Canada Summer Jobs 2027: What Employers Need Before the December 3 Deadline

• Canada Summer Jobs 2027 applications are open from October 27 to December 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
• Eligible employers include not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private-sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees.
• Prepare job details, wage information, organization records, and the correct application method before submitting through GCOS, the online form, by mail, or in person.

Canada Summer Jobs 2027 applications are open

Employment and Social Development Canada is accepting employer applications for Canada Summer Jobs 2027. The application window opened on October 27, 2026, and closes on December 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

The program provides wage subsidies to help employers create paid summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30. Approved jobs must take place in Canada between April 19 and August 28, 2027.

There are four ways to submit an application: Grants and Contributions Online Services, the online fillable form, by mail, or in person at a Service Canada office. GCOS is the recommended option because it lets employers track the application and manage the project online.

Who can apply for Canada Summer Jobs funding?

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, public-sector employers, and private-sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada.

Your organization must be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency, have its own valid business number, and have a CRA payroll deductions program account before hiring youth through the program. A new CSJ 2027 requirement also applies: organizations generally must have been in operation for at least two years by December 31, 2026.

An organization operating for less than two years may still qualify for an exemption if it met the conditions of its CSJ 2026 funding agreement and received reimbursement for at least one CSJ-funded job in 2026.

Employer categories

• Not-for-profit employers: This can include charities, community organizations, faith-based organizations, unions, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations, and other organizations established for purposes other than financial gain.
• Public-sector employers: This can include municipalities, public libraries, public schools, public colleges, universities, hospitals, and other publicly funded organizations.
• Private-sector employers: The organization must have no more than 50 full-time employees across Canada. Full-time employees are generally those working at least 30 hours per week.

Federal and provincial government departments, organizations involved in partisan political activities, and organizations that engage in activities that undermine legally protected human rights are not eligible.

What jobs qualify?

CSJ-funded jobs must provide full-time work in Canada for at least six consecutive weeks and no more than 16 consecutive weeks. The normal work schedule must be between 30 and 40 hours per week.

The earliest eligible start date is April 19, 2027, and all work must finish by August 28, 2027. Your planned start date must leave enough time to complete the number of weeks requested. For example, an eight-week job ending on August 28 would need to start by July 5.

Jobs must be offered in an inclusive, non-discriminatory workplace. Activities outside Canada, including telework performed outside Canada, are not eligible. Fundraising intended to cover the participant’s salary, personal services for the employer, and partisan political activities are also excluded.

How much funding can employers receive?

Not-for-profit employers may receive funding for up to 100% of the applicable provincial or territorial adult minimum wage. Public- and private-sector employers may receive funding for up to 50% of the applicable adult minimum wage.

Not-for-profit employers may also request reimbursement for eligible Mandatory Employment Related Costs. Public- and private-sector employers cannot request CSJ funding for those costs.

The wage subsidy is not a promise that every requested job, week, or hour will be approved. Funding is limited, and an application may be approved for fewer positions or fewer weeks than requested. Employers remain responsible for paying the approved wage and making the required payroll remittances.

What to prepare before applying

Gather the information below before opening the application. Having it ready makes the form easier to complete and reduces the chance of an incomplete submission.

• Your organization’s legal name, CRA business number, and payroll program account information.
• The name and contact details of the person who will communicate with Service Canada.
• The name of the person authorized to sign or attest to the application.
• The main job location and its postal code.
• Each proposed job title, the number of youth requested, job duties, preferred education level, start date, number of weeks, hours per week, and hourly wage.
• Information showing how the proposed job supports relevant national or local priorities.
• Estimated Mandatory Employment Related Costs if you are a not-for-profit employer.

A job title must be treated as a separate job when details such as duties, start date, wage, number of weeks, hours, or preferred education level differ. If jobs are based in different federal constituencies, you generally need a separate application for each constituency.

How to apply for Canada Summer Jobs 2027

Submit only one copy of each application. Sending the same application through multiple methods can delay processing.

