Red Seal Completion Bonus

October 26, 2026

Starting November 16, 2026, tradespeople who completed an apprenticeship and earned their certification in a designated Red Seal trade on or after April 1, 2025 will be able to apply for a $5,000 completion bonus.

How to apply

Reaching eligible tradespeople will be key to making sure they know about the Red Seal Completion Bonus and are ready to apply once the program opens. I encourage you to share this opportunity through your networks and with eligible apprentices. To get ready to apply, applicants will need to gather:

• their personal and banking information;
• their apprentice identification number;
• certification details; and
• electronic copies of supporting documents based on the province or territory of certification.

Potential applicants can visit the Red Seal Completion Bonus website to find the application portal and the latest information on eligibility requirements, required documents and how to apply.

This initiative is part of the Government of Canada's ongoing efforts to address the pressing need for skilled trades workers to meet the demands of our evolving economy. Recognizing the achievements of apprentices will empower them as they transition into rewarding careers.

Additional supports for apprentices

Starting in early 2027, the Team Canada Strong Youth Placements program will support young people (15 to 30 years old) as they explore careers in the skilled trades. Youth will gain skills and experience through paid, entry-level work placements of up to four months that connect them to apprenticeship pathways.

Launching later this fall, the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service will offer job-matching services, information and supports to help young Canadians connect with first-year apprenticeship opportunities and progress in their apprenticeship journey.

In addition to the completion bonus, the Team Canada Strong Apprenticeship Training Grant is expected to launch in spring 2027. This will provide eligible apprentices with a $400 weekly top-up in addition to Employment Insurance to assist with financial pressures during mandatory in-class technical training.

Also starting in spring 2027, apprentices will have access to income supports through the Team Canada Strong Apprenticeship Continuation Support, aiding them during periods of unemployment between training and work.

Under Team Canada Strong, the expansion of the Union Training and Innovation Program will enable union-run training centres to upgrade, expand capacity, and build new facilities for training.

Organizations can now apply for support from three active funding opportunities:

1. Expanding Training Infrastructure - Helps unions and organizations managing training trust funds to expand access to training in Red Seal trades by enabling union-run training centres to renovate or expand existing facilities or build new training centres to increase training capacity across the country.
2. Innovation - Attracts and recruits new pre-apprentices, supports apprentices in progressing toward certification, funds innovative approaches and partnerships to address apprenticeship challenges, and helps journeypersons to enhance their skills to train the next generation of tradespeople.
3. Investments in Training Equipment - Helps unions and training providers acquire the modern equipment and materials needed to train workers in the Red Seal trades. The Government of Canada is temporarily increasing its maximum contribution rate for the purchase of training equipment from 50% to 70%. This will help eligible organizations manage rising costs of equipment and material while continuing to offer quality technical training.

These initiatives are part of an $8 billion investment under the Team Canada Strong program, aimed at recruiting, training, and hiring 80,000 to 100,000 new skilled trades workers by 2030-2031. This investment will also support provincial and territorial workforce development efforts to ensure alignment with local labour market needs.

Share the news

To ensure these important initiatives reach as many apprentices as possible, please share this email and content within your networks:

• Government of Canada will be accepting applications for $5,000 Team Canada Strong Red Seal Completion Bonus as of November 16 - Canada.ca
• Canada.ca/skilled-trades

If you have any questions, please visit the Red Seal Completion Bonus website.

 

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