Canada Indigenous Skills Training Resources

Quick Start Guide - 7 Steps To Get Funding

This is the road map of skills training resources to access to get funding.

If you want to minimize reading about the resources available, follow this guide.

1) Apply to the local Indigenous Skills Employment Training (ISET) program.

ISET funding typically pays for tuition, books, fees, equipment & supplies for:

up to six month job trade skill courses, e.g. construction, plumbing, electrician, welding
two year college diploma, e.g. practical nursing
the last year of a university program, bachelor, masters, doctorate
possibly high school upgrade GED

Skills training programs that give certificates or diplomas and are specifically recognized and accepted by the industry are usually
eligible for ISET funding
Some ISET groups also cover:

wage subsidy to specific employer to help qualified person obtain employment in their chosen field
apprenticeships
summer student
self employment
applicants that can demonstrate great financial need may submit documentation requesting funding for travel / living expenses

ISET funds are given as a grant.

You keep the ISET funds.
You do not repay the ISET funds.
The ISET funds typically pay for tuition, books, fees, equipment & supplies.

ISET Regional Contacts by Affiliation:

Affiliation	ISET Regional Contact Locations
Status First Nation	AB	BC	MB	NB	NL	NS	NU	NWT	ON	PEI	QC	SK	YK
Non-Status First Nation	AB	BC	MB	NB	NL	NS	NU	NWT	ON	PEI	QC	SK	YK
Métis	AB	BC	MB	NB	NL	NS	NU	NWT	ON	PEI	QC	SK	YK
Inuit	AB	BC	MB	NB	NL	NS	NU	NWT	ON	PEI	QC	SK	YK

2) Apply to many Indigenous Scholarships & Trusts.

You still need funds for food, rent & travel, which are usually NOT covered by ISET funding.
The ISET programs typically encourage you to apply for additional funding via scholarships & trusts.
As soon as you finish applying for ISET funding, start applying for scholarhips & trusts.

3) If you have children, apply to Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

This no longer happens automatically when you do your Income Tax return.
You get $6,639/year for each eligible child under the age of six.
You get $5,602/year for each eligible child aged 6 to 17.
You MUST go to CRA and register to get the benefit.
You may still be able to claim CCB for previous years that you are qualified for.

4) Inuit can also apply to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK).

5) Apply to Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) or Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC).

These two ISET groups fund Indigenous people across Canada including Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit.
CAP focuses on people living OFF reserve and OFF Inuit owned lands, those falling through the cracks.
NWAC is FOR WOMEN ONLY and does not have any residency requirements.
These two ISET groups are the funders of LAST RESORT.
Before you apply to one of these groups, you MUST get a written response to your application from the local ISET program.
If the local ISET group wont give you a written response to your application, work with your local Friendship Center,
Probation Officer or Parole Officer and have them write a letter on your behalf about the situation.

6) Apply to Friendship Centers

Friendship Centers may have some funding from other government programs, usually not ISET.
They may be able to help with some tuition costs, but often rely on other program grants, loans and scholarships to pay for training.
Only the Ontario Friendship Centers have ISET funding.
Friendship Centers regional contacts: AB BC MB NB NL NS NU NWT ON QC SK YK (none in PEI)

7) Apply to Federal, Provincial & Territorial Training Allowance/Grants/Loans

You keep the allowance & grant funds.
You MUST REPAY the loan funds.
Regional programs: AB BC MB NB NL NS NU NWT ON PEI QC SK YK

Other Programs of Interest

Federal programs: CAF, RCMP, CSC
Regional programs: BC MB NWT QC SK

Indigenous Skills Employment Training (ISET)

ISET (previously known as ASETS) Program Scope

The ISET funding typically pays for tuition, books, fees, equipment & supplies for:

up to six month job trade skill courses, e.g. construction, plumbing, electrician, welding
two year college diploma, e.g. practical nursing
the last year of a university program, bachelor, masters, doctorate
possibly high school upgrade GED

Skills training programs that give certificates or diplomas and are specifically recognized and accepted by the industry are usually
eligible for ISET funding.

Some ISET groups also cover:

wage subsidy to specific employer to help qualified person obtain employment in their chosen field
apprenticeships
summer student
self employment
applicants that can demonstrate great financial need may submit documentation requesting funding for travel / living expenses

ISET Program Selection Criteria

Program selection criteria are customized for each agreement holder.

