Provincial Training Allowance Information for Training ... · Provincial Training Allowance (PTA) is available to learners in provincially-funded programs. In cases where an outside

Provincial Training Allowance Information for Training Centres 2018-19

www.Saskatchewan.ca

http://www.saskatchewan.ca/

Overview

The Provincial Training Allowance (PTA) Information for Training Centres 2018-19 is divided into three parts: Part 1: Program Guidelines Provides program eligibility for

PTA as well as the steps necessary to complete the PTA Session Approval Request form.

Part 2: Responsibilities for Individuals with Signing Authority Outlines the responsibilities of

the person who has signing authority for the Training Centre.

Part 3: Managing the PTA Process Provides information on the PTA

program.

Information in this document may be subject to change.

2018-19 PTA Information for Training Centres 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 – PTA PROGRAM GUIDELINES .............................................................................................. 5 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................5

Eligible Program Types ..................................................................................................................................5 Program Criteria - ABE ...................................................................................................................................6 Program Criteria – Skills Training Programs under 12 Weeks (using STA funding) .......................................6 Program Criteria – Workforce Development Initiatives ................................................................................6 Submitting the PTA Session Approval Request Form – ABE and STA ............................................................6

Submitting the PTA Session Approval Request Form – Workforce Development Initiatives ........................7 PART 2 – RESPONSIBILITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNING AUTHORITY..................................... 8 Definitions .....................................................................................................................................................8 Responsibilities ..............................................................................................................................................8 PART 3 – MANAGING THE PTA PROCESS .......................................................................................... 9 Eligible Programs ...........................................................................................................................................9 Minimum Period Length/Minimum Program Length ....................................................................................9

Maximum Period Length ...............................................................................................................................9 Summer Break ...............................................................................................................................................9

Maximum Duration of PTA ............................................................................................................................9 Course Load ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Attendance ................................................................................................................................................. 10

Discontinuations ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Changing Programs ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Satisfactory Progress .................................................................................................................................. 11 Application Deadlines ................................................................................................................................. 11 Eligibility ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Supplementary Health Benefits and Verification of Family Composition .................................................. 12 Denial of PTA .............................................................................................................................................. 14

Calculating Assessed Need ......................................................................................................................... 14 Steps to Assessing Need ............................................................................................................................. 14 Student Category and Living Situation ....................................................................................................... 14

Single Dependent Student - dependent upon parents ............................................................................. 14 Single Independent Student ...................................................................................................................... 16 Married Student ........................................................................................................................................ 17

Single Parent .............................................................................................................................................. 18 Allowances ................................................................................................................................................. 18

Child Care Allowance ................................................................................................................................. 20 Northern Allowance .................................................................................................................................. 21

Other Allowances ...................................................................................................................................... 22 Security Deposit Form ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 22 Expected Contributions ............................................................................................................................. 23 Income ....................................................................................................................................................... 23 Assets ......................................................................................................................................................... 25

Parental Contribution ................................................................................................................................ 25 Assessment Results ................................................................................................................................... 26 Consent to Release Information ................................................................................................................ 26 Reassessments ........................................................................................................................................... 26 Verification of Income ............................................................................................................................... 27


Disbursements ........................................................................................................................................... 28

Overpayments ........................................................................................................................................... 29

Waiving or Deferring Overpayments ......................................................................................................... 30 Rehabilitation of Defaulted Provincial Training Allowance Accounts ....................................................... 31 Appeals ...................................................................................................................................................... 32 File Retention Policy .................................................................................................................................. 32 Reporting False or Misleading Information ............................................................................................... 33

Contact Information .................................................................................................................................. 33


PART 1 – PTA PROGRAM GUIDELINES

Introduction Provincial Training Allowance (PTA) is available to learners in provincially-funded programs. In cases where an outside organization (ie. ministries which provide federal funding or employers) provides money to a Training Centre to deliver the program on its behalf, the outside organization is expected to provide income support.

Training Centres must apply annually to have their programs approved before participants are eligible for PTA. Participants must be enrolled in the exact program and location that is approved and must attend between the programs’s approved start and end dates. PTA participation may be subject to availability of funding. Training Centres are provided with a PTA Budget allocation for the programs they deliver and are expected to monitor the usage of PTA so they do not exceed the allocation. The Ministry of Immigration and Career Training provides monthly reports to assist with monitoring.

Training Centres are responsible for assisting with individual PTA applications and for helping to manage the PTA during the course of the benefit period. This document will provide Training Centres with guidance in Part 2 - Responsibilities of Individuals with Signing Authority and Part 3 - Managing the PTA Process.

These documents, all other forms and the on-line application for PTA are found here: http://www.sa skatchewan.ca/residents/jobs-working-and-training/job-training-and-financial-support- programs/provincial-training-allowance

Eligible Program Types NOTE: Programs delivered on reserve will not be approved for PTA.

The following programs are eligible to receive PTA approval from the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training:

Adult Basic Education (ABE) and related programs delivered full-time (minimum 20 hours/week) by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Dumont Technical Institute (DTI), Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT), Lakeland College and Regional Colleges funded through the ABE grant.

Technical Skills Training, less than 12 weeks, that is not student loan eligible, delivered full-time (minimum 30 hours/week) by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, DTI, SIIT, Lakeland College and Regional Colleges, and is funded through the Skills Training Allocation (STA). The program beginning and end dates must include work placements in the overall length of the program if the work placement is a mandatory part of the program.

Programs delivered by Community Based Organizations and Saskatchewan Polytechnic, DTI, SIIT, Lakeland College and Regional Colleges under contract with the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, Labour Market Services (LMS).

http://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/jobs-working-and-training/job-training-and-financial-support-programs/provincial-training-allowance


Program Criteria - ABE ABE programs must help adults to reach one or more of the following goals:

Acquire and develop literacy and numeracy skills;

Acquire academic prerequisites for further education, skills training or employment opportunities;

Increase educational levels for the purpose of self-improvement; and,

Acquire and develop language skills for purposes of living in Saskatchewan. In addition:

Trainees must receive counseling and assessment and be placed in a program consistent with their career goals and abilities;

Training must be available full-time (a minimum of 20 hours per week) for ABE programming;

Program must provide a formal statement of achievement and learning outcomes;

Training must have program-qualified instructors; and,

Training must be for Saskatchewan residents 18 years of age and one year out of school. Exceptions may be made provided approval is received from the appropriate school division official.

