Education, skills and employment
Student grants and loans, education savings grants, workforce development and apprenticeship programs, wage earner protection and related adjustments.
Headline figures
Fiscal year 2024–25
$8.1B
1.7% of the $474.4B of federal program spending reported by theme, across 45 programs.
Cost per tax filer uses 29,965,100 tax filers (2023, the latest count published); per person uses a population of 41,162,593 (2024). It is an allocation of cost, not a tax bill.
Spending programs
Actual spending by program in 2024–25: operating costs, capital and payments to others, as reported by each department and reconciled to the Public Accounts. Select a program for its history and cost per taxpayer.
Canada Student Financial Assistance Program and Canada Apprentice Loan
Department of Employment and Social Development
$3.9B
47.8% of list$130per tax filer$94.36per personCanada Education Savings Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.4B
17.3% of list$46.94per tax filer$34.17per personWorkforce Development Agreements
Department of Employment and Social Development
$725M
8.9% of list$24.20per tax filer$17.62per personYouth Employment and Skills Strategy
Department of Employment and Social Development
$488M
6.0% of list$16.30per tax filer$11.86per personStudent Work Placement Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$196M
2.4% of list$6.55per tax filer$4.77per personCanadian Apprenticeship Strategy
Department of Employment and Social Development
$177M
2.2% of list$5.90per tax filer$4.30per personService Delivery Partnerships
Department of Employment and Social Development
$151M
1.9% of list$5.03per tax filer$3.66per personTemporary Foreign Worker Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$139M
1.7% of list$4.64per tax filer$3.38per personEmployment Insurance
Department of Employment and Social Development
$130M
1.6% of list$4.33per tax filer$3.15per personOpportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities
Department of Employment and Social Development
$99.0M
1.2% of list$3.31per tax filer$2.41per personSupports for Student Learning Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$80.2M
1.0% of list$2.68per tax filer$1.95per personFuture Skills
Department of Employment and Social Development
$75.4M
0.9% of list$2.52per tax filer$1.83per personWage Earner Protection Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$66.2M
0.8% of list$2.21per tax filer$1.61per personSkills and Partnership Fund
Department of Employment and Social Development
$59.8M
0.7% of list$2.00per tax filer$1.45per personCanada Pension Plan
Department of Employment and Social Development
$57.2M
0.7% of list$1.91per tax filer$1.39per personCanada Emergency Response Benefit
Department of Employment and Social Development
$50.3M
0.6% of list$1.68per tax filer$1.22per personForeign Credential Recognition Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$49.4M
0.6% of list$1.65per tax filer$1.20per personCanada Service Corps
Department of Employment and Social Development
$46.2M
0.6% of list$1.54per tax filer$1.12per personSkills for Success
Department of Employment and Social Development
$40.7M
0.5% of list$1.36per tax filer$0.99per personLabour Standards
Department of Employment and Social Development
$37.6M
0.5% of list$1.26per tax filer$0.91per person
Show the other 19 programs
Occupational Health and Safety Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$31.5M
0.4% of list$1.05per tax filer$0.77per personCanadian Digital Service
Department of Employment and Social Development
$31.4M
0.4% of list$1.05per tax filer$0.76per personCitizen Service Network
Department of Employment and Social Development
$25.6M
0.3% of list$0.85per tax filer$0.62per personGovernment of Canada Internet Presence
Department of Employment and Social Development
$24.5M
0.3% of list$0.82per tax filer$0.60per personFederal Workers' Compensation
Department of Employment and Social Development
$24.5M
0.3% of list$0.82per tax filer$0.60per personInternational Labour Affairs
Department of Employment and Social Development
$24.5M
0.3% of list$0.82per tax filer$0.59per personEnabling Fund for Official Language Minority Communities
Department of Employment and Social Development
$23.7M
0.3% of list$0.79per tax filer$0.58per personLabour Relations
Department of Employment and Social Development
$18.2M
0.2% of list$0.61per tax filer$0.44per personGovernment of Canada Telephone General Enquiries Services
Department of Employment and Social Development
$18.1M
0.2% of list$0.60per tax filer$0.44per personSectoral Workforce Solutions Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$16.6M
0.2% of list$0.55per tax filer$0.40per personJob Bank
Department of Employment and Social Development
$8.4M
0.1% of list$0.28per tax filer$0.21per personCanada Worker Lockdown Benefit
