Canada-Alberta Job Grant Applicant Guide

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2 Contents Purpose... 2 Application process... 2 Assessment process... 3 Eligible applicants and trainees... 4 Eligible applicants... 4 Alberta Corporate Access Number (ACAN)... 4 Eligible trainees... 5 Employment Insurance (EI) benefits... 5 Workers Compensation benefits... 6 Training eligibility criteria and requirements... 6 Training for multiple trainees... 6 Eligible third-party training providers... 7 Out-of-province training... 7 Duration of training... 7 Type of training/incremental training... 8 Training credential... 8 Training costs... 9 Eligible expenses... 9 Ineligible expenses... 9 Funding Government contribution Funding caps Training reimbursement Ineligible for reimbursement Training completion Contact Applicant checklist Glossary of Definitions August

3 Purpose The applicant guide contains valuable program information and will assist you to apply to the Canada-Alberta Job Grant program. Prior to completing your application, review this entire document carefully to be sure you understand the terms and conditions of the grant. Application process Forms can be found online at Please use Internet Explorer to open the forms. Applicants must fill out and submit the following forms during the Canada-Alberta Job Grant process: 1. Canada-Alberta Job Grant Application and Trainee Forms (submitted together) 2. Canada-Alberta Job Grant Training Reimbursement Form 3. Canada-Alberta Job Grant Training Completion Form Applicants must fill out all forms electronically, print them, sign them, and mail the originals with original signatures to: Canada-Alberta Job Grant P.O. Box 840 Edmonton Main Edmonton, AB T5J 2L4 Applicants will be notified by mail if they qualify for grant funding. Once the signed application has been submitted, the applicant may register and pay for the training. However, CAJG funding is only guaranteed after approval of trainee(s) and training program(s). Note: Online form submission is not currently available. Submit originals including original signatures. Copies of application forms will not be accepted. Ensure all forms are complete. Incomplete applications will be returned. Handwritten applications will not be accepted. Applications submitted by or fax will not be accepted. Keep a copy of all of the forms and receipts that you submit. August

4 Assessment process Applications received are assessed against eligibility criteria. Submitted applications must be filled out completely. Incomplete applications may be returned and may lead to processing delays. Form 1: Canada-Alberta Job Grant Application Form Complete the Canada-Alberta Job Grant Application Form and mail the original signed form to the Government of Alberta, Canada-Alberta Job Grant. Applications should be submitted at least 30 days before the start of the training. Trainees must complete Trainee Form and submit along with the Application Form. Applicants can only apply for courses starting within 6 months. All applications will be assigned a reference number. If the application is approved, the applicant will be notified. Once the application is signed by the employer, dated and submitted, the applicant may register and pay for the training. However, training cannot start until AFTER the grant has been approved. If the application is declined, the applicant will be notified and any training costs incurred will not be funded. Form 2: Canada-Alberta Job Grant Training Reimbursement Form Following payment of ALL total approved training costs, the applicant completes the Canada-Alberta Job Grant Training Reimbursement Form. Applicants must include all original and itemized eligible training cost receipts with the completed form. If multiple training courses are being taken, please submit ALL receipts on one Training Reimbursement Form once you pay for the final course. During this stage, applicants will receive reimbursement for one-third of total eligible training costs. This amount represents the first half of the grant. A reimbursement request of eligible training costs must be received and date stamped no later than 30 days after a trainee has completed the final approved training program. Note: If the Social Insurance Number (SIN) of your trainee(s) begins with 9, please provide proof that the trainee is a protected person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada). August

5 Form 3: Canada-Alberta Job Grant Training Completion Form Immediately after training is complete, the applicant will fill out and submit a Canada- Alberta Job Grant Training Completion Form. The Training Completion Form must be received no later than 30 days after a trainee has completed all of the approved training course(s). During this final stage, applicants will be reimbursed for the remaining one-third of eligible training costs. This amount represents the remaining half of the grant. Eligible applicants and trainees Eligible applicants As an employer-driven program, the Canada-Alberta Job Grant is open to: Private and not-for-profit sector employers The applicant must intend to hire or continue to employ trainees upon completion of the training. The applicant and the training provider cannot be the same entity. Post-training new or existing job must be based in Alberta. Sole proprietors are not eligible for the Canada-Alberta Job Grant. Eligible applicants are required to be incorporated by, or registered under, an act of the legislature of a province or the Parliament of Canada and operating as a business that has an established production capability, plant or place of business in Alberta. Alberta Corporate Access Number (ACAN) This is a required field. Your application cannot be processed without an ACAN. Your company s ACAN can be found on your Certificate of Incorporation, issued at any Alberta Corporate Registry office. If you have previously filed an Alberta corporate income tax return with Tax & Revenue Administration (TRA), you can find your ACAN on any previous notice of assessment or reassessment or statement of account. Under the New West Partnership, Saskatchewan and British Columbia organizations may not have an ACAN; however, an organization can provide its respective provincial number after agreeing to share this information with the Government of Alberta. Consult the registries services within your company s home province for additional clarification of the processes for registering outside Alberta. August

