Better Jobs Ontario (Second Career Ontario)

Attention, jobseekers! Have you lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are currently unemployed or working temporary jobs to stay afloat? We’ve got news for you!

The Better Jobs Ontario Program (Second Career) will now provide financial assistance to more Ontarians, extending their support to people other than those laid off during the pandemic. As per the latest updates, the program will now provide assistance to newcomers, gig workers, youth unemployed for over six months, and the self-employed, among others.

Extension of the Ontario Jobs Training Tax Credit up to 2022 is also on the cards. This move has been made to ensure that Ontarians have the necessary skills for the jobs they apply to without suffering at the hands of employment barriers that may have worsened due to the pandemic. As for how much you can get, that remains unchanged. Depending on your course needs and financial situation, you can still get financial aid up to $28,000. 

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for Better Jobs Ontario (Second Career), you must meet the following requirements:

• You must be a resident of Ontario.
• You must have either lost your job due to COVID-19 and are not working currently, or you must be unemployed for over six months.
• Individuals working temporary jobs to pay bills can also apply.
• Newcomers, gig workers, and self-employed can also apply. 
• The duration of the education program to learn new skills should be 52 weeks or less. Since Better Jobs Ontario (Second Career) aims to help Ontarians join the workforce ASAP, those who enroll in courses over 52 weeks of duration should seek financial assistance from OSAP. 
• Those receiving Employment Insurance can still apply for this program.

How to Apply

Gather together the following information to unlock your potential within the Better Jobs Ontario program:

• Your financial information such as gross annual family income and current expenses.
•  Your school information such as cost for tuition, books, and other training-related activities for the course you wish to pursue. Please include information for a minimum of three schools that offer your desired program.
• Your employment information such as how long you have been unemployed or working temporary jobs; how many jobs have you applied for along with the resume, cover letter, and responses from potential employers if any; details of your previous employment in terms of salary, period of employment, skills required, etc.
• Your current education qualification and the skill you wish to add to your repertoire.

Applications that meet the following criteria have greater chances of being fast-tracked:

1. You were laid off on or after March 1, 2020.
2. Your education qualification is high school graduate or lesser, and your previous job didn’t require education beyond high school.
3. You were working in one of the industries that were worst affected due to the pandemic such as food and hospitality, transportation, tourism, retail, etc.

Contact a career counsellor at your chosen College or University to take the next step toward funding for a new career!

How Much Can I Get

The amount of money that you can get from Better Jobs Ontario (Second Career) depends on three things:  your annual financial income, your living expenses, and the cost of pursuing a skill-learning program.  

While you can receive up to $28,000 as financial assistance, the actual amount would depend upon your financial need that is calculated depending on how much you can contribute towards education programs to acquire new skills. You can expect the funding to cover your travel expenses, tuition fee, workbooks, manuals and more. You can also be eligible for a ‘basic living allowance’ of up to $500 per week. The good thing about the program is that it may also fund childcare and disability support costs. 

As for the Ontario Jobs Training Tax, it is expected to come into force in 2022, This amount can cover up to 50% of a person’s eligible job training program expenses, with a maximum of $2,000. It’s a refundable credit, meaning you can benefit from it even if you owe any Ontario Personal Income Tax. 

Other Student Aid options

If you don’t qualify for Better Jobs Ontario due to the duration of the course being more than 52 weeks or your application not being fast-tracked, check out other Ontario provincial programs such as OSAP, Ontario Student Scholarships, Ontario Student Bursaries, and more.

Make the best use of the opportunity provided by Better Jobs Ontario (Second Career Ontario) to attain new skill sets that will set you up for success in your career.