The Tribal Councils ISET programs typically needs the candidate to be living on the Tribal Council lands, may require a First Nations Status ID card or proof of ancestry.
For Métis, the candidate typically needs to be a member of the Métis Association for the specific province to access that provinces Métis ISET program.
The Inuit ISET programs typically needs the candidate to be living on Inuit owned lands.

Some ISET Holders serve on reserve, off reserve urban, Status and Non-Status including Métis & Inuit members residing in their service area.
For specific lists of which groups are served in each region, see:

Non-Status First Nation Resources
Métis Resources
Inuit Resources

ISET Agreement Holders

List of 110 ISET agreement holders

At the bottom of the list of ISET agreement holders, you will see Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) and Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC).

These two groups fund Indigenous people across Canada including Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit.
CAP focuses on people living OFF reserve and OFF Inuit owned lands, those falling through the cracks.
NWAC is FOR WOMEN ONLY and does not have any residency requirements.

Regional ISET contact information: AB BC MB NB NL NS NU NWT ON PEI QC SK YK

ISET Funding

ISET funding level has been raised to $408 million/year, starting 2019, see: ISET Funding

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP)

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) can fund training education requests for candidates if their home band denies them funding.

CAP will help Indigenous of all affiliations, Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit BUT WILL PRIORITIZE THE NON-STATUS FIRST NATION FIRST.

CAP serves the Indigenous and Inuit community Canada wide.

CAP ISET (previously known as ASETS) Program Scope

CAP ISET funding pays for tuition, books, fees, equipment and supplies for:

six month job trade skill courses, e.g. construction, plumbing, electrician, welding
two year college diploma, e.g. practical nursing
the last year of a university program, bachelor, masters, doctorate
high school upgrade GED

CAP ISET funding also covers:

wage subsidy to specific employer to help qualified person obtain employment in their chosen field
apprenticeships
summer student
self employment
applicants that can demonstrate great financial need may submit documentation requesting funding for travel / living expenses

CAP ISET Program Selection Criteria

CAP will help Indigenous peoples of all affiliations, Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit BUT WILL PRIORITIZE THE NON-STATUS FIST NATION FIRST.

Selection criteria are:

the candidate MUST be living OFF reserve and OFF Inuit owned lands
the candidate is currently unemployed or underemployed (minimum wage, limited hours, etc.)
the candidate has some documentation showing that they have applied to their home band or local Tribal Council for training funds,
but was denied for reasons beyond their control

missing a deadline is NOT considered a valid reason
CAP is looking for those who are basically slipping between the cracks

the client has been accepted in a skills training program meeting the eligibility criteria

specifically being industry recognized, 1-year certificates, 2-year Diplomas, Apprenticeships, and the last year of Degree programs

CAP ISET Ottawa Contact

CAP ISET program coordinator is: Matthew Gallina, 613-747-6022 X225, m.gallina@abo-peoples.org

CAP Application Form

Download CAP Application Form

Send the completed form and supporting documentation to: Mathew Gallina, 613-747-6022 X225, m.gallina@abo-peoples.org

A response to the application form usually occurs in 2 to 3 weeks.

Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC)

The Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) has ISET funding to pay for skills training, similar to CAP.

The key difference is that NWAC is FOR WOMEN ONLY, all affiliations, Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit.

NWAC has regional affiliated groups in AB BC MB NB NL NS NU NWT ON PEI QC SK YK

NWAC ISET (previously known as ASETS) Program Scope

NWAC ISET funding typically pays for:

six month job trade skill courses, e.g. construction, plumbing, electrician, welding
two year college diploma, e.g. practical nursing
the last year of a university program, bachelor, masters, doctorate
possibly high school upgrade GED

Skills training programs that give certificates or diplomas and are specifically recognized and accepted by the industry are usually
eligible for ISET funding.

NWAC Ottawa Headquarters Contacts

ISET program coordinator is: Andrea Aiabens, 613-854-4718, aaiabens@nwac.ca

Youth Advocate & Education contact is: Carrington Christmas, 613-854-4799, cchristmas@nwac.ca

NWAC Application Form

Download NWAC Application Form

Send the completed form and supporting documentation to: Andrea Aiabens, 613-854-4718, aaiabens@nwac.ca

Friendship Centers (List by Region)

Friendship Centers Program Scope

Friendship Centers typically provide career counselling, resume writing and other services and are available in most provinces & territories.

Friendship Centers typically will help Indigenous of all affiliations, Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit.

Friendship Centers Funding

Friendship Centers may have some funding from other government programs, usually not ISET.

They may be able to help with some tuition costs, but often rely on other program grants, loans and scholarships to pay for training.

Only the Ontario Friendship Centers have ISET funding for skills training.