For additional information concerning ABE programs, please see the ABE Policy and Procedures Manual

Program Criteria – Skills Training Programs under 12 Weeks (using STA funding) Skills Training programs must be:

a minimum of 20 training days in length (one full calendar month) to a maximum of 59 days, with a minimum of 30 hours per week. The program beginning and end dates must include work placements in the overall length of the program if the work placement is a mandatory part of the program;

linked to employment;

for unemployed Saskatchewan residents; and,

not part of a full time post-secondary program that leads to a degree or diploma (ie. not student loan eligible).

For additional information concerning STA, please see the Skills Training Allocation Policy and Procedure Manual.

Program Criteria – Workforce Development Initiatives Please contact the local LMS Office.

Submitting the PTA Session Approval Request Form – ABE and STA For ABE and STA programs delivered by Saskatchewan Polytechnic, DTI, SIIT, Lakeland College and Regional Colleges, the PTA Session Approval Request Form must be submitted to: Ministry of Immigration and Career Training Training and Employer Services Division Apprenticeship and Workforce Skills Branch Email: [email protected] Fax: 306-798-5022

http://publications.gov.sk.ca/documents/310/92228-ABE%20Training%20Partners.pdf

mailto:[email protected]


The information required on this form includes:

Session ID (if available)

Program name

Credit or non-credit program

Program description

Funding source for the delivery of each program (ABE or STA)

Location of the program

Start and end dates of the program

Work placements must be included in the length of the program if the work placement is a mandatory part of the program

Number of contact days and contact hours

Number of PTA seats

The form requires two authorized program officials to approve the program:

1. the PTA Coordinator or person who manages the program for which PTA eligibility is being requested, and,

2. the senior official at the Training Centre who is responsible for the overall financial management of the PTA allocation.

Approval requests for all programs must be submitted in advance of PTA student applications (at a minimum, 30 days prior to the start date).

Changes to program length or dates must be submitted to the Apprenticeship and Workforce Skills Branch using the same form.

For programs under contract with LMS, funded through the Workforce Development Initiatives, the PTA Session Approval Request Form will be completed by the local LMS office.

The information required on this form is:

Session ID (if available)

Program name

Delivery Agency name and address

Location of the project

Project Contact name and phone number

Project category (WFD, WFD-PD, Immigration)

Contract number

Program Duration

Number of Training Days

Number of PTA seats per session

Labour Market Services Region and office location The form requires two authorized officials to recommend and approve the program for PTA: 1. the LMS Contract Manager; and, 2. the Regional Director who is responsible for overall management of PTA.

Submitting the PTA Session Approval Request Form – Workforce Development Initiatives


PART 2 – RESPONSIBILITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNING AUTHORITY

Definitions “applicant” means an applicant for a training allowance and includes an applicant that receives a training allowance;

“program” means a program that has been approved under the Training Allowance Regulations; “regulations” means the Training Allowance Regulations; “training allowance” means a training allowance under the Training Allowance Regulations; and “signing authority” means the authority to sign PTA forms on behalf of the Training Center.

Responsibilities Individuals with signing authority shall carry out the following functions, including but not restricted to:

1. informing applicants about their potential benefits and obligations under the regulations and the criteria as outlined in Part 3 of this document;

2. assisting applicants to complete applications for training allowances including all releases, declarations and agreements that maybe required;

3. completing the program information form confirming enrolment of the applicant; 4. explaining to applicants how their individual training allowances are calculated;

5. taking reasonable care to ensure that applications are completed accurately; 6. forwarding applications in a timely manner to the Student Service Centre; 7. informing the Student Service Centre of changes in an applicant’s circumstances; 8. informing the Student Service Centre immediately when an applicant has not attended the first day

of the program or has stopped attending or has completed the program;

9. confirming continuation of enrolment each month the training allowance is paid for all applicants enrolled in programs by returning the monthly report to the Student Service Centre within time- lines requested each month; and

10. collecting and forwarding to the Student Service Centre pay stubs or statements of gross income and obtaining declarations from applicants and spouses respecting gross income where receipts, stubs or statements are not available.


PART 3 – MANAGING THE PTA PROCESS

Eligible Programs PTA is available for provincially funded ABE, Skills Training (less than 12 weeks) programs which are not approved for student loan funding, and Workforce Development programs delivered by LMS. Part 1 of this document provides information about program eligibility and the Session Approval process.

Minimum Period Length/Minimum Program Length PTA will not be issued for programs of less than one month in length. One month is defined as four weeks or 20 training days in a 28 calendar day period.

Maximum Period Length Learners will be funded for the duration of the program, to a maximum of 12 months on each application in an academic year. Learners in on-going programs will be required to re-apply each academic year. Extensions to the study period may be allowed for up to six weeks provided the entire study period, including the additional six weeks, does not exceed 12 months. The training centre may submit a Program Information form stating the extension date to the Student Service Centre. If the extension is six weeks or more, the training centre must complete a new Program Information Form and the learner will be required to submit a new application. The entire program session, including the extended period, must be approved by the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training.

A learner enrolled in a training program, which includes short breaks (i.e. Christmas, Easter) may receive PTA funding during the break(s).

Learners enrolled in programs which include a work placement or practicum will be funded to the end of the placement, if it is part of the approved program.

Summer Break Learners will not be provided with funding during the summer break (July and August).

Please ensure that learners understand that they must make every effort to obtain employment during this period. Learners should be encouraged to visit the nearest LMS office or they may visit the on-line resources at: www.saskjobs.ca

Maximum Duration of PTA PTA is available for qualifying learners as long as they are making satisfactory progress. The expectation for learners in ABE programs is to complete all training within 36 months.

