Canada’s youth now have a golden ticket to jumpstart their careers while preserving the nation’s cultural and linguistic heritage. The Young Canada Works (YCW) initiative, a longstanding federal program funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage, is back in full swing for 2025 — offering thousands of paid summer jobs, internships, and work experience opportunities in Canada and abroad.
What Is Young Canada Works?
Launched to help students and graduates gain practical experience, the Young Canada Works initiative is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy. It supports young people between the ages of 16 and 30 in finding seasonal and career-related employment, particularly in sectors like heritage, arts, culture, history, language services, and official languages promotion.
This isn’t just a summer gig program — it’s a strategic employment tool that bridges youth to real-world careers, especially in non-profit, educational, and public sector organizations.
Who Can Apply?
The YCW program is open to:
- Canadian citizens or permanent residents or those with refugee status in Canada
- Youth aged 16 to 30 years old
- Full-time students returning to full-time studies or recent postsecondary graduates
- Individuals who are legally entitled to work in Canada
There are two (02) main streams tailored to different applicant profiles:
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Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations (YCWHO) – For students seeking summer jobs in museums, archives, and cultural institutions across Canada.
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Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage (YCWBCH) – For recent graduates seeking career-oriented internships in heritage fields, language sectors, and digital documentation.
What Does It Offer?
Participants selected under the YCW initiative can expect:
- Paid job placements typically ranging from 6 to 16 weeks
- Internships lasting up to 12 months
- Valuable on-the-job training and mentorship
- Opportunities to work with national heritage institutions, historical research projects, or even international organizations
- For some streams, travel assistance or support may be available.
Employers range from small museums to large cultural organizations, translation agencies, libraries, and archival centers.
How to Apply?
Applying for Young Canada Works is straightforward and entirely online:
- Visit the official portal: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/culture/cultural-youth-programs/jobs-internships.html
- Create an account and complete your candidate profile.
- Browse the database of available jobs and internships across Canada (and internationally).
- Apply directly to the positions of your interest.
Pro Tip: The earlier you apply, the better your chances, especially for competitive roles in major cities and national institution.
