Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) – Federal Youth Employment
Also known as: Canada Summer Jobs
Federal wage subsidy for hiring youth aged 15–30 for seasonal summer positions (typically May–August). Only NOT-FOR-PROFIT employers get up to 100% of the provincial/territorial minimum wage; public-sector employers AND small businesses (≤50 FTE) both get up to 50% — a prior version of this entry incorrectly grouped public sector with non-profits at the 100% tier, corrected 2026-07-10 against the live applicant guide. Community garden, urban agriculture, environmental education, and recreational roles are all eligible job types.
Who qualifies
- Employer types: registered non-profits, public sector organizations, OR small businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees
- Youth hired must be 15–30 years old, Canadian citizen, PR, or refugee
- Position must be full-time (30–40 hrs/week) and temporary (seasonal)
- Annual application window: typically opens November, closes mid-winter, for the following summer — verify the current cycle's status at canada.ca before advising
- Not-for-profit: up to 100% of minimum wage covered · Public sector AND for-profit (≤50 FTE): up to 50% of minimum wage covered (corrected 2026-07-10 — public sector is NOT in the 100% tier)
- Projects with community, environmental, agricultural, or social impact are prioritized
Typical applicant
Non-profit community organizations or small businesses (≤50 FTE) hiring students for summer community projects — community gardens, environmental programs, recreation, food banks
Verified against the official program page as of 2026-07-19. Programs change — always confirm current details with the program office before committing project spend.