Updates to the Better Jobs Ontario Guidelines

The Better Jobs Ontario Program (BJO) Program Guidelines posted on August 20, 2025, have been revised for greater clarity.

These updated guidelines will be effective on January 27, 2026 and include the following changes:

• all references to Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) have been updated to reflect the new program name Get SET (Skills, Education and Training) or Get SET
• clarification that applicants must have been out of secondary school for 12 months prior to applying for BJO
• confirmation that “good” or “very good” employment prospects applies only to the province of Ontario
• clients who had been participating in the Adjustment Advisory Program (AAP) may be eligible to receive BJO supports
• minor adjustments to the language in the following sections to clarify intention: Eligible Skills Training, as well as Educational Attainment and Occupational Experience
• land claim settlement payments are exempt from income and asset considerations related to decisions about the Basic Living Allowances (BLA)
• the section on Correspondence, Online, and Distance Skills Training now contains language clarifying that learning must not be wholly self-paced

The updated guidelines are now available on the BJO Guidelines page of the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway (EOPG).

Service system managers (SSMs) and service providers responsible for the administration of the BJO program as well as BJO program applicants.

SSMs and service providers should familiarize themselves with the new guidelines which are in effect as of January 27, 2026.

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) held training sessions with SSMs and service providers (SPs) on the August 20, 2025 tariff-related changes to the BJO program. During these sessions, questions were asked which required minor changes to the BJO Guidelines to clarify the policy intent.

On November 20, 2025, the Literacy and Basic Skills (LBS) program was renamed to Get SET (Skills, Education and Training).