Learners who have received PTA for 36 months or more (prior to their new program start date) will be advised that they are not eligible for additional funding. They must contact their Training Centre to discuss continued eligibility.

http://www.saskjobs.ca/


Training Centres will be required to review the learner’s progress, and if satisfactory, submit the “PTA Beyond 3 Years” form to the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training at [email protected] recommending that the learner continue in the program. The Ministry of Immigration and Career Training will then approve/not approve the continuation of PTA beyond 36 months. The questions on the form require thorough answers to avoid unnecessary delays.

Course Load Learners must be enrolled full-time in their program of study. PTA is not available for part-time study. Full-time means a minimum of 20 hours per week for ABE programs and 30 hours per week for Skills Training programs.

Attendance Learners must maintain satisfactory attendance. The learner’s attendance should not drop below 90 per cent of their full-time course load, in any two calendar months (unless due to medical reasons). Failure to do so will result in discontinuation. If the learner is unable to attend due to medical reasons, the medical leave cannot exceed three consecutive weeks (21 calendar days). The learner must provide the training centre with medical documentation.

Discontinuations Training Centres must advise the Student Service Centre immediately if a learner withdraws or is discontinued from the program. The withdrawal/discontinuation date is the last date the learner attended the training centre. PTA continues only to the end of the month in which the learner withdraws or is discontinued from the program.

If the learner is unable to attend classes for more than three consecutive weeks (21 calendar days) even if due to documented medical reasons, PTA must be discontinued. The discontinuation date is the last date the learner actually attended the training centre. Training centres must report discontinuations using the “Notification of Discontinuation” form.

Discontinuations reported in error may be reinstated within 21 days of the discontinuation. The “PTA Reinstatement” form is available for this purpose.

Changing Programs Learners will be allowed to change programs without having their PTA discontinued in the following situations:

the new program is in the same institution and at the same location as the original program;

the new program is approved for PTA;

the period of study start date does not change; and,

the period of study end date does not change by more than five weeks. When a learner changes programs a reassessment will be done to correct the program information. These changes should be reported on the “PTA Change of Information” form. This would include a change in location with the same training centre.




Learners changing Training Centres will be discontinued and required to submit a new PTA application for the new institution. If a PTA learner completes/discontinues a program (i.e. 20-Dec-2018) and then applies for another program that begins in the following month (i.e. 10-Jan-2019), there should be no break in funding. The learner will be funded from the beginning of the month that the new program begins. The application for the second program must be received in a timely manner (at least 14 days before the original course end date) to ensure processing is done before the new program start date.

Satisfactory Progress PTA will provide income support for qualifying learners as long as they are making satisfactory progress. The Training Centre determines when it is appropriate to discontinue a learner from a program. Refer to the section above, Maximum Duration of PTA.

Application Deadlines A learner may apply for PTA at any time after they are accepted into a program until 14 business days prior to the program end date. This should not be interpreted as allowing someone to collect PTA for the last 14 days of the program. This is to accommodate special circumstances (ie. when a learner at the outset of the program thought PTA was not needed, or when there was incomplete information or temporary hold of funds). Applications and reassessments may take up to 14 business days to process.

Funding will not be provided for applications or reassessments processed unless they are received at least 14 business days prior to the program end date.

Applications can be processed within two business days if the learner applies using the PTA on-line application and the learner submits completed authorizations, consents and agreements, and if the Training Centre provides the Program Information Form.

New learners who are transitioning from the Ministry of Social Services must have their application into

the Student Service Centre at least 14 business days prior to the 15th of the month in order to ensure they will receive PTA funding for the following month. If the application is not processed by this deadline the learner will remain on Social Assistance until the next month. Applications (and reassessment documentation) may be faxed to the Student Service Centre at 306-787-0760 in situations where the deadline may be an issue.

Eligibility A learner must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a protected person. If the learner is in Canada as a protected person, a copy of their Notice of Decision or Verification of Status must be attached to the application. Note: Permanent Residents (formerly known as Landed Immigrants) who are sponsored by individuals or organizations are not eligible for financial assistance for the term of the sponsorship. Sponsors are responsible for supporting the Permanent Resident financially when he or she arrives for the term of the sponsorship. Learners should not apply for PTA during the term of the sponsorship.


Learners must have a valid social insurance number (SIN). Protected persons must have a temporary SIN to have their application processed (the temporary SIN begins with “9”). SINs will be verified directly with the Canada Revenue Agency. Learners are no longer required to provide a copy of their SIN card with their PTA application. A learner must be a Saskatchewan resident which is defined as being registered with Saskatchewan Health. Learners must have a valid Saskatchewan Health Services Number (HSN).

If the learner has recently moved to Saskatchewan, either as a returning resident or as a new resident, PTA is not available until health coverage is in place. Processing of PTA will not be initiated until the learner provides a HSN and SIN.

Supplementary Health Benefits and Verification of Family Composition Each learner, spouse and dependent child declared on the PTA application will be nominated for supplementary health benefits through the Ministry of Health. The nomination for supplementary health benefits is made when the learner qualifies for PTA. Dependents not listed on the Saskatchewan Health record will not be nominated for supplementary health benefits and will not be included in the PTA assessment. For PTA purposes, the spouse and dependents must be on the learner’s health record as a family unit to receive supplementary health benefits. Otherwise there will be a “mismatch” and supplementary health benefits will be delayed. Learners who are “protected persons” are not eligible for supplementary health benefits until they become permanent residents or Canadian citizens. However, they are eligible for basic health coverage and they are issued a Saskatchewan HSN.

Learners should ensure that the family unit they are declaring on their PTA application (or when requesting a reassessment), matches the family unit at the Ministry of Health.

