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FAQ

General questions
Former Explore participants
Employers
Educational establishments
Current-year Explore participants

General questions

Languages at Work is a summer employment program for people under 30, designed to offer young Canadians a practical summer job experience, the chance to practise and improve their second official language (English or French) and the opportunity to discover a new part of the country.

Designed for participants in the Explore program, the Languages at Work program offers them exceptional opportunities to continue learning their second language in a professional context.

The Languages at Work program is aimed at young people under 30 who have taken part in the Explore program. There are two branches to Languages at Work: one for this year’s Explore participants and the other for former participants, up to the last 3 years.

Explore is a government-funded intensive immersion program offered in spring and summer in several Canadian provinces and territories. Sessions take place at accredited institutions and students live on campus or with local host families.

There are two branches at Languages at Work:

  • Jobs for current participants are varied and require a low to moderate knowledge of the language.
  • Jobs for past participants will be offered in educational establishments offering Explore and the language level is moderate to high.

Current-year Explore participants

Languages at Work operate through four institutions with program officers who support youth with registration, help them find an employer, and provide guidance throughout the program. The institutions are:

  • Université Sainte-Anne, FR (Pointe-de-l’Église, NS);
  • Université de Moncton, FR (NB);
  • Université du Québec à Montréal, FR (QC);
  • University of British Columbia, EN (BC).

In theory, every Explore participant that participated in Explore the same year has access to Languages at Work after completing the immersion program. However, if they choose to attend Explore at an institution other than those listed above, they will not receive assistance in finding housing, an employer, or navigating the program.

Once you’ve created a profile on the Young Canada Works website, you can view existing positions in the “Search for a job” tab in the sidebar of the website. The positions for your institution will be indicated at the top of the job poster. You can then express your interest in the positions that appeal to you, which will send a notification to the employer and allow you to get in touch.

Only “Current-year Explore jobs” jobs are intended for you.

Yes, the work experience must take place in the same region as your Explore program.

You can consult the steps of the program in the guide provided.

Your return journey from the town where you took part in the Explore program to your main residence is eligible for reimbursement for the changing ticket fees.

Some schools offering the Explore program provide free accommodations for participants. If this is not the case, you are eligible for a pay supplement of 2$/hr from Languages at Work to offset the cost of your accommodations.

The salary offered depends on the employer, but the minimum wage in force is the provincial/territorial minimum wage + $2 per hour.
There are many jobs available as part of the program. The central element of each job opportunity is to enable participants to practise their second language in a professional context.

The job starts immediately after you complete the Explore program.

As with any other job, if possible you should advise your supervisor to see if the situation can be improved. If not, you have the right to resign.
The Languages at Work program is designed to build your confidence in your second language. The tasks should require a beginner to intermediate level of language. What’s more, employers apply to the program knowing that participants are learning the language in which they work.

It’s normal not to see any jobs posted before April. Before then, positions are still in the selection process. Please note that in cities other than Moncton, Montreal, Pointe-de-l’Église, and Vancouver, where there is no program officer, job opportunities are much rarer or even non-existent. It is your responsibility to find a job outside of these four cities.

If you find an employer who is not in the database, suggest that they visit the Employers page of our website.

It is important to note that we cannot guarantee you a job. Ultimately, the placement rate depends on the number of employers recruited and the number of Explore participants who wish to benefit from the program.

Yes, this is essential to link your file to that of your employer.

Former Explore participants

Once you’ve created a profile on the Young Canada Works website, you can view existing positions in the “Search for a job” tab in the sidebar of the website. The positions for former Explore participants will be indicated at the top of the job poster. You can then express your interest in the positions that appeal to you, which will send a notification to the employer and allow you to get in touch.

Only “Former Explore participants” jobs are intended for you.

We are also currently working on a database. You will have the opportunity to create your profile. With your consent, we’ll put you in touch with Explore programs interested in hiring.

The salary offered depends on the employer, but the current minimum is the provincial/territorial minimum wage + $2 per hour.

Yes, provided that your main residence is more than 125 km from your place of work, under certain conditions. This aspect of the program will be discussed directly with us once you have been accepted for your job.

Some establishments offer paid accommodations through the program. If this is not the case at the establishment where you work, your salary may be increased 2$/hr to offset the cost of your accommodations.

It’s normal not to see any jobs posted before April. Before then, positions are still in the selection process.

No, as a former participant in the program, you can work in any of the establishments that offer a job.

