and is an approved sponsor for apprentices with the applicable provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority.

How do I determine if an apprentice is a member of one of the six equity deserving groups?

You may ask the individual if she or he wishes to voluntarily self-identify as one or more of the six equity deserving groups as defined by the Government of Canada:

Women
Indigenous people
Newcomer to Canada
persons with disability
visible minorities
LGBTQ2+

The decision to self-identify is up to the individual apprentice and they may decline. You may not force an individual to self-identify, nor may you assume the individual is part of one of these groups for the purposes of the additional inventive.

Learn more at Employment Equity Act: Annual Report 2021 - Canada.ca.

When do I receive my funding?

Once the following four conditions are met:

Your company signed a CASP agreement
You have hired and registered a new first year apprentice
You have submitted a New Hire Notification Checklist (Appendix B of the CASP agreement)
You have provided CASP with a copy of the individual’s apprenticeship agreement with the provincial apprenticeship authority.

My company hired a new worker in a labourer capacity and as a result of this program, registered the individual as an apprentice. Does this qualify for the funding?

Yes, provided you signed the CASP agreement before the individual registered as a first-year apprentice in one of the 39 Red Seal Trades.

I plan to hire an apprentice who is already registered in another trade but wishes to change trades. Does this qualify for the funding?

Yes, as long as the individual became a first-year Red Seal apprentice in the new trade after you signed the CASP agreement.

I plan to hire an apprentice that apprenticed with a different employer. Does this apprentice qualify for the funding?

Yes, as long as the apprentice was not currently employed by another employer at the time you hired them, and they are still a first-year Red Seal apprentice (have not progressed to the next level).

Can I hire an apprentice if they are registered with a union as an apprentice?

Yes.

Under this scenario, if the employer is the union (paying the apprentice’s salary), and provided the union meets all the requirements to qualify as a small to medium-sized employer (i.e., must have 500 paid employees or less at the time that it receives the funding), then the union receives the financial incentive.

If the employer is paying the apprentice's salary, regardless of whether the apprentice is registered by the union, then the employer receives the financial incentive and additional supports.

Employees at my company are not represented by CLAC. Can I still access this service?

Yes. Any small and medium sized employer with 500 employees or less can access the service.

Is the funding available in all provinces and territories?

It is available through CASP in all provinces and territories except Québec.

I am having difficulty finding a first-year apprentice to hire. Can CASP help?

Yes. Contact us using our Intake Form and a member of the CLAC Apprenticeship Team will contact you.

Can I apply to more than one organization to get the funding for the same first year apprentice?

No. As per the Government of Canada criteria for this program, you may only receive the funding once per first-year apprentice.

My company is not currently unionized. If I access the funding through CASP, will CLAC try to recruit my employees to join the union?

No. CLAC is contracted by the Government of Canada to offer this service and will not under any circumstance try to recruit your employees to join the union.

Is CASP a Union?

No. CASP is one of 14 approved providers serving as intermediaries on behalf of the Government of Canada's Apprenticeship Service supports. While CASP is affiliated with the union CLAC, CASP is a separate program focused on supporting apprenticeship development across the country. We provide funding to all eligible employers—whether they are affiliated with CLAC or not. CASP will not try and organize your company for CLAC and will not share your information with CLAC. CASP welcomes all small- to medium-sized Canadian employers, including non-union companies and companies represented by other unions.