Prior to completing and submitting a PTA application, please instruct each learner to contact the Ministry of Health at 1-800-667-7551 or 306-787-3251 (Regina area), to verify their family composition on the health registry file. This will significantly reduce/eliminate the “family mismatches” and subsequent delays in PTA funding and supplementary health coverage. To make changes to family composition, the most efficient method for learners to request updates to their family unit at the provincial health registry is by electronic submission. They can submit the changes and check the status of their request electronically. They can also receive emails advising the result of their submission of changes. Once the request is successfully processed by Health Registries, learners can be re-nominated for supplementary coverage. To submit electronic changes to the family unit, learners may go to https://skhealthcard.health.gov.sk.ca/ and either “Create an Account” or “Sign-In” (if they already have an account).

https://skhealthcard.health.gov.sk.ca/


Once the electronic submission has been processed successfully by the Ministry of Health, the learner or the PTA counselor should advise the Student Service Centre by calling 1-800-597-8278.

The re-nomination will be submitted for supplementary health coverage. If the learner cannot or does not wish to submit an electronic change, the following are alternate options: 1. Download the Change to Family Unit Form https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/health-

cards/Documents/Change_to_Family_Unit_Form.pdf and mail, fax or email to: eHealth Saskatchewan Health Registries 2130 11th Avenue Regina, SK S4P 0J5 Email: [email protected] Fax: 306-787-8951

2. Phone Health Registries at 1-800-667-7551 or 306-787-3251 (Regina area) and request that a

“Change to Family Unit” form be mailed out.

In cases of family mismatch, learners and their families will not have supplementary health coverage until the discrepancy is corrected. The Student Service Centre will send a letter to any learner whose supplementary health coverage is rejected for this reason. It is the learner’s responsibility to contact the Ministry of Health to correct their family information or to contact the Student Service Centre to correct the information on the PTA application. If the discrepancy is not resolved within 30 days of the date of the letter, the PTA payments will be suspended. If not resolved by end of program, all funding received will be considered an overpayment. The PTA will be reassessed when the discrepancy is resolved.

In cases where the learner does not have a valid HSN the supplementary health coverage will not be provided. The Student Service Centre will also send a letter to learners whose supplementary health coverage is rejected for this reason. If the issue is not resolved within 30 days of the date of the letter, the PTA payments will be cancelled and all funding received will be considered an overpayment. The PTA will be reviewed when the issue is resolved.

The Ministry of Health (Supplementary Health) inquiry line is 1-800-667-7551. Once the correction has been made, the Student Service Centre must be notified so the family can be re-nominated for health coverage and the PTA application can be reassessed, where applicable. If a HSN is not provided for each family member, supplementary health coverage may be delayed or rejected for the entire family. Newborn children automatically receive health coverage with the same expiry date as the birth mother. The Student Service Centre should be notified as soon as the health number is available for the child.

If the dependent is over 18, contact the Student Service Centre to obtain information on the process for supplementary coverage for those dependents. In the event that a learner does not have supplementary health coverage in place and pays for prescription drugs etc., they must retain their original receipts. Once coverage has been provided, they may be able to submit the receipts to Saskatchewan Health for reimbursement. Questions should be directed to the Student Service Centre at 1-800-597-8278.

https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/health-cards/Documents/Change_to_Family_Unit_Form.pdf





Denial of PTA Learners who have provided false or misleading information or who have not complied with an audit request may be denied further funding. Learners who are returning to school and who have defaulted on repaying PTA overpayments will not be eligible for additional PTA funding without prior approval. Learners should be advised to call the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training at 1-844-213-1030. The “Rehabilitation of Defaulted PTA Accounts” policy is outlined later in this document.

Learners receiving PTA are not eligible for student loans for the same period they are receiving PTA. Student loan restrictions do not affect PTA eligibility.

Calculating Assessed Need Assessed need is used to determine the amount that a PTA learner will be awarded. To calculate the assessed need, the total assessed resources are subtracted from the total assessed costs.

If the figure is negative, the learner is considered to have sufficient resources to finance his/her own living costs and does not qualify for PTA.

If the figure is positive, then the application qualifies for PTA.

Steps to Assessing Need 1. Identify learner category and living situation 2. Assess the living costs

3. Determine the resources available 4. Calculate need by subtracting resources from costs and determine which flat rates apply

Student Category and Living Situation Single Dependent Student - dependent upon parents Dependent Students are defined as learners who:

have never been married; and

have never been single parents; and

are pursuing a program within four years (48 months) of leaving elementary or high school; or

have not been in the labour force full-time for two years. The two years need not be consecutive; however, each year must be a period of 12 consecutive months. “In the labour force” means that during any two periods of 12 consecutive months preceding the date of application, the learner was either working or actively seeking employment and was not a full-time learner at an elementary, secondary, ABE or post-secondary institution.

Parents of dependent students include biological parents, step parents, legal guardians or sponsors.

Parents are expected to contribute toward the learner’s costs based on combined income (in a two-parent family) and family size.


For parents who are separated/divorced, the learner will be considered dependent upon the parent from whom the learner receives the most financial support. For parents who have remarried or are living common-law, the learner will be considered dependent upon the biological parent and step-parent where the step-parent has legally adopted the learner. Step-parents should be encouraged to complete the application, regardless of when they married. If the step-parent has not legally adopted the learner and is not willing to complete the application, the biological parent should complete the application using their marital status, and dates of marital status which applied prior to the beginning of the relationship with the step-parent; they should submit a letter with the application explaining their situation and why they are not declaring their current marital status.

For legal guardians the above rules apply.

Learners who are sponsored permanent residents and do not meet the criteria for independence, will be considered dependent upon the sponsor and should not apply for PTA. If the dependent learner is not sponsored, the parents must complete the application even if the parents are in a different country. The dependent learner is expected to live at home with his/her parents if the parents live in the same community as the training centre. The parents will be expected to contribute if their income is adequate (see resource section) unless there is a family breakdown. The Ministry of Social Services has indicated that the family’s Social Assistance Benefits (if the parents’ income is Social Assistance Benefits) will not be reduced when the PTA learner (who lives with the parents) receives funding from PTA. Family breakdown has to be beyond the normal disagreements between parents and children. The breakdown would have resulted in the learner leaving the family home or having been removed from the family home by a social service agency. Circumstances that are beyond normal disagreements include sexual, physical or psychological abuse of the learner by one or both parents.

