Skills Development

• Program Objectives
• How does it work?
• Who can apply?
• How do I apply?/How do I become a sponsor?
• More information

Program Objectives

• The purpose of the Skills Development Program is to provide support to unemployed Employment Insurance eligible individuals without marketable skills, to find the most direct route possible to employment, resulting in savings to the Employment Insurance Account.

• The objective of the Skills Development Program is to provide a negotiated level of financial assistance to individuals who require skills training in order to secure employment.  Eligible individuals, who are approved under the Skills Development Program select, arrange and pay for their own training.

How does it work

General

• An application for funding under the Skills Development Program must be approved by Service Canada in advance of the applicant commencing training.

Duration

Financial Parameters

• Individuals currently on an active Employment Insurance claim may continue to receive their regular Employment Insurance benefits until the end of their benefit period;

• Individuals who participate in Skills Development are normally required to make a contribution towards the cost of their training;

• Funding may be provided to cover all or a portion of the cost of tuition of a course or program of instruction and/or living expenses;

• Funding may be provided to individuals to cover all or a portion of the cost of required books, software and related expenses for a course of instruction;

• Assistance, negotiated on an individual basis with a program official, may be provided to cover all or part of incremental costs due to participation such as expenses relating to dependant care, disability needs, transportation and accommodations;

Who can apply

• Eligible participants are those who, according to the Employment Insurance Act, are unemployed individuals:

a) for whom an unemployment benefit period has been established or has ended within the 36 months prior to the date of requesting assistance; or
 

b) for whom a benefit period that included a maternity or parental claim has been established within the 60 months prior to the date of requesting assistance, after which the individual remained out of the labour market in order to care for a newborn or newly adopted child and is now seeking to re-enter the labour force.

• The date the completed application is received by the Commission is when an individual is considered to have requested assistance for the purpose of determining whether you qualify as an ‘insured participant’.

• Other criteria may apply.

How do I apply

• You must complete the Skills Development application form (EMP 5259) to make your request for assistance under the Skills Development Program. As part of the application process, it will be necessary for the applicant to receive an employment assessment and develop a Return to Work Action Plan with a case manager.

  Please complete and return the Employment Benefits and Support Measures or Consolidated Revenue Funds (EBSM/CRF) form (EMP 5362) and include with your application form if you wish payment to be deposited directly to your bank account.

  This is the information which should be included on SDC's site:

  Title: Employment Insurance Part II and Consolidated Revenue Funds Direct Deposit Application Form.

  Form #: EMP 5362

  Purpose: Complete this form and attach with your employment benefit application form if you wish to have your Employment Benefits and Support Measures or Consolidated Revenue Funds (EBSM/CRF) payment deposited directly to your bank account.

  You can mail or deliver this form to your Service Canada Centre.  Please be sure that you have completed sections "A," "B," and "C". Take extra care in completing the section "Financial Institution Information" or attach a voided personalized blank cheque from your current account. Finally, be sure to sign the form in section "D".

  You may consult the list of your Service Canada Centres to send or to bring the form in person.

  The case manager's statement is required before the Commission can assess an application. Please contact your Service Canada Centre for information on where you can receive this service.

Labour Market Development Agreements

• Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has entered into agreements with most provinces and territories to define how the Benefits and Measures would be delivered in each region.
• As a result, in New Brunswick , Québec , Manitoba , Saskatchewan , Alberta , the Northwest Territories and Nunavut , programs similar to the Employment Benefits and Support Measures are delivered by the provincial or territorial government pursuant to agreements under Section 63 of the Employment Insurance Act.
• Service Canada (SC) delivers the Employment Benefits and Support Measures in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, British Columbia, and the Yukon.

More Information

To obtain further information about Service Canada and its programs, please contact your Service Canada Centre.

You may read the detailed Terms and Conditions for this program.