Department of Employment and Social Development
$5.8M
0.1% of list$0.19per tax filer$0.14per personStrategic Engagement and Research Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$5.4M
0.1% of list$0.18per tax filer$0.13per personCommunity Workforce Development Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.7M
0.0% of list$0.06per tax filer$0.04per personSkilled Trades and Apprenticeship (Red Seal Program)
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.2M
0.0% of list$0.04per tax filer$0.03per personCanadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime
Department of Employment and Social Development
$819K
0.0% of list$0.03per tax filer$0.02per personLabour Market Development Agreements
Department of Employment and Social Development
$628K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.02per personPersonal Support Worker Retirement Savings Innovation Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$89K
0.0% of list<$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per personCanada Recovery Benefits
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$91.0M
0.0% of list-$3.04per tax filer-$2.21per person
Grants and contributions
Payments to provinces, organizations and individuals in 2024–25, by transfer payment program, from the Public Accounts. These are a different cut of the same money as the programs above, so the two lists are not added together. Select one to see its largest recipients.
(S) Canada Student Grants to qualifying full and part-time students pursuant to the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
$2.6B
37.1% of list$86.24per tax filer$62.78per person(S) Canada Education Savings Grant payments to Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) trustees on behalf of RESP beneficiaries to encourage Canadians to save for post-secondary education for their children (Canada Education Savings Act)
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.2B
17.2% of list$40.01per tax filer$29.12per person(S) Payments related to the direct financing arrangement under the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.2B
16.9% of list$39.30per tax filer$28.61per personPayments to provinces, territories, municipalities, other public bodies, organizations, groups, communities, employers and individuals for the provision of training and/or work experience, the mobilization of community resources, and human resource planning and adjustment measures necessary for the efficient functioning of the Canadian labour market
Department of Employment and Social Development
$888M
12.8% of list$29.65per tax filer$21.58per personWorkforce Development Agreements
Department of Employment and Social Development
$723M
10.4% of list$24.12per tax filer$17.56per person(S) Canada Learning Bond payments to Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) trustees on behalf of RESP beneficiaries to support access to post-secondary education for children from low-income families (Canada Education Savings Act)
Department of Employment and Social Development
$196M
2.8% of list$6.53per tax filer$4.75per personCanadian Apprenticeship Strategy
Department of Employment and Social Development
$150M
2.2% of list$5.01per tax filer$3.65per person(S) Wage Earner Protection Program payments to eligible applicants owed wages and vacation pay, severance pay and termination pay from employers who are either bankrupt or in receivership as well as payments to trustees and receivers who will provide the necessary information to determine eligibility (Wage Earner Protection Program Act)
Department of Employment and Social Development
$63.4M
0.9% of list$2.12per tax filer$1.54per personPayments to provinces, territories, municipalities, other public bodies, organizations, groups, communities, employers and individuals for the provision of training and/or work or business experience, the mobilization of community resources and human resource planning and adjustment measures necessary for the social development of Canadians and other participants in Canadian life
Department of Employment and Social Development
$41.6M
0.6% of list$1.39per tax filer$1.01per personContributions to not-for-profit, for-profit, and Indigenous organizations, research organizations and institutes, municipal, provincial and territorial governments to help young Canadians gain valuable life and work experience while providing service to communities
Department of Employment and Social Development
$37.7M
0.5% of list$1.26per tax filer$0.92per personContributions to not-for-profit, for-profit, and Indigenous organizations, municipal, provincial and territorial governments for adult learning, literacy and essential skills
Department of Employment and Social Development
$31.5M
0.5% of list$1.05per tax filer$0.77per personSupports for Student Learning Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$19.5M
