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Funding guide for B.C. employers

B.C. Employer Training Grant: eligibility, how to apply, and courses that qualify

The B.C. Employer Training Grant reimburses employers up to 80% of the cost of training their staff, to a maximum of $10,000 per person each year. Here is who qualifies, what it covers, how the process works, and the Brydge Academy programs you can use it for.

Estimate your grant See the courses

Checked against WorkBC's eligibility criteria in October 2026.
How the grant works with Brydge Academy, in 50 seconds.
80%

of eligible training costs reimbursed

$10,000

maximum per participant, per fiscal year

$300,000

maximum per employer, per fiscal year

What is the B.C. Employer Training Grant?

The Employer Training Grant (ETG) is a Province of British Columbia program, delivered through WorkBC, that helps employers pay for skills training for current and new employees. The employer pays for the training, then claims 80% of the eligible cost back.

It funds job-related skills training from an independent training provider, such as short, structured courses, not degrees or diplomas. Consulting, coaching, conferences, seminars and networking events are not eligible training methods.

Who is eligible?

Employers

  • Businesses and organizations of any size operating in B.C., including self-employed people, non-profits, municipalities, Indigenous governments, and unions applying for the workers they represent.
  • Fully operational for at least one year, and registered with BC Registries for that long, when you apply.
  • A Canada Revenue Agency business number, a business licence if your municipality requires one, and good standing with the Province.

Provincial government employers (including Crown corporations, hospitals, health authorities and public post-secondary institutions), and federal and territorial governments, are not eligible.

Participants

  • Aged 16 or over, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person.
  • Employed by you, self-employed, or someone you plan to hire. People employed by another company qualify only if a local economic disruption puts their job at risk.
  • Not temporary foreign workers, international students or other temporary residents.

The training must be relevant to the business and the participant's job, and lead to better job security, a better job, or a job for someone unemployed.

What does it cover?

The employer must pay all costs in full; participants cannot pay for their own training.

Covered

  • Tuition
  • Mandatory student fees and exam fees
  • Textbooks, software and materials required for the training
  • Certain travel costs

Not covered

  • Memberships, subscriptions and annual fees
  • Software licences the business keeps
  • Laptops, tablets and other hardware or equipment
  • Participant wages while training

Estimate your grant

Pick one or more programs, a format and how many people will train. The numbers update as you go.

Programs (choose one or more)

Format

Groups of 5 or more, or one person solo.

Training cost
$3,485
Grant back (80%)
−$2,788

Your cost after the grant

$697

$139 per participant

Estimate before tax. GST is likely not reimbursed. The business pays first and claims the grant after training starts; the Ministry decides every application.

Plan it with us

How to apply

Five steps, from your Business BCeID to the money back. Our step-by-step application guide covers each one in detail, including what to have ready.

  1. First

    Get a Business BCeID

    The employer logs in to the Skills Training Grants System with its own Business BCeID. A new one can take up to two weeks.

  2. 60+ days before training

    Apply before training starts

    One application per program, with each participant completing their own Participant Information Form. Apply at least 60 days ahead.

  3. Within 60 days

    Get the decision

    WorkBC answers within 60 days: approved, denied or returned unassessed.

  4. Training day

    Pay, then train

    The business pays the training provider in full, then the team trains.

  5. Within 30 days of the start

    Claim 80% back

    Submit the reimbursement claim with the paid invoice within 30 days after training starts, then the completion report once everyone has finished.

How the training works

In person, at your workplace

We look at your business and show you where to start, then train your team hands-on with your real tools, not theory. Everyone leaves with a certificate, and the grant can pay back up to 80% of the cost.

Brydge Academy, in under a minute.

Courses that qualify

Brydge Academy courses you can fund with the grant

In-person courses in AI, automation and marketing, delivered on-site at your location in B.C. Each one is designed to meet the grant criteria, and we provide the course outline and details for your application. Prices are per person, plus tax; "after the grant" is your cost once 80% is reimbursed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the B.C. Employer Training Grant?

A Province of B.C. program, run through WorkBC, that reimburses employers up to 80% of eligible training costs for their staff, up to $10,000 per participant and $300,000 per employer each fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).

Does WorkBC pay for training?

Through the Employer Training Grant, yes: WorkBC reimburses the employer 80% of eligible training costs after the training starts. The employer pays the training provider first, then claims the grant back.

What is the $3,500 training grant in B.C.?

That is the StrongerBC future skills grant, a different program. It is for individuals aged 19 or older and covers up to $3,500 (lifetime) of eligible short-term training at B.C. public post-secondary institutions. The Employer Training Grant is the one employers use for training delivered by providers like Brydge Academy.

Can self-employed people apply?

Yes. A self-employed person can be both the applicant and the participant, as long as the business has been fully operating for at least a year.

How long does approval take?

WorkBC decides within 60 days of a complete application. Applications are assessed in priority order, and first-time applicants and small businesses are among the priorities, so apply at least 60 days before your training date.

Can training start before the grant is approved?

It cannot start before you apply. It can start before the decision, but if the application is denied or returned unassessed, the business pays the full cost.

Is the grant taxable, and is GST covered?

The grant counts as taxable income for the business. The criteria do not say whether GST is reimbursed, so plan as if it is not.

Which Brydge Academy programs qualify?

All 16 Brydge Academy programs are designed to meet the grant criteria: structured, in-person courses with published outlines, a named instructor and a hands-on assessment. The Ministry decides every application.

Official sources

This page summarizes WorkBC's rules in plain words. The Ministry decides every application at its sole discretion, and we can't guarantee a grant outcome. Questions about the grant itself go to WorkBC at ETG@gov.bc.ca.

B.C. Employer Training Grant (WorkBC) → Eligibility criteria (PDF) → StrongerBC future skills grant →

Plan your team's training around the grant

We help you choose the programs, set dates that leave room for the grant decision, and give you every training detail the application asks for.

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