The learner must provide proof of the family breakdown by providing a letter from a third party (preferably a professional i.e. clergy, physician, counsellor, caseworker, etc.) outlining their knowledge of the breakdown, reasons for the breakdown, date the learner left (or was removed from) the home. Learners will be considered independent of their parents if the family breakdown is proven.

Determination of dependency takes place on the date the learner applies for funding.

Changes in student category can occur after the initial assessment, and adjustments will be made to the PTA funding if applicable. Dependence/independence is based on the answers the learner gives to the questions asked on the application as well as the date the learner left secondary school. Parental information is required if the learner does not answer “yes” to one or more of the questions under the “Eligible Students Without Dependents” section of the application. The “at home” living allowance (see cost allowances section) is provided if the dependent student’s program is taking place in the same community as the parent’s home regardless of whether the


learner states they are living away from their parents.

If there is a family breakdown or other extenuating circumstances, the “living away from home” allowance may be provided. Extenuating circumstances could include low parental income, limited living space or other circumstances deemed extenuating by the appeal process. The “living away from home” allowance is provided if the Training Centre is more than 25kms from the parents’ home.

Changes in the learner’s living situation (i.e. home to away, if parents move, etc.) will be considered a change and allowances will be adjusted.

Single Independent Student

Single Independent students are learners who:

have no parent, guardian, sponsor, or other supporting relative due to death or disappearance;

have never been married or are separated, divorced or widowed;

are not single parents;

have been out of elementary or high school for at least four years (48 months); or

have been in the labour force full-time for two years (the two years need not be consecutive; however, each year must be a period of 12 consecutive months). In the labour force means that during any two periods of 12 consecutive months preceding the date of application, the learner was either working or actively seeking employment, and was not a full-time student at an elementary, secondary, ABE or post-secondary institution;

are married/common-law but whose spouse does not reside in Saskatchewan. Learners identified as “Single Independent” are considered to be financially independent of their parents and guardians; only the applicant’s resources are considered. Determination of independence takes place on the date the learner applies for funding.

Changes in student category (i.e. independent to married or single parent) can occur after the initial assessment, and adjustments will be made to the PTA funding if applicable.

The independent student is provided with the “at home” living allowance (see cost allowances section) if they indicate they live with their parents. The “living away from home” allowance (see cost allowances section) will be provided if the learner indicates s/he does not live at home. Independent Students will receive the “living away from home” allowance when they indicate they are living away from home. If they are paying their parents rent or room and board, they will be required to advise the Student Service Centre of the situation and they will be allowed the “living away from home” allowance. Independent Students are not required to live with their parents even if the program is in the same centre as their parents’ home. Changes in the learner’s living situation (i.e. “at home” to “away from home” or vice versa) will be considered a change, and allowances will be adjusted.


Learners who are in a halfway house and who are attending training may receive PTA to assist with the costs of attending school. The “at home” allowance will be provided. These learners should attach a letter advising the Student Service Centre of the term of their sentence.

Married Student Learners identified as married are either legally married or in a common-law relationship. The learner is considered married (including same sex couples) if they have a spouse which is defined as follows: Spouse means: a) the legal spouse of the learner; or

b) if the learner does not have a legal spouse or is living separate and apart from his or her legal spouse, another individual who:

lives with the learner for a period of not less than three consecutive months preceding the start date of the program for which the learner is applying for PTA; or

lives with the learner and represents himself or herself as the spouse of the learner or as the parent of a child of the learner; or

lives with the learner and is a parent of a child of the learner; or

lives with the learner and for any purpose identifies the learner or a child of the learner as his or her dependent.

Please note: If the learner is married/common-law, but the spouse does not reside in Saskatchewan, s/he is considered a single independent student.

The needs assessment of learners who are identified as married assumes a financial contribution from the spouse. The unwillingness of the spouse to assume financial responsibility for the learner does not affect the learner’s category as married.

Married learners are expected to live with their spouse in Saskatchewan during their program. For married learners who are required to move from their spouse/family to attend training, a “living away from home” allowance will also be provided. The “living away from home” allowance is provided if the Training Centre is more than 25kms from the spouse/family home. Learners are asked on the application form if they live with their spouse or away from their spouse, and they must provide the distance from the Training Centre to their family home. If the learner’s spouse is incarcerated, s/he should apply as married and the spouse should complete Section 2 of the application. The learner would indicate that s/he is living away from the spouse. They should not indicate the distance from the Training Centre to the Correctional Centre where the spouse is incarcerated. Married student allowances will be provided. In situations where married/common I law couples are both applying for PTA, for the same academic period, the PTA funding start date will be adjusted to ensure PTA funding as a married couple is split correctly and overpayments are not created. If changes in marital status (i.e. married to separated, divorced or widowed) occur after the initial assessment, allowances will be adjusted.


Single Parent

Learners identified as single parent student are learners who:

have never married; or

who are separated, divorced or widowed from a spouse; and

who have care, control and financial responsibility for support of child(ren).

If changes in status or living situation (i.e. single parent to married or loss of custody of child(ren) occur after the initial assessment, allowances will be adjusted.

Allowances Each learner will be provided with the standard monthly living allowances based on their category and living situation. Allowances for tuition, books and school supplies are not provided through PTA. PTA basic allowances are intended to cover the costs of rent, utilities, food, clothing, personal and household items and local transportation.

“Living away from home” allowance is provided if the Training Centre is more than 25kms from the parents’/spouse/family home.

Effective June 1, 2014, the allowances are as follows:

Single Independent or Dependent Student away from home (away from parents) - $744

Single Independent or Dependent Student at home (with parents) - $442 per month

Married Student (no children) - $1,251 per month

If both people are learners receiving PTA - $1,304 per month (divided equally between each learner). For married learners who are required to move from their spouse/family to attend training, a “living away from home” allowance of $432 will also be provided (in addition to the monthly allowance).

