The Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Recruit-Back Incentive
The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive provides eligible Early Childhood Educators (ECE) with a grant of $5,000 to return to work full-time in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home.
The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive supports Manitoba non-profit child care facilities in recruiting passionate and skilled ECEs, incentivizing individuals that have left Manitoba’s licensed early learning and child care sector to return to full-time work. Funding for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive is provided under the Canada-Manitoba Canada-Wide ELCC Agreement.
Eligibility and Selection
Application Requirements and Processing
Need Help Finding Employment?
Application Deadlines
Funding Distribution
Notification of Employment Change for Incentive Recipients
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility and Selection
The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive is available for:
- ECE II and ECE IIIs who have not worked in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home for at least two consecutive years, and have returned, or are committed to returning on or after June 1, 2025, to full-time employment in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home (this will be verified by the employer as part of the application process).
To qualify for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive, the applicant must also be:
- Classified as an ECE II or ECE III in Manitoba.
- Committed to working full-time for at least two consecutive years in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home after being approved for the incentive
- A Canadian citizen or permanent resident
To receive grant funding, eligible applicants must have their employment and start date on or after June 1, 2025, as an ECE II or ECE III verified by the employer. Eligibility and employment verification will be considered in the application review process and upon notification of any employment changes for an individual in receipt of the incentive.
Grant funding is subject to budget allocations determined by the government for the fiscal year April 1 to March 31.
Application Requirements and Processing
Applicants must complete two steps to receive the incentive
Step 1) Determine eligibility:
Applicants must submit a completed The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive Application to determine their eligibility.
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All applicants will be notified of the status of their application and informed of their eligibility by the email provided on the application. Applicants who are eligible will be advised by the department.
NOTE: Applicants unsure of when they last worked in Manitoba’s licensed early learning and child care sector or their classification level can contact eceincentive@gov.mb.ca
Step 2) Confirm employment in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home:
Eligible applicants must notify the Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning at eceincentive@gov.mb.ca after finding employment in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home. Applicants are encouraged to advise their employer of their incentive application.
Employment details provided by the applicant on this application will be verified and confirmed by the department and with the centre director or home-based license holder. To support the application process, applicant employment information must be up-to-date in Child Care Online.
Need Help Finding Employment?
Manitoba Child Care Search (MCCS) supports individuals to find employment opportunities in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home: www.Manitoba.ca/childcaresearch
Application Deadline
Applicants must submit the ECE Recruit-Back Incentive Application by the deadline of January 1, 2027, to be considered for eligibility.
Funding Distribution
Funding is provided over two installments for ECE IIs or ECE IIIs in Manitoba who have not worked in a Manitoba’s licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home for at least two consecutive years.
Funding will be distributed to the applicant’s centre director or home-based license holder when the employment requirements of this funding are confirmed as follows;
- The first installment will be paid after three months of full-time employment in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home;
- The second installment will be paid a year after the first installment, or a year and three months after the first day of full-time employment in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home.
* The applicant does not need to apply for the second installment of the incentive; funds will be distributed according to the date of employment provided by the centre director or home-based license holder. Incentive recipients may receive their second installment after the incentive application period closes.
Notification of Employment Change for Incentive Recipients
Incentive recipients must notify the Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning at eceincentive@gov.mb.ca of any breaks or changes in employment, including leaves of absence, termination or change of employer/facility. This information is required to ensure individuals approved for grant funding continue to fulfill the requirements of receiving this incentive as outlined under eligibility and selection section.
Note: Approved applicants may continue to receive funding under this incentive if they change employers as long as they continue to fulfill the requirements under this incentive as outlined under section eligibility and selection.
Contact
For additional inquiries about the incentive, email: eceincentive@gov.mb.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the purpose of The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
The Incentive is to encourage trained ECEs to return to a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home. The incentive supports ECEs that may be unsure about leaving their current place of employment or ECEs that are currently seeking employment to return to work in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home. - Who is eligible to receive The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive is available for:
ECE II and ECE IIIs who have not worked in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home for at least two consecutive years and have returned, or are committed to returning on or after June 1, 2025, to full-time employment in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home (this will be verified by the employer as part of the application process).
To qualify for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive, applicants must:- Classified as an ECE II or ECE III in Manitoba.
- Committed to working full-time for at least two consecutive years in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home after being approved for the incentive.
- A Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- Do I need to be employed in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home to apply for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
No, applicants do not need to be employed at an eligible early learning and child care centre or licensed home when applying for the incentive. Applicants can submit The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive Application prior to being employed to determine eligibility. Applicants can also contact Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning prior to applying if they are unsure when they last worked in Manitoba’s licensed early learning and child care sector or their classification level in Manitoba. - Is The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive available for individuals in a home-based child care setting?
Yes, the incentive is available for home-based license holders that have opened or will open a home-based child care facility on or after the start date of June 1, 2025, as long as all eligibility criteria are met. - I was previously employed part-time in a Manitoba licensed early learning and child care centre or licensed home; am I eligible for the incentive?