The first step is to check that you are eligible for the Languages at Work program (Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee ; have completed the Explore program for less than 2 years; be under 30 years of age at the time you start working; be willing to work in your second language). You can then create a profile on the Young Canada Works website for the current year. Once you’ve found your employer, all you have to do is fill in the online forms to link your profile to theirs.

For former Explore participants, the Languages at Work program offers job opportunities directly linked to Explore.

We usually give preference to participants from the last two years. We may make exceptions, particularly if the employer cannot find an employee in the pool of recent participants.

If you find an employer who is not in the database, suggest that they visit the Employers page of our website.
The duration of employment is set by the school. Employees usually start shortly before the program is launched and finish after it is completed. Generally, employment takes place between April and August.
As with any other job, if possible you should advise your supervisor to see if the situation can be improved. If not, you have the right to resign.
It is important to note that we cannot guarantee you a job. Ultimately, the placement rate depends on the number of employers recruited and the number of Explore participants who wish to benefit from the program.

The Languages at Work program is designed to build confidence in your second language. The tasks should require a medium to high level of language skills. However, educational establishments are aware that you will be working in your second language and should work to ensure that you are comfortable.

Yes, this is essential to link your file to that of your employer.

Unfortunately no, you must have completed Explore to participate in Languages at Work. To find out about other opportunities to work with Young Canada Works in an official language community, find out more about the program in both official languages (YCW BOL).

Employers

To be eligible for Languages at Work, you must offer a job in the same town or close to an establishment offering the Explore program. There is no rule, but an organization within a 10 km radius could be eligible.
Yes, registering on the Young Canada Works website allows you to go through all the steps of the program, from selecting employees to applying for funding and filling out participant employment forms.
To find an employee, first create an account on the Young Canada Works website. You can then search for candidates in the database.

To take part in the Languages at Work program, first create an account on the Young Canada Works website. You can then submit an application. If your application is accepted, you will be able to search for candidates in the database.

Once you have validated the candidate’s eligibility and submitted their staffing report using the forms on the website, you will receive a first payment (usually 75% of the total amount). The second payment will be sent at the end of employment, on receipt of the end-of-employment report and pay slips.

The salary in effect is the minimum hourly wage in your province or territory + $2
Employment is subsidized at 65%.

If the employee does not meet job expectations, as in any employment relationship, you are entitled to dismiss the employee. We will reimburse you for the hours worked, up to the amount originally agreed.

The length of the program depends on the Explore session in which the employee participates. If they participate in the spring session, the employment will be for 6 to 8 weeks, except for the Université Sainte-Anne programs where the internships will be for 3 weeks. If they participate in the summer session, the program will be for 3 weeks.

Yes, you must be able to advance the employee’s salary, as the Languages at Work program works on a reimbursement basis.
You can apply for as many positions as you like. Please note, however, that we start by accepting one or two positions per employer and that if the budget allows, we will accept new positions, depending on the quality of the applications.

Educational establishments (Explore Employers)

Yes, this is essential to create a funding application.
Yes, the employee must be a former participant in the Explore program.

To take part in the Languages at Work program, first create an account on the Young Canada Works website. You can then submit an application. If your application is accepted, you will be able to search for candidates in the database.
Once you have validated the candidate’s eligibility and submitted their staffing report using the forms on the website, you will receive a first payment (usually 75% of the total amount). The second payment will be sent at the end of employment, on receipt of the end-of-employment report and pay slips.

Yes, we will be able to create an agreement at the start of the job so that the program funds all or part of the proposed accommodations.

The salary in effect is the minimum hourly wage in your province or territory + $2.

Any job related to the Explore program.
We usually give preference to participants from the last two years. We may make exceptions, particularly if you cannot find an employee in the pool of recent participants.
You can set the duration of employment according to your needs. Usually, employees start shortly before the program is launched and finish after it is completed. Generally, the job takes place between April and August.
To find an employee, first create an account on the Young Canada Works website. You can then search for candidates in the database.
Employment is subsidized at 65%.
If the employee does not meet job expectations, as in any employment relationship, you are entitled to dismiss the employee. We will reimburse you for the hours worked, up to the amount originally agreed.
Yes, you must be able to advance the employee’s salary, as the Languages at Work program works on a reimbursement basis.
You can apply for as many positions as you like. Please note, however, that we start by accepting one or two positions per employer and that if the budget allows, we will accept new positions, depending on the quality of the applications.
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