Single Parent living away from parents or with parents - $1,037 per month (additional allowance is provided for each child)

Child Allowance - $145 per month per child (In addition, learners with full-time dependents will be able to provide for their children using the income from Canada Child Tax Benefits (CCTB) including the Saskatchewan Child Benefit/National Child Benefit Supplement.)

Learners can advise the Student Service Centre if they are not receiving the maximum CCTB and the child allowance will be increased to $270 a month per child. If the learner does not receive the full CCTB they should provide the Student Service Centre with the statement they receive from the federal government outlining their child benefits (CCTB Statement). Learners who do not receive the full CCTB due to changes in circumstances or failing to file their income tax returns can have their PTA adjusted. The $270 a month per child will be allowed in the PTA assessment for a three- month period to allow the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) time to process the change or income tax return. Learners will receive a retroactive payment from the CRA when the child benefits are processed. PTA will consider the $145 a month per child paid through the PTA an overpayment when the retroactive lump sum payment is received from the CRA. Learners will be advised to budget the child benefit lump sum payment to make up for the deduction of the PTA overpayment. If this is the case, learners must provide the Student Service Centre with proof they have applied for the child benefit or filed their tax return.


The child allowance will be provided for each dependent child less than 18 years of age who live with the learner full time (at least 50 per cent of the time) and who is included on the learner’s Saskatchewan Health Services record.

For PTA purposes, the spouse and dependents must be on the learner’s health record as a family unit to receive supplementary health benefits. Otherwise there will be a “mismatch” and supplementary health benefits will be delayed. Dependents not listed on Saskatchewan Health record will not be provided with supplementary health benefits. Those learners classified as foster parents or “persons of sufficient interest” (where the children are included on the learner’s Saskatchewan Health Services record) must declare the children as Dependents. The associated foster care or “sufficient interest” income must be declared as “other income”. If the dependent is not listed on the Saskatchewan Health record but lives with the learner at least 50 per cent of the time (15 days per month), the dependent may be included (for the child allowance) if the following proof of full-time custody is provided:

Income tax return from the previous tax year claiming the dependent(s), or

CCTB statement showing the dependent(s), or

legal custody agreement outlining custody of the dependent(s), or

Statutory declaration with third-party declaration of full-time custody, or

a letter or statement from the Ministry of Social Services confirming full time custody of children who have been living with the learner full time for a long period of time (i.e. one year). Note: if this is the case, the learner must also declare the foster care, sufficient interest income as “other income”.

Dependents between 18 and 19 years of age may be included (for the child allowance) if they are a child of the learner and they:

are living with the learner, and

are attending high school, and

have never been married, and,

do not have dependent children of their own. If the dependent is over 19, but under 21, and is still in high school, they may be included on a review

basis. Older dependents may be included up to and including the month of their 21st birthday. If the dependent child lives with the learner 14 days or less, prorated allowances will be provided for the number of days the child is living with the learner.

Learners who do not have full custody of their children will receive $257 pro-rated to the number of days that the child resides with them, as it is assumed that the learner will not receive the child benefits for the child they only have part time. This pro-rated allowance is intended to assist with the costs of supporting the child part time including the cost of child care during the time the child is with the learner.


A flat rate child care allowance will be provided for all full time dependent children under the age of 12 years (up to and including the month of their 12th birthday) if required. The learner will declare whether or not they require child care and whether or not the child care is subsidized for each child under 12. Learners will not be required to verify this information. The Student Service Centre will verify the information directly with the Ministry of Social Services to confirm which learners do, or do not have their children in subsidized child care.

Child care expenses are allowed for any children under 12 who have been declared as full-time dependents on the PTA application. The chart below shows the parent portion (which PTA would cover) for subsidized daycare and unsubsidized daycare. Full-time child care allowances for children living with the applicant and listed on the applicant’s Health Services Record are as follows:

Number of Children Subsidized Unsubsidized

1 $85 $400

2 $170 $540

3 $255 $680

4 or more $340 $820

The child care maximum will not exceed the unsubsidized maximums for the total number of dependents the learner has (aged 11 and under) who require child care. This means that if they have some children in subsidized and some in unsubsidized, the maximum allowance available is the unsubsidized maximum for the number of children who need child care (no more than $820 per month for four or more children).

The flat rate for full-time child care is provided where the learner requires child care for each day they are attending school, regardless of the length of time child care is required (i.e. all day vs. before and after elementary school). A $20 per day incidental daily rate (up to maximums outlined below) may be allowed for subsidized day-care, on a review basis for children declared as full-time dependents on the PTA application for the following reasons:

regular incidental child care (two full days per week or two after school days per week);

child care for school age children for professional development days and school breaks of less than two weeks;

child care for school age children who are ill and cannot attend classes;

child care for pre-school age children who are ill and cannot attend their regular child care facility; or

child care for children while unemployed spouse is looking for work.

Child Care Allowance


The maximum incidental amounts per month are:

$200 for one child;

$270 for two children;

$340 for three children; and,

$410 for four or more children.

Learners must request an appeal in writing and indicate the number of days these incidental expenses are required along with the reason for the request. Incidental child care will not be allowed for children while the learner is working part-time outside of program hours. Child care will only be allowed for those children living with the learner full time (15 days or more of the month). There will be no child care allowance provided for children living with the learner part time (14 days or less in the month). Appeals may be submitted for learners who are required to pay more for child care for a child with a disability or learners who have some children in subsidized child care and some children in unsubsidized child care.

Learners with children in both subsidized and unsubsidized child care must submit proof that they are not able to use subsidized child care for all the children. Receipts will be required for appeal cases.

Child care will not be allowed if the spouse is not working unless there are exceptional reasons why the spouse cannot care for the children.