0.3% of list$0.65per tax filer$0.47per personContributions to organizations to support the development of human resources, economic growth, job creation and retention in official language minority communities
Department of Employment and Social Development
$18.8M
0.3% of list$0.63per tax filer$0.46per personTemporary Foreign Worker Program - Migrant Worker Support Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$18.8M
0.3% of list$0.63per tax filer$0.46per personLabour Funding Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$15.9M
0.2% of list$0.53per tax filer$0.39per personPathways to Education Canada Grant
Department of Employment and Social Development
$9.5M
0.1% of list$0.32per tax filer$0.23per personPayments to non-profit organizations to develop national or provincial/territorial/regional educational and awareness activities to help reduce the incidence of elder abuse and fraud
Department of Employment and Social Development
$6.5M
0.1% of list$0.22per tax filer$0.16per personStrategic Engagement and Research Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$5.4M
0.1% of list$0.18per tax filer$0.13per person(S) Payments related to the direct financing arrangement under the Apprentice Loans Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
$5.2M
0.1% of list$0.17per tax filer$0.13per personWorkplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Fund
Department of Employment and Social Development
$4.0M
0.1% of list$0.13per tax filer$0.10per person
Show the other 14 grant and contribution programs
Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program
Department of Employment and Social Development
$3.7M
0.1% of list$0.12per tax filer$0.09per personCanada Emergency Response Benefit
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.3M
0.0% of list$0.04per tax filer$0.03per personSupport for Labour Market Information in Canada
Department of Employment and Social Development
$1.3M
0.0% of list$0.04per tax filer$0.03per personCanadian Benefit for Parents of Young Victims of Crime
Department of Employment and Social Development
$680K
0.0% of list$0.02per tax filer$0.02per personCanada Emergency Student Benefit
Department of Employment and Social Development
$59K
0.0% of list<$0.01per tax filer<$0.01per person(S) One-time payment to persons with disabilities pursuant to An Act respecting further COVID-19 measures
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$300
0.0% of list-<$0.01per tax filer-<$0.01per person(S) The provision of funds for liabilities including liabilities in the form of guaranteed loans under the Canada Student Loans Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$1.3M
0.0% of list-$0.04per tax filer-$0.03per person(S) The provision of funds for interest and other payments to lending institutions and liabilities under the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$2.1M
0.0% of list-$0.07per tax filer-$0.05per person(S) Payments for the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit pursuant to the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$2.6M
0.0% of list-$0.09per tax filer-$0.06per person(S) Universal Child Care Benefit (Universal Child Care Benefit Act)
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$3.9M
0.0% of list-$0.13per tax filer-$0.10per person(S) Payments for the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit pursuant to the Canada Recovery Benefits Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$6.1M
0.0% of list-$0.21per tax filer-$0.15per person(S) Benefit enhancement measures for the Employment Insurance Operating Account pursuant to subsection 153.111 of the Employment Insurance Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$21.2M
0.0% of list-$0.71per tax filer-$0.52per person(S) Payments for the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit pursuant to the Canada Recovery Benefits Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$23.8M
0.0% of list-$0.79per tax filer-$0.58per person(S) Payments for the Canada Recovery Benefit pursuant to the Canada Recovery Benefits Act
Department of Employment and Social Development
-$175M
0.0% of list-$5.85per tax filer-$4.26per person
Sources and basis
- GC InfoBase - Open Datasets, retrieved 2026-11-03. Open Government Licence - Canada. Program spending is reconciled to Public Accounts expenditures by vote for every organization and year. It excludes Employment Insurance benefits, the Canada Child Benefit and other items that are not appropriated, so it differs from the budget tables.
- Detailed information on Transfer Payments, as per the Public Accounts of Canada, retrieved 2026-11-03. Open Government Licence - Canada.
- Themes group programs by purpose, not by department. Each program is assigned to one theme by a published, reviewable rule set.