Friendship Centers Contacts

Contact information: AB BC MB NB NL NS NWT NU ON QC SK YK (none in PEI).

Indigenous Scholarships & Trusts

There are a variety of scholarship & trust funds that help with tuition for Indigenous skills training & education.

Indspire (website)

has $10 million in the scholarship fund
available to all Canadian Indigenous & Inuit candidates: Status, Non-Status, Métis & Inuit
awards given 3 times/year

Yconic (website)

has $181 million in the scholarship fund
available for ANY & ALL candidates, Canada & USA

National Indian Brotherhood (NIB) Trust (website)

individuals can apply for up to $20,000
the average awarded in 2017 - 2018 to individuals was $3,300
available to Canadian Status & Non-Status First Nations, Métis citizens (for Inuit, see Inuit DAF below)
preference is given to former students of residential schools
the next call for individual applications will be in the spring of 2020

Inuit DAF (website)

Inuit individuals can apply for up to $10,000

Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool (website)

has 650+ Indigenous bursaries
searchable by region, subject & affiliation

Regional Scholarships

See MB ON

Federal, Provincial & Territorial Training Allowance/Grants/Loans

This is an overview of the Federal, Provincial & Territorial Allowance/Grants/Loans programs across Canada.

Fund Usage

these funds are given to the student to use as needed, such as tuition, food, rent, travel
the only restriction on the funds use that I am aware of is that NB says you must go to school in NB

Eligibility Requirements

most provinces, AB, BC, NB, NL, NS, ON, PEI & QC have a residency requirement of 1 year to qualify

YK has a residency requirement of 2 years to qualify
NWT & SK say you must be a resident to qualify (e.g. registered with Ministry of Health)
the residency requirement is often only visible when you download and read the detailed application forms
this will slow down student migration for education purposes

the Federal Government Student Grants & Loans program requires the study program must be at least 60 weeks duration

this rules out all 6-month construction trades and other shorter courses

Canada Student Grants & Loans for Full Time Students (website)

$375/month maximum benefit for 8 months, depends on family income & size, as a grant

study program must be at least 60 weeks duration
this rules out all 6-month construction trades and other shorter courses
grant is not available to students from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec as they have their own programs

$200/month/child under age 12, as a grant, see Dependants

grant is not available to students from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec as they have their own programs

$200/month for mature students, out of school for 10+ years, in a 2+ year program, as a grant, see Skills Boost

you need to be eligible for Canada Student Grant, which probably means this does not apply to Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec

for students with permanent disabilities

$2,000/year as a grant, see Disability Grant
$20,000/year for services & equipment, as a grant see Disability Grant Services & Equipment
grants are not available to students from the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Quebec as they have their own programs

there are optional student loans available, see Loans and National Student Loans Service Centre (NSLSC)

$840/month maximum as a loan, see Amount Available
student loans can have a fixed or floating interest rate, see Repay Student Loan
see also Loan Repayment Estimator

your eligibility for the Canada Student Grants & Loans is automatically considered when you apply for assistance through your
province or territory of residence
Government of Canada contributes up to $2,000 to an RESP for an eligible child, see Learning Bond

Provincial & Territories Training Allowances/Grants/Loans Programs

Most provinces & territories have a program of allowances, grants and/or loans, see:

AB BC MB NB NL NS NWT NU ON PEI QC SK YK

Canada Child Benefit (CCB) (website)

This TAX-FREE benefit is available to everyone in Canada, Indigenous, Settlers & New-comers, see Overview

While this benefit is not tied to training & education, it really helps pay the bills when you are going to school.

Grandparents with legal guardianship papers for their grandchildren can easily apply for this benefit,
see Who Should Apply see also LegalLine Who is Eligible

You may still be able to claim CCB for previous years that you were qualified for. CRA pages used to show:

If you were eligible for the months and years before July 1, 2016, the CRA will pay you:

A lump-sum payment for the Canada child tax benefit.
A lump-sum payment for the universal child care benefit.

CCB Current Benefits

$6,639/year for each eligible child under the age of six
$5,602/year for each eligible child aged 6 to 17
We start to reduce the amount of CCB you get when your Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI) is over $31,120.
NB: For AFNI of $160,000 the Calculator below shows you may still get $1,135/year for one child under age 6.

CCB Calculator (See Your Benefit)

The calculator also shows HST credit and provincial programs, such as Ontario Child Benefit, Ontario Trillium Benefit,
Saskatchewan Tax Credit, etc.

CCB Registration

You MUST go to CRA and register to get the benefit.