Individuals that previously worked in a part-time capacity in Manitoba’s licensed early learning and child care sector are eligible for the incentive, as long as they meet all other incentive eligibility criteria. - I previously worked in a for-profit child care facility in Manitoba: am I eligible for the ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
Yes, individuals that previously worked in a for-profit facility are eligible for the ECE Recruit Back Incentive, as long as all other eligibility criteria are met including returning to work in a Manitoba licensed non-profit child care centre or licensed home. - I am new to Manitoba, am I eligible for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
No, only individuals who have previously worked in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home are eligible to receive the incentive. - I worked in a licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home in a different province/territory, am I eligible for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
Only individuals who have previously worked in a Manitoba non-profit licensed early learning and child care centre or licensed home are eligible to receive the incentive.
If you worked in an eligible Manitoba early learning and child care centre or home prior to working in a different province or territory, you may be eligible for the incentive, as long as it was at least two consecutive years before applying for the incentive and you meet all other eligibility criteria. - Why do I have to work for two consecutive years in a licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home to receive full funding?
The two-year requirement is to ensure incentive recipients are making a long-term commitment to the licensed early learning and child care sector and is a key step towards building a strong early learning and child care workforce in Manitoba. The two-year commitment is consistent with other programs available in Manitoba, such as the Tuition Reimbursement program. - I began working in a licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home after June 1, 2025: am I eligible for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
If an individual is classified as an ECE II or ECE III and has not worked in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care or licensed home for at least two consecutive years, they are eligible for funding if employment in that eligible facility began on or after June 1, 2025.
Employment details provided by the applicant on the application will be verified and confirmed by the Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning and with the centre director or home-based license holder. - Can I work part-time in a licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home and receive the incentive?
No, recipients must work full-time in a licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home to receive the incentive. - How many hours do I need to work in a licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home per week to be considered working full-time?
To be considered working full-time for the purposes of The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive, an individual must work at least 30 hours per week in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home. - How will I receive The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive?
The funding will be distributed to the child care centre director or home-based license holder, which will then be paid to the applicant by their employer. - Will I need to reapply for The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive to receive the second installment of $2,500?
No, applicants do not need to reapply to receive the second installment of $2,500. However, if an applicant moved to a different facility after receiving the first installment of incentive funding, they must inform the Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning, who will confirm employment with their child care centre director or home-based license holder. This is to confirm the applicant’s employment and ensure they meet the required length of employment to receive the second installment.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning may withhold funds if the applicant was not working in a facility while looking for a new position to ensure the length-of-employment requirements are met. - Do I need to work in the same Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home for two years?
No, incentive applicants are not required to work in the same licensed non-profit centre or licensed home for two years.
Approved applicants may continue to receive funding under this incentive if they change employers as long as they continue to fulfill the requirements under this incentive as outlined under section eligibility and selection.
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning may withhold funds if the applicant was not working in a facility while looking for a new position to ensure the length-of-employment requirements are met. - Will I have to return funds received through The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive if I do not work in an eligible Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home for at least two consecutive years?
Yes, incentive recipients must work full-time in a Manitoba licensed non-profit early learning and child care centre or licensed home for at least two consecutive years to receive the incentive – those that are unable to must return all funds received. - If I have to go on leave from my eligible early learning and child care centre or home prior to completing two years of employment; am I required to return The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive funds that I have received?
The Employment Standards Code outlines a number of leaves of absence to allow employees to deal with certain events in their lives without the loss of their employment. Funding recipients that go on leave from their employment for one of these reasons will not be required to return funding they have received, as long as the leave of absence does not extend beyond what is outlined in The Employment Standards Code.
Funding recipients must inform department staff of their leave of absence.
Further information is included in The Employment Standards Code available at: Government of Manitoba | Employment Standards - I went on leave from an eligible early learning and child care centre or home under this incentive and did not return. Including that leave, I have also not worked in an eligible early learning and child centre or home under this incentive for at least two years. Am I eligible for the incentive?
As long as the leave taken by an applicant is outlined in The Employment Standards Code, and the applicant meets all other defined eligibility criteria under this incentive, they will be eligible for incentive funding. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning may confirm the length of leave with the applicants’ previous centre director or home-based license holder.
Further information is included in The Employment Standards Code available at: Government of Manitoba | Employment Standards - Is The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive taxable?
Funds provided through The ECE Recruit-Back Incentive are considered taxable as income. The funding is considered taxable under the common tax base in Canada and will be taxed by the Canada Revenue Agency under the terms of the Tax Collection Agreement with Manitoba. - I am a child care centre director/home-based license holder of an employee who is eligible for the incentive. What steps do I need to follow?
An Employment Verification form will be issued to the centre director or home-based license holder through the ECEincentive@gov.mb.ca email address after the eligible applicant confirms their employment status.
The centre director or home-based license holder must ensure the eligible applicant’s information and employment status is updated in the Child Care Online - Record of Child Care Employee (RCCE) or Record of Child Care Resident/Staff (RCCR).
The centre director or home-based license holder must complete and sign the Employment Verification form and return it to the ECEincentive@gov.mb.ca email address for the applicant to be approved for funding.
