Hire an Indigenous Youth for a Housing Internship

Who can sponsor an intern?

• Indigenous governments and affiliated organizations including Band and Tribal Councils and self-government entities
• Public or not-for-profit Indigenous organizations
• For-profit Indigenous businesses
• Public, private or not-for-profit non-Indigenous employers seeking to employ Indigenous youth

What are your responsibilities as a sponsor?

1. As a sponsor, you’ll pay at least the minimum wage for your province or territory. The wage subsidy will pay for the intern’s wages in whole or in part (we encourage you to contribute some of your funds towards the intern’s wages).
2. You must also have the time and staff resources to provide:
   • on-the-job training
   • coaching and mentoring
3. Provide support for relevant training and skills development for the intern.
4. Cover the costs of administration related to the youth trainee position. Examples of costs include:
   • a supervisor’s time
   • office space and equipment
   • tools, technology and other resources that are needed for the position
5. You must hire the intern for:
   • a minimum of 8 weeks
   • up to a maximum of 2 years (approval of year 2 of the internship is subject to available funding)

CMHC provides wage subsidies to program sponsors. These subsidies cover all mandatory expenses such as:

• Employment Insurance
• Canada and/or Quebec Pension Plans workers’ compensation premiums
• vacation pay
• northern allowance (if applicable)

CMHC may also cover some safety equipment costs.

Skills training activities or curriculum required for a successful internship may also be eligible for financial assistance.

Eligibility for financial assistance is subject to the nature of the request and is not guaranteed.

Who can I hire to be an intern?

Sponsors can offer internships to Indigenous youth. We define Indigenous youth as First Nations (Status or Non-Status), Métis and Inuit between the ages of 15 and 30.

Interns must meet the following qualifications:

• youth must not be receiving Employment Insurance while they participate in the HIIY program
• they must agree to discontinue Employment Insurance benefits before starting the internship
• interns can’t be employed elsewhere during the internship
• interns can live anywhere in Canada – on or off reserve, in northern, rural, remote or urban area

PRO TIP: Download and save the Housing Internship for Indigenous Youth fact sheet for key details.

To prepare you for completing the HIIY application, please follow these steps:

1. Create an account in the CMHC Portal (if you haven’t already done so).
2. Review the HIIY Application Guide (step by step instruction module in PDF format).
3. If you are applying for more than one intern, complete the Project Cost Table (XSL).

Note: Contact an Indigenous and the North Housing Solutions Specialist to answer any questions and assist you with your application.