To apply to BJO, individuals must complete/provide the following to their service provider: BJO Application for Financial Assistance (digital or PDF) A copy of the letter of acceptance, and any necessary supporting documentation from the training institution If applicable, clients must also include the following documents to support their application: Three written quotes for the… Continue reading What documents are clients required to complete to apply to Better Jobs Ontario (BJO)?
Program: Better Jobs Ontario
How can an individual access the Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) Application for Financial Assistance?
Service providers can either share a PDF version of the BJO Application for Financial Assistance for applicants to fill out or invite them to apply digitally through the EO Portal. The EO Portal and BJO online application form are online tools that clients can use to complete a BJO application package, including completing the application… Continue reading How can an individual access the Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) Application for Financial Assistance?
How does an individual apply for Better Jobs Ontario (BJO)?
To apply to BJO, an individual must first meet with an Employment Ontario Integrated Employment Service (IES) / Employment Service (ES) provider to discuss their employment and training goals. Service providers then work with the client to develop an Employment Action Plan (EAP) / Employment Service Plan (ESP) and the individual conducts research on which… Continue reading How does an individual apply for Better Jobs Ontario (BJO)?
How does an individual apply for Fast Track?
To apply to the Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) Fast Track stream, individuals complete the same application process as regular BJO applicants but fill out different application questions. They also do not have to complete a suitability assessment and are only required to research one training institution.
Who is eligible for Fast Track?
To be eligible for the Fast Track Stream, individuals must meet all of the following criteria: Have been laid-off on or after March 1, 2020 from a sector identified as highly impacted by COVID-19; Have no more than a high school education and/or have been laid-off from an occupation that required no more than a… Continue reading Who is eligible for Fast Track?
What is the Fast Track stream?
The Fast Track Stream was temporarily added to the BJO program to support individuals most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals are considered most impacted by COVID-19 if they are lower-skilled and have been laid off during the pandemic from a highly impacted sector. The Fast Track stream helps people access training to get back… Continue reading What is the Fast Track stream?
If an applicant receives benefits from Ontario Works (OW) or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), do they need to notify their Social Assistance (SA) caseworker that they will be receiving Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) funding and attending skills training?
Yes. It is the client’s responsibility to notify their SA caseworker to determine how their participation in the BJO program may affect their benefits from OW/ODSP (i.e., income support and/or health benefits).
What connections are there between the Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) program and the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)?
Both OSAP and BJO support Ontarians to meet their skills development, training, and other educational goals. Better Jobs Ontario provides grant support for tuition and other costs related to training linked directly to the clients’ employment goals and in support of in demand labour market needs. OSAP offers a mix of grants and loans to… Continue reading What connections are there between the Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) program and the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP)?
Do Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) clients lose their Employment Insurance (EI) when they participate in BJO?
No. Section 25 of the Employment Insurance Act allows individuals who receive EI regular benefits to take part in training programs and other employment activities that will facilitate their return to the labour force by exempting them from their obligation to actively look and be available for work. The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and… Continue reading Do Better Jobs Ontario (BJO) clients lose their Employment Insurance (EI) when they participate in BJO?
What is household income for the purposes of Better Jobs Ontario?
Any monies that are or will be received by the participant and/or their spouse/common law partner during the skills training period, from an employer or any other person (including a trustee in bankruptcy), are considered household income. The following sources of income are not to be included in the calculation of household income for Better… Continue reading What is household income for the purposes of Better Jobs Ontario?