Help for people with persistent multiple barriers to employment

If you have persistent multiple barriers to employment, you may be able to get extra assistance.

This help gives you the time and support you need to overcome your barriers to employment and move toward independence. It also gives you extra time to transition to other types of assistance if you're eligible, like disability assistance.

You might be able to get this extra help if you meet all the following criteria:

• Receive income assistance or hardship assistance
• Have an eligible health condition that seriously impedes your ability to work
• Have one other eligible barrier to employment

An eligible health condition has either:

• Lasted for at least one year and is likely to continue for at least two more years
• Occurred frequently in the past year and is likely to continue for at least two more years

Eligible barriers to employment include:

• Experiencing homelessness (currently or within the past 12 months)
• Experiencing domestic violence (currently or within the past 6 months)
• Needing English language skills training
• Not having the basic skills for employment
• Having a criminal record
• Having less than a Grade 12 education
• Having accessed emergency health, mental health or addiction services multiple times in the past 12 months
• Being a recent Convention refugee (within the past 24 months) or current refugee claimant
• Being a former child in care
• Other circumstance that, in the minister’s opinion, results in a severe barrier

If you qualify for this kind of assistance, you will get:

• Extra money for support
• An exemption from having to work or look for work
• Extra medical supports
• An earnings exemption of $1,080.00 per month without reducing your assistance amount

You will also continue to get all the supports available through income assistance.