What is Work-Sharing Program (Enhanced)?
Work-Sharing Program (Enhanced) is delivered by ESDC as a wage subsidy. Funding is typically up to 55% of employees' insurable earnings. This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | Up to 55% of employees' insurable earnings |
|---|---|
| Cost share | N/A (EI-based benefit) |
| Level | Federal |
| Program type | Wage Subsidy |
| Delivered by | ESDC |
| Available in | All provinces |
| Intake status | Open — tariff special measures extended to March 31, 2027 |
| Last verified | 2026-05-25 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: All industries facing temporary work reduction
- Employee count: min 2
- Eligible activities: Avoid layoffs by reducing hours; employees receive EI benefits for reduced hours
Watch out for
Permanent layoffs; seasonal reductions; less than 2 affected employees; less than 2 years in business
Deadlines & how to apply
Enhanced tariff measures extended from March 6, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Max agreement duration up to 76 weeks; mandatory cooling-off period waived; eligibility expanded to non-profits/charities and to employers with a work decline under 10%. As of March 2026, ~1,500 agreements covering 54,000+ workers, ~20,000 layoffs prevented. Companion Worker Retention Grant (opened Feb 17, 2026) tops up income for workers training while on Work-Sharing.
How NorthGrants helps with Work-Sharing Program (Enhanced)
Most business owners read about Work-Sharing Program (Enhanced), see the funding amount, and stop. The hard part isn't finding the grant. It's building an application that actually wins.
NorthGrants builds the full application framework for you: a tailored project narrative aligned to this program's evaluation criteria, a budget structure that maps to eligible costs, and the supporting documentation checklist. You review it, refine the parts only you can write, and submit.