The Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program is providing 70,000 job opportunities for young people across the country, according to the federal government.
The CSJ program, which Ottawa touted as a strategy to help young people earn money over the summer while gaining skills and experience, prioritizes projects that support people who face barrier to employment. This includes youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, and racialized youth, it said.
The hiring period is underway for CSJ 2024 and will run until July 22. Jobs are posted to the Job Bank website and mobile app. Postings will be updated regularly, and candidates are encourage to keep checking for updates on placements available in their communities.
Program will continue in future
This year’s budget proposes a $200.5 million investment for 2025–26 to continue the CSJ program. The program has created more than 380,000 job opportunities since 2020, surpassing its annual target of 70,000 jobs last year with a total of 74,200 positions.
“The Canada Summer Jobs program is more than just an employment program, it’s an investment in the potential of young Canadians and the economic vitality of our communities,” said Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth. “This program gives thousands of employers the opportunity to meet their staffing needs over the summer, and it gives youth valuable work experience that will set them up for a lifetime of success in the job market.”
Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of connecting employers with the future workforce. “Canada Summer Jobs helps connect employers in Toronto and across the country with the workforce of the future,” he said.
How it works
The CSJ program offers full-time positions lasting between six to 16 weeks, with an average duration of eight weeks. The initiative supports various sectors, including those experiencing critical labour shortages such as housing construction.
A recent survey of CSJ participants revealed that 92% of respondents reported increased confidence in skills needed for future employment, and 89% developed a positive attitude towards their employment prospects.
Eligibility
Participants must be between the ages of 15 and 30 at the start of employment. The program is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or “persons on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.”
All participants must be legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations. International students are not eligible.
Eligible Canadian employers can be from the not-for-profit, public and private sectors. Private sector employers must have 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada to be eligible (full-time employees are those working 30 hours or more per week). The employer application period is closed for 2024.
Employers interested in applying for CSJ funding next year are encouraged to open an account on the secure Grants and Contributions Online Services portal.