The spouse will be asked about their activity on the application form and if they are not working or attending school, the child care allowance will not be included in the assessment. If there are exceptional reasons why the spouse cannot care for the children, the learner must outline their circumstances in a letter of appeal. If the reasons are medical, an “Attending Physicians Statement” will be required where the physician indicates the spouse is not able to care for the children. The child care allowance will be split equally between both parents if both are receiving PTA. Both parents should indicate that they require child care on the PTA application (either subsidized or unsubsidized) and the allowance will be split between the two. If the spouse of a PTA learner is receiving student loans, only the PTA learner should request the child care allowance. For learners who begin their programs at the end of one month (i.e. August) and are not scheduled to receive PTA until the following month (i.e. September), due to receipt of funding from Saskatchewan Assistance Program (SAP) or Transitional Employment Allowance (TEA), the child care they are required to pay for the previous month (i.e. August) will be added to the first month of PTA funding. These learners should submit a change of information form stating the amount of child care they are required to pay for the previous month.


Northern Allowance An additional $50 per month per person in the family (i.e. the learner, spouse and each dependent child) is provided for PTA learners while in a program in training in any of the following northern communities:

Air Ronge Barthel Beauval Beaver Lake Black Point Black Lake Brabant Lake Buffalo Narrows

CamsellPortage Canoe Narrows Cluff LakeMine Cole Bay

Collins Bay Cree Lake Creighton CumberlandHouse Denare Beach Deschambault Lake Descharme Lake Dillon

Dipper Lake Dore Lake Dorintosh Elak Dase

Eldorado Fond Du Lac Garson Lake Goodsoil

Grandmother’s Bay Green Lake Ile a la Crosse Jan Lake

Jans Bay Key Lake Key Lake Mine Kinoosao

La Loche La Ronge Landing Loon Lake

Makwa McLennan Lake Meadow Lake Michel

Missinipe Molanosa Montreal Lake Neeb

Patuanak Peerless PelicanNarrows Pemmican Portage

Pierceland Pinehouse Lake Point North Landing Primeau Lake

Rabbit Lake Mine Rapidview Sandy Bay Sled Lake

Southend St. George’s Hill StanleyMission Stoney Lake

Stony Rapids Sturgeon Landing Sucker River Timber Bay

Turnor Lake Uranium City Waterhen Lake Waterloo Lake

Weyakwin Whelan Wollaston Lake Eligibility for this allowance is based on the location of the Training Centre.

Other Allowances A learner who requires additional funding for a one-time only expense (i.e. travel costs for funerals, etc.) or on- going top ups should call the Ministry of Social Services Contact Centre at 1-866-221-5200. Learners who require on-going top ups for the following reasons should contact the Ministry of Social Services Contact Centre (1-866-221-5200):

higher than average monthly utility bills;

large families with four or more children;

other exceptional circumstances; or,

Refer to the Appeals section for further information.

Security Deposit Form For PTA learners who require a Security Deposit Form, they must obtain this form from their Educational Institution. This form must be completed by the Landlord and the learner and faxed directly to: 306-787-3200 Attention: Cherie Gamble. For further information regarding the Security Deposit Form please contact Social Services at: 1-888-567-7243 (extension #2, then #2 again).


Expected Contributions Learners and their families, where applicable, are expected to contribute towards the costs of living during the program from available income and assets.

Income Learners and their spouses who have income during the program are expected to use this towards their costs of living. The learner’s employment or self-employment income will not be included as a contribution when the PTA application is assessed.

The application will ask for the gross income. If the learner’s income (or spouse’s, if applicable) varies from month to month, an average may be used based on a four-month period. Net income is calculated by deducting a standard percentage for taxes, EI and CPP. The standard percentages for taxes, EI, CPP are the same percentages used in the student loan program. These percentages are updated annually by the Canada Student Loan Program based on information from national databases. The standard percentage is deducted for every type of income.

Some learners may have income which they receive specifically while in training. Learners will be expected to contribute 100 per cent of this targeted income unless otherwise specified. Income Exemptions:

Learner’s employment and/or self-employment income is 100 per cent exempt. Learners with dependents (who may have access to Saskatchewan Employment Supplement (SES)

benefits) will have a flat rate income exemption of $125 per family (learner and spouse income) per month on net income. 100 per cent of net income in excess of $125 will be used as a resource. Net income includes all spousal income or income from sources other than the learner’s employment/self-employment.

Learners without dependents (who will not have access to SES benefits) will receive a flat exemption of $125 per family (learner and spouse income) per month on net income. 80 per cent of net income in excess of $125 will be used as a resource. Net income includes income from sources other than employment/self-employment.

Scholarships and bursaries will have a flat rate exemption of $1,800 per year.

Income that must be declared for the learner and spouse: employment earnings for the spouse, including full-time or part-time employment, commissions

and bonuses, tips and gratuities self-employment earnings (i.e. business, farming, fishing) for the spouse investment earnings (i.e. interest, dividends) severance packages

income received from insurance settlements pension, superannuation and insurance benefits cashed in RRSPs spousal support, alimony or child support payments received income received as an inheritance income received as a foster care provider (for children declared as dependents) income from rental property/room & board income Resettlement Assistance/Immigration Funding Survivor/Old Age/Retirement/Disabled benefits (CPP)


other income, which is not received as a result of the learner’s enrolment in training.

Spouses are required to state their employer’s name, address and phone number if they declare employment income. If the spouse has more than one employer, the information must be supplied for each one.

Note: For married learners, where both partners are full time learners applying for assistance, employment and self-employment income does not have to be declared in the spousal section of the application during the time that both learners are in study. The following items are NOT to be included as income and should NOT be declared on the application: learner’s employment or self-employment income Canadian Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) Saskatchewan Child Benefit Saskatchewan Energy rebates and other utility rebates Saskatchewan Employment Supplement (SES)

Saskatchewan Rental Housing Supplement foster care income where foster child is not declared as a dependent

Student loans/lines of credit from financial institutions Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) or other disability support funding all tax credits including income tax refunds, property tax credits, GST credits, etc.