The "Register Automatically" check box on the Income Tax form was removed after 2017.

Children can now get a Social Insurance Number as part of getting a Birth Certificate, see SIN Newborn

When you are receiving CCB, you will see deposits in your bank account labeled "CANADA/CTB" or "CANADA/CCB".

Other Programs

These programs are available for ALL candidates.

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) (details)

Indigenous specific 3 week free starter no obligation program (details)
Some courses qualify for Paid Education (details)
From the FAQ

When you enroll in the Regular Force, you are expected to sign on for a few years of service
Terms of service start at three years, but can be longer depending on the type and amount of training you
will need for your occupation
If you join the Forces through a Paid Education program, you will be required to serve two months for every
month of paid education
If you have a conviction under the Criminal Code of Canada or the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act,
you may still apply to the Forces, as long as you have served your sentence and no longer have any
legal obligations

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) (details)

From the FAQ (at end of the above page)

There is no fee for training
In fact, you will receive an allowance during your 26-week training
The current Cadet recruitment allowance is $525/week
The RCMP also covers your room and board, uniform, training courses, insurance and travel to/from Depot
In exchange, the RCMP requires your commitment to remain an RCMP police officer for a period of two
years following hire
If you resign or are terminated during training, or in the two years following training, the RCMP may
require repayment of any allowance received

Program selection criteria are: Qualifications including Good Character

Correctional Service Canada (CSC) (details)

CSC offers neither salary nor allowance during the CTP; however, travel and meal allowances may be available
during the in-class portion (Stage 3) depending on location of residence.
Recruits are not required to pay for tuition or any learning material to attend the CTP.
If you are an Indigenous candidate, you may be eligible for an allowance for your participation in the CTP Stage-3
through your local ISET stakeholder.
From Congress of Aboriginal Peoples: If your local ISET stakeholder does not provide the above allowances, CAP
will provide the allowances. After you have been accepted into the CX training, fill out the application at:
Download CAP Application and check the Intervention Type box "Skills Training".
CSC positions: Casual Inventory CX-01 Officers CX-02 Officers
What about criminal records?

I talked to CSC Human Resources at 1-844-661-7857.
The HR person explained that after a candidate has passed interviews and written exams, then and only then,
their application is sent to the RCMP for review.
The RCMP response will be "cleared" or "not cleared", with no further explanation.
It seems that an existing criminal record is not an automatic disqualification and each case is reviewed individually.
The HR person did encourage interested parties to apply to CSC even if they have an existing criminal record.

Other regional programs: BC MB NWT QC SK

Canada Wide Indigenous Skills Training Resources

Quick Start Guide - 7 Steps To Get Funding

Provincial & Territorial Indigenous Skills Training Resources

Quick Start Guide - 7 Steps To Get Funding

1) Apply to the local Indigenous Skills Employment Training (ISET) program.

2) Apply to many Indigenous Scholarships & Trusts.

3) If you have children, apply to Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

4) Inuit can also apply to Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK).

5) Apply to Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP) or Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC).

6) Apply to Friendship Centers

7) Apply to Federal, Provincial & Territorial Training Allowance/Grants/Loans

Other Programs of Interest

Indigenous Skills Employment Training (ISET)

ISET (previously known as ASETS) Program Scope

ISET Program Selection Criteria

ISET Agreement Holders

ISET Funding

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP)

CAP ISET (previously known as ASETS) Program Scope

CAP ISET Program Selection Criteria

CAP ISET Ottawa Contact

CAP Application Form

Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC)

NWAC ISET (previously known as ASETS) Program Scope

NWAC Ottawa Headquarters Contacts

NWAC Application Form

Non-Status First Nation Resources

Métis Resources

Inuit Resources

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) (website)

ITK Contact

Inuit Regional ISET Resources

Friendship Centers (List by Region)

Friendship Centers Program Scope

Friendship Centers Funding

Friendship Centers Contacts

Indigenous Scholarships & Trusts

Indspire (website)

Yconic (website)

National Indian Brotherhood (NIB) Trust (website)

Inuit DAF (website)

Indigenous Bursaries Search Tool (website)

Regional Scholarships

Federal, Provincial & Territorial Training Allowance/Grants/Loans

Fund Usage

Eligibility Requirements

Canada Student Grants & Loans for Full Time Students (website)

Provincial & Territories Training Allowances/Grants/Loans Programs

Canada Child Benefit (CCB) (website)

CCB Current Benefits

CCB Calculator (See Your Benefit)

CCB Registration

Other Programs

Contact Info