6 o o Saskatchewan Information Services Corporation BC Registry Services Eligible trainees Eligible trainees must be: Existing employees or individuals chosen by the applicant, with the intention to fill current or future job vacancies Canadian citizens, permanent residents or persons protected under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) Living in Alberta The following persons are not eligible: In order to minimize fraudulent use of the program and ensure all training being conducted is in response to legitimate business needs, the following persons are not eligible: Any member of the employer applicant s immediate family (spouse, common-law partner, or adult interdependent partner; child; father or mother) Any member of the employer applicant s board or council Self-employed individuals and company owners Temporary Foreign Workers, or anyone temporarily working in Canada Any person who will not be employed by the applicant once the training program is completed Employment Insurance (EI) benefits Applicants must declare on the Application Form whether trainee(s) are receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. Failure to properly declare this may result in the forfeiture of trainees EI benefits. (See the Trainee Information section of the Canada-Alberta Job Grant Application Form for more information.) August

7 Workers Compensation benefits Trainees not currently employed while in training are deemed to be workers of the Government of Alberta for the sole purpose of receiving workers compensation benefits under the Workers Compensation Act. If a trainee is injured in an accident, he or she is entitled to claim workers compensation benefits and has forfeited the right to take legal action against the Government of Alberta, or against any other employer or worker covered by the Workers Compensation Act. Training eligibility criteria and requirements More than one training course may be included on an application form by using the add training button. If a trainee will be taking a course or courses as part of a Degree, Diploma or Certificate program, please provide the name(s) of the individual course(s) rather than the program name. Training for multiple trainees Multiple trainees can be included on a single application form. All trainees listed on the same form must be taking the same training on the same dates, which can be from one or more training providers. Example 1 Four trainees are taking the same three accounting courses and are enrolled in the same computer skills course on the same dates. Given that all trainees are taking the same training, the applicant needs to complete only one Application Form. If multiple trainees are taking different training courses, the applicant must complete a separate application form for each trainee. Example 2 Two trainees are taking a leadership development course, and three trainees are taking a series of accounting courses. In this instance, the applicant must complete two Application Forms. August

8 Eligible third-party training providers Eligible third-party training providers must be separate and distinct from the applicant. The trainer cannot have an employee relationship with the company. The training provider cannot employ the individual(s) it is training. Applicants must attest to this as part of the application process. Out-of-province training The Canada-Alberta Job Grant is intended to fund training programs in Alberta. However, requests for out-of-province training will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis if the training required is not available in Alberta. If requesting out of province training, complete the section under Training Provider on the application form. Duration of training Training, whether one course or a combination of courses, must total a minimum of 24 instructional hours, start within 6 months of the approval date, and be completed within a consecutive 52-week period from the start date of the training program. Example A 10-hour software skills training course and an 18-hour project management course for one trainee, totaling 28 hours of training and taken within two months of being approved, would be eligible. August

9 Type of training/incremental training The Canada-Alberta Job Grant has been designed to help address skills mismatches and ensure that employees are being trained in high-demand areas. As part of the application process, applicants must attest that the training funded by the Canada-Alberta Job Grant is incremental, which means that the training is in addition to existing training and would not have otherwise taken place. In order to determine if the training requested is eligible for funding answer the following questions: (1) Will this training take place without Canada-Alberta Job Grant funding? yes no (2) Has this training already been paid for? yes no (3) Has this training already started? yes no If you answered yes to any of the questions above, the requested training is not defined as incremental, and therefore it is not eligible for Canada-Alberta Job Grant funding. Apprenticeship technical training programs are not eligible under the Canada-Alberta Job Grant; however, pre-apprenticeship training is eligible. Training may include high school completion. Training to improve performance of current employees in current roles is eligible. Training format The Canada-Alberta Job Grant aims to be flexible both in terms of training structure and delivery method. Training can be delivered online, on site or in a classroom, and it may be undertaken on either a part-time or full-time basis. Training credential Training must result in some form of credential, such as a record of completion, certificate, diploma, mark or industry-recognized credential. August

