Provincial Graduate Retention Program (GRP)

The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to retaining our best and brightest right here at home! Introducing a new program of tax benefits for graduates that addresses tuition costs and contributes to the long term growth and prosperity of Saskatchewan!

The Graduate Retention Program (GRP) is a refundable income tax credit to rebate up to $20,000 of tuition fees paid by eligible graduates. This initiative replaces the Graduate Tax Exemption beginning January 1, 2008, while transitioning in graduates eligible for this previous benefit program.

Provincial - Employees' Tool Tax Credit

The Employees' Tool Tax Credit recognizes the costs associated with purchasing, replacing and upgrading eligible tools by qualifying employees as a condition of their employment. The tax credit consists of two components: a one-time trade entry amount and an annual maintenance amount. The maximum amount for each component is dependent upon the trade group that the individual is employed in. The tax credit is calculated as 11 per cent of the specified credit amounts for each of the trade group.

The one-time trade entry amount is intended to recognize the high initial cost of tools that are required to be purchased by employees to enter their trade. The annual maintenance amount is intended to recognize the ongoing cost to a tradesperson of maintaining his or her tools that are required as a condition of employment.

Eligibility and Administration

The Canada Revenue Agency administers the Employees’ Tool Tax Credit on Saskatchewan’s behalf and requires that employees and employers complete a provincial tax form T1284.

For more information, call the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281.

Federal - Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit

This is a Federal Government initiative. In order to facilitate completion of the tax form, please note the following:

We do not have “Contract Numbers.” Therefore, we suggest you complete Column A “Contract Number” with the apprentice’s name and address.
The Red Seal codes for the eligible trades in Saskatchewan are in this document - Red Seal Codes.

For further information please contact 1-800-O-Canada or visit www.fin.gc.ca/budget06/bp/bpc3be.htm#apprenticeship.

Federal - The Apprenticeship Incentive (AIG) Program

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) Program began January 1, 2007. Apprentices completing their first or second year (level, block or period) of an apprenticeship program in a provincially or territorially designated Red Seal trade will be eligible for a $1,000 taxable grant to help offset some of their training-related costs and to encourage further advancement in their programs. Only those apprentices demonstrating progression on or after January 1, 2007 will be considered eligible for the grant.

Note: We do not supply "Provincial Apprentice ID Numbers" as requested in question #12 of the AIG Program application form. Therefore, we suggest you use your social insurance number instead.

Information about the program is available at www.hrsdc.gc.ca/apprenticeship. General enquiries about the program should be directed to Service Canada at www.servicecanada.gc.ca, at a local Service Canada Centre, or by calling at 1-866-742-3644 or 1-866-909-9757 (for the hearing impaired).

2007 Tax Year

For your information, the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission has mailed out the following documents pertaining to the 2007 taxation year:

T2202A ‘Tuition, Education and Textbook Amount Certificate’ forms were mailed out on January 31, 2008
T4E ‘Statement of Employment Insurance and Other Benefits’ forms were mailed out on February 11, 2008

If you have any questions relating to your T2202A or T4E, please call the SATCC toll-free at 1-877-363-0536.

For inquiries regarding the Graduate Tax Exemption, please call 1-800-597-8278, or 306-787-5620 if you are in the Regina area.