Deadline for applications from employers April 4
Prince Edward Island is urging employers across the province to take advantage of government-funded programs to hire students for summer employment.
To facilitate this, the provincial government is providing funding through two SkillsPEI summer employment programs.
“It is an exciting time for students as they look to gain valuable work experience while pursuing their studies,” said Jenn Redmond, minister of workforce advanced learning and population. “These programs offer the chance for students to gain hands-on experience, preparing them to make meaningful contributions to the workforce both during and after their education.”
Youth unemployment remains a significant challenge in the global labour market, according to the International Labour Organization's (ILO) World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025.
The Jobs for Youth Program offers wage subsidies to employers hiring students aged 15-29 that work four to eight weeks during the summer and plan to return to school in the fall.
Meanwhile, the Post-Secondary Student Program provides wage subsidies to employers hiring full-time post-secondary students for twelve to eighteen weeks over the summer.
The funding is available to nonprofits, private businesses and employers in the public sector.
Employers can set the wage rate but must provide at least the provincial minimum wage rate of $16/hour. The program wage reimbursement support is determined by the employer type:
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Employer Type |
Student Summer Employment Programs (Jobs for Youth and Post Secondary Student Program) |
|---|---|
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Non-Profit |
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|
Private Sector |
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|
Public Sector |
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For all sectors, only wages and vacation pay are eligible for subsidy, all other costs (EI, CPP, Workers Compensation premiums, etc) are the responsibility of the employer. The project summary and payroll records must be submitted within 30 days of the project’s completion. Any unused portion of any payment must be repaid to the funding agency, Employment Development Agency or Skills PEI. |
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Employers may apply to both programs to fund multiple positions; however, funding cannot be applied from both programs to a single position.
The deadline for 2025 applications is April 4, 2025. More details are available through SkillsPEI.
Previously, Canada’s Wonderland announced it is hiring approximately 4,000 workers ahead of its May 2025 opening.
Next month, Ottawa will open the hiring period under the Canada Summer Jobs 2025 program.
The program supports employers from not-for-profit organizations and the public sector, as well as private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees. It looks to provide quality summer work experiences for youth aged 15 to 30.
The hiring period for CSJ 2025 will run from April 21, 2025 to July 21, 2025. More than 70,000 jobs will be posted on the Job Bank website and mobile app, and will be updated on a regular basis, according to the federal government.
In Budget 2024, the federal government proposed to provide $200.5 million in 2025–26 for Canada Summer Jobs to provide well-paying summer job opportunities, including in sectors facing critical labour shortages, such as housing construction.