10 Training costs Eligible expenses Eligible expenses under the program, in Canadian dollars, include: Tuition fees or instructional fees charged by training provider Mandatory student fees Examinations fees Textbooks, software and other required materials Other required materials are defined as supplies directly relevant to the training course undertaken and are distinct from materials required to run your business. Example A new employee enrolled in a safety certification course will need safety and personal protective equipment. The cost of these required materials are separate from the current operation costs of your business. Ineligible expenses Examples of ineligible training expenses include (but are not limited to): accommodation meals travel, including bus/transit passes recreation/fitness fees health care fees/premiums child care costs living allowances assets your business already has or needs to operate such as computers, phones, and office/worksite supplies. August

11 Funding Government contribution Under the Canada-Alberta Job Grant, applicants will cover a minimum of one-third, and the grant will cover two-thirds, of eligible training costs, to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee per fiscal year. The applicant may not accept any other provincial or federal funding to subsidize training costs of a trainee funded under a Canada-Alberta Job Grant. Example 1 Training costs... $6,600 Government pays... $4,400 Applicant pays... $2,200 Example 2 Training costs... $23,000 Government pays... $10,000...(maximum amount per trainee) Applicant pays... $13,000 Funding caps There is an individual applicant cap of $300,000 of approved funding per fiscal year (i.e., April 1 through March 31 of the following year). This would allow an applicant to train 30 trainees per fiscal year, to a maximum of $10,000 per trainee, or more trainees at lower training costs. This cap allows a greater number and breadth of applicants to access the funding program. Training reimbursement The first section of the Reimbursement Form requests an applicant s legal entity name and a Reference Number. This reference number is provided in an application approval letter sent from the Government of Alberta to the applicant after their initial application is approved. Reimbursement will occur in two payments: August

12 1. The applicant must submit original, itemized receipts in Canadian dollars for all approved training costs when submitting the Canada-Alberta Job Grant Training Reimbursement Form. The Government of Alberta will then reimburse one-third of approved training costs. The Training Reimbursement Form includes a section for direct deposit information. CAJG s preferred method of reimbursement is through direct deposit. To receive direct deposit, you must complete the direct deposit form, including a bank stamp or submit a void cheque. If you have previously applied for a reimbursement, you do not need to provide direct deposit information on subsequent reimbursement forms, unless your banking information has changed. 2. Within 30 days of the training being completed, the applicant must submit a Canada- Alberta Job Grant Training Completion Form to receive the remaining one-third of approved training costs. The applicant is responsible for any remaining training costs. Ineligible for reimbursement Training paid for before the CAJG application is signed and submitted by the employer, is not eligible under this program. Training starting before the CAJG is approved, is not eligible under this program. The applicant will only be reimbursed for approved training that is paid for after the date on which the grant application has been signed. Funding for any trainee found ineligible under the Canada-Alberta Job Grant, once the Training Reimbursement application has been reviewed, will be deducted from the reimbursement amount. Ensure substitute trainee(s) meet the eligibility requirements. The grant will reimburse training not completed by a trainee, if the reason for not completing is beyond the applicants control. However, if the third-party training provider issues a tuition August

13 refund, the applicant must ensure that it reimburses the Government of Alberta for its contribution within 30 days of the refund date. This is accomplished by notifying the Government of Alberta of the changes so that a recalculation can be completed for the final reimbursement amount. The grant will not reimburse training that did not start. Training completion Federal communication and reporting requirements As part of the Canada-Alberta Job Fund Agreement, the Government of Canada requires the Government of Alberta to collect certain information from program participants. To receive reimbursement of training costs, applicants will need to provide personal information on trainees as outlined in the Application Form and Training Completion Form, as well as information on the outcome(s) of the training. Applicants must comply with relevant privacy legislation and also inform trainees of the disclosure of their personal information. Provincial reporting requirements The Government of Alberta is committed to maintaining an accountable, open and transparent environment to the public. In accordance with this commitment, information on awarded grants may be publicly disclosed online. Contact If you need information not provided in this guide, contact us. Phone: (within Edmonton) Toll free: (from elsewhere in Alberta) jobgrant@gov.ab.ca Website: August