Option 1: Apply through GCOS

1. Create or sign in to your Grants and Contributions Online Services account.
2. Use your organization’s CRA payroll business number when setting up the account.
3. Open the Open Call for Proposals section.
4. Select CFP-CSJ/AP-ÉEC-2026-307 and choose Apply.
5. Complete the employer, job, funding, and attestation sections.
6. Submit the application and save the confirmation number and a copy of the submission.

GCOS provides an immediate confirmation number and email confirmation. If you do not receive a confirmation number or confirmation email, the application was not successfully submitted.

Option 2: Use the online fillable form

The online fillable form remains available for the 2027 application cycle, but it will no longer be available beginning with CSJ 2028. The form lets you save your progress, but sessions can expire after inactivity and saved applications have a limited completion window.

After submitting, wait for the confirmation number. A saved or completed copy that has not been officially submitted is not an application.

Option 3: Apply by mail or in person

Download and complete the official PDF application form. Mailed applications must be postmarked on or before December 3, 2026. Applications submitted in person must be received before the close of business at the Service Canada office on December 3.

Applications sent by fax or email will not be considered. Mail submissions should be sent to the regional address listed in the official application instructions, and applicants should allow extra time for postal delays.

What happens after you submit?

Service Canada reviews applications from December through March. It checks eligibility, assesses eligible projects against the program objectives, and considers community feedback and available funding.

Funding decisions are made in March, and organizations are notified between early April and the end of June 2027. A decision may approve the request, find the application eligible but not approve it because funding is limited, or determine that the application is ineligible.

Do not hire youth or begin project activities expecting reimbursement before receiving written approval and signing the funding agreement. Costs incurred before an approved agreement is in place are not reimbursable.

If an application is incomplete, Service Canada may contact the organization and provide five business days to supply missing information. If you need to correct an application after submitting it, contact Canada Summer Jobs rather than sending a second copy.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until December 3 to create a GCOS account or resolve identity verification issues.
• Using a job schedule below 30 hours per week without an approved exception.
• Requesting work weeks that cannot be completed by August 28, 2027.
• Submitting multiple copies through different methods.
• Leaving out the organization’s CRA payroll account or authorized representative information.
• Assuming previous CSJ funding guarantees approval for 2027.
• Starting the job before receiving written approval and completing the agreement.

The safest next step is to open the official applicant guide, confirm that your organization meets the two-year operation and payroll requirements, then start the application early enough to resolve any account or document problems before December 3, 2026.

Helpful Links

• Canada Summer Jobs 2027 applicant guide – Review the current program dates, funding rules, eligibility requirements, preparation guidance, and post-application process.
• Canada Summer Jobs 2027 application instructions – Compare GCOS, online fillable, mail, and in-person submission methods and review the deadline instructions.
• Canada Summer Jobs employer eligibility – Check eligible employer types, organization requirements, job conditions, and youth participant rules.
• Canada Summer Jobs local priorities – Find the local priorities for the constituency where the main job location is based.
• Access Grants and Contributions Online Services – Create or access the GCOS account used to submit and track the recommended online application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can a private business apply for Canada Summer Jobs 2027?

A. Yes. A private-sector organization can apply if it has 50 or fewer full-time employees across Canada and meets the other employer, project, payroll, and workplace requirements.

Q. Does receiving Canada Summer Jobs funding before guarantee approval in 2027?

A. No. Previous funding does not guarantee approval. Applications are assessed against the current program requirements, objectives, available funding, and other assessment factors.

Q. Can international students be hired through Canada Summer Jobs?

A. No. Eligible youth participants must be 15 to 30 years old at the start of the job and must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or people with refugee protection who are legally entitled to work in Canada. International students are not eligible participants.

Q. What if my organization misses the December 3, 2026 deadline?

A. Applications received or postmarked after the deadline are not considered. The 2027 application period closes at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time for electronic applications, while mailed applications must be postmarked by December 3 and in-person applications must be received before the local Service Canada office closes.