14 Applicant checklist 1. Application Form Complete and save the application form on your computer. Print out form and sign it. Trainees sign trainee form Mail original, signed form to Canada-Alberta Job Grant. Register and pay for training only after application is signed by the employer and submitted o If application is declined and training has been paid, the employer is responsible for training costs incurred After grant is approved, training can begin. 2. Training Reimbursement Form Complete and save the training reimbursement form on your computer. Print out form and sign it. Have trainee(s) sign form. Include a voided business cheque or Complete the direct deposit form Include all original, itemized expense receipts (not invoices) Mail original, signed form and receipts to Canada-Alberta Job Grant. Receive reimbursement for one-third of total eligible training costs. 3. Training Completion Form Complete and save the training completion form on your computer. Print out form and sign it. Mail original, signed form to the Canada-Alberta Job Grant within 30 days of training completion. Receive remaining one-third of eligible training costs. August

15 Glossary of Definitions Aboriginal: an individual who self-identifies as a member of one of the following three groups of Aboriginal peoples: First Nations (Status, Non-Status and Treaty), Inuit or Métis. Diploma: an individual who has achieved a certificate or diploma from a public or private educational institution. (This category includes graduates of CEGEP.) Educational credential or certificate: examples include: high school diploma, college certificate and/or diploma or university degree. Employed: employed persons are those who work at a job or business, that is, who have paid work in the context of an employer-employee relationship (not including self-employment). This includes those who have a job, but are not at work due to factors such as own illness or disability, personal or family responsibilities, vacation, labour dispute or other reasons (excluding persons on layoff, between casual jobs, and those with a job to start at a future date). Employment may be permanent or temporary (temporary employment comprises work under a fixed-term contract, in contrast to permanent work where there is no end-date). Entry level training: basic training required for a Trainee to obtain an entry level position with the employer. Essential skills: skills needed for work, learning and life: reading, writing, document use, numeracy, oral communication, thinking, digital technology, working with others, continuous learning. Gender: male, female or other (for those who do not associate with male or female or do not report). High School: an individual who has a high school diploma or equivalent (e.g. General Equivalency Diploma) but who does not have any post-secondary education. Immigrant: an individual who self-identifies as having immigrated to Canada (Permanent Resident, Landed Immigrant and Protected Person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) and has been residing in Canada for more than 5 years. Industry or occupation credential or certificate: includes short duration courses (10 hours or less) such as CPR, First Aid, WHMIS, Safety, H2S, work related computer skills (such as Computer Assisted Drafting and Design, Accounting spreadsheets), as well as longer duration August

16 courses (greater than 10 hours) such as professional, recognized skill standard, license, or occupational proficiency. Less than High School: an individual who has not achieved a high school diploma or equivalent, and who has not participated in any post-secondary courses, diplomas or certificates. Maintenance: training required for the Trainee to stay in their current job. Management and business skills: includes strategic planning, leading and motivating, allocating and controlling resources, evaluating, co-ordinating and organizing, recruiting and hiring, supervising. No credential/certification: a Trainee who completed the training but did not receive formal documentation (i.e. did not earn a credential or certificate). Person with Disability: an individual who self-identifies as a person with a disability. Proprietary (firm issued) credential or certificate: third party training curriculum that is specific to a company and/or workplace. Recent Immigrant: an individual who self-identifies as a recent immigrant (Permanent Resident, Landed Immigrant and Protected Person under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act) and has been residing in Canada for 5 years or less. Self-Employed: self-employed persons are working owners of an incorporated or unincorporated business, farm or professional practice, with or without paid help. The unincorporated group includes self-employed workers who do not own a business (such as babysitters and newspaper carriers). Self-employed workers include unpaid family workers, i.e. persons who work without pay on a farm or in a business or professional practice owned and operated by another family member living in the same dwelling. Soft skills: includes job readiness skills, personal management skills (e.g. personal goal setting, time management, etc.), working as a team, etc. Some Post-Secondary: an individual who has attended post-secondary education, vocational or technical training but did not achieve a certificate, diploma or degree. (This category includes apprentices who have not achieved Journeyman status.) August

17 Specialized or technical skills: skills required to operate a particular machine or use a particular technology. Trades Certificate or Diploma: an individual who has achieved journeyman status in one or more trades. Unemployed: this category includes those who (a) are on temporary layoff with an expectation of recall and are available for work, or (b) are without work, have actively looked for work in the past four weeks, and are available for work, or (c) have a new job to start within four weeks from reference week, and are available for work. Job Creation Program (JCP) participants are considered unemployed. University Degree: an individual who has achieved one or more of the following: bachelors, master or post-graduate degree. Upskilling or Upgrading: training required to advance, progress or move to a different and/or better job. August