Social Assistance Benefits (including SAP top-up, or TEA) Residential School Compensation Payment

Land Claim Settlements from Indian Bands and the 2013 Qu’Appelle Valley Flood Claim Settlement Hepatitis C Compensation Payment SGI Rebates

Honorariums received by the learner

Income earned by the spouse after the official program end date will be exempt. For example, if the program end date is April 15, the income from April 16 to 30 is exempt. Learners must provide the Student Service Centre with the amount of income their spouse will earn in the last month up to the program end date on a “Change of Information” form if the amount is less than the monthly amount earned during every other month of the program.

Certain types of spouse’s income received for their own education is exempt. The following types of income should not be declared on the PTA application by the spouse:

Bursaries Scholarships Student Loans

Educational Savings Plans All other educational income received by the spouse must be declared. The monthly income will be used in the assessment. The amount received for tuition and books can be exempted if proof of amount is provided by the funding source. Targeted resources which are received specifically for education purposes do not have the income exemption deducted; however, the standard percentage for tax, EI and CPP is deducted. Targeted resources include:


Employment Insurance (EI) Income

Workers’ Compensation Orphan’s Benefits/Disabled Contributor’s Child Benefit Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Funding

First Nations Funding (formerly Indian Band Funding) scholarship trust fund income, RESP’s, other educational savings plans (which are not considered

part of parental contribution for Dependent Students) other funding received specifically for education. Note: RESP income to be declared is the amount actually received for the study period being assessed including the beneficiary portion as well as any additional funds the RESP subscriber provides to the learner for their studies.

Assets Financial assets are considered when determining financial need. Learners must declare all financial assets in their own and their spouse’s name at the start of their study period. Valuations of vehicles are not considered in determining financial need and should not be declared on the application.

Learners and their spouses, where applicable, who purchase financial assets with the proceeds of a Residential School Compensation Payment or Land Claim Settlement Payment, are required to declare the assets on their application. However, the assets will be waived if the learner provides a letter explaining that the assets were purchased with the proceeds along with a copy of the Common Expense Payment or Land Claim Settlement Approval letter. The full value of these assets is considered a resource after the following exemptions are applied:

Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSPs) A $2,000 exemption is allowed from the current market value for each year the learner has been out of secondary school. If the learner is married/common-law, a $2,000 exemption is also allowed for each year the spouse has been out of secondary school. The learner and the spouse must provide the date they left secondary school.

Cash and Other Financial Investments (consistent with Social Assistance Program policy) An exemption of $1,500 is allowed for the learner and the spouse (i.e. $3,000 for the couple) with an additional $500 exemption for each dependent child.

Registered Disability Savings Plans are exempt and do not need to be declared.

Parental Contribution The calculation of parental contribution is based on parental income from the previous tax year (refer to the “PTA Instruction Guide” for information on parental contributions).

The parental contribution can be adjusted if the parent’s income will be reduced in the current year or if there are exceptional expenses (i.e. funeral expenses, medical/dental/optical costs, etc.). If there are exceptional expenses, documentation should be submitted to the Student Service Centre.

If the parents will have lower income in the current tax year, they can indicate this on the application form and a reduced income statement will be sent for the parents to state their current year income. The completed reduced income statement should be submitted to the Student Service Centre.


Assessment Results Learners will receive an email update for them to check their PTA Student Account for the results of their assessment.

The PTA Student Account will show the total monthly living costs, the monthly day care costs, types of monthly resources and the payment information (i.e. amounts and payment dates). Learners will be advised they are required to immediately notify their training centre of any change in circumstances.

Consent to Release Information The Freedom of Information and Personal Privacy Act (FOIPP) regulates all personal information compiled by the Government of Saskatchewan and all its related agencies (i.e. training centres). FOIPP protects the privacy of individuals by regulating the collection, use and disclosure of personal information held by the provincial government. To protect the privacy of the learners, information will not be released to a third party such as parents, spouse, trustee, etc. without written consent of the learner. The “Consent to Release Information” form will be used for this purpose. Learners must submit this form to the Student Service Centre as well as their training centre if they wish to have other individuals make inquiries regarding their PTA.

Learners will give the Student Service Centre consent to release information to the training centre through the “Applicant’s Consents, Authorizations and Agreement” which they sign, when they apply for assistance.

However, if the learner wishes to have a third party given PTA details, the learner must identify those individuals each academic year using the “Consent to Release Information” form.

The learner must provide the “Consent to Release Information” form to both the training centre and the Student Service Centre if they wish to have both agencies release information. Training centres must ensure they have been given consent to speak to specific individuals before any information regarding the PTA is released.

Reassessments Benefit eligibility will be reassessed when the learner notifies the Student Service Centre of changes to their category, living situation, marital status, number of dependents, child care costs subsidized to unsubsidized or vice versa, income, spousal income and/or parental expenses. Reassessments may result in increases or reduction to benefits and/or overpayments.

Reassessments will be processed at the time new information is received. If the eligibility increases, the increase will be paid retroactive to date of change. Learners must report all changes through their training centre using the following forms: PTA Change in Information

PTA Change in Marital Status PTA Statutory Declaration – Dependent children PTA Statutory Declaration – lost cheque

PTA Change in Banking Information


PTA Notice of Discontinuation

PTA Reinstatement Changes of address or phone numbers may be provided by calling the Student Service Centre at 1-800-597-8278.

Reassessments resulting in incremental funding will not be processed after the program end date or date of discontinuation. Amounts overpaid will be recovered from subsequent monthly benefits (see overpayment section) or must be repaid after the learner leaves the program. The results of the reassessment will be distributed in the same manner as the initial assessment results. Learners will be provided with overpayment information if the reassessment resulted in overpayments.

Verification of Income Learners may be required to confirm income once per year. The Student Service Centre will provide the training centre with the list of learners required to provide this information. Learners who are not receiving PTA in the month the report is produced are not required to provide the information (ie. short programs, discontinuations). Training centres will be responsible for collecting the information and submitting to the Student Service Centre.

If the learner does not submit the required information within 30 days of the report date, subsequent payments will be withheld until the verification information is provided. If the learner does not provide this information by the end of the program, all the funding provided for the year will be considered an overpayment.

All learners on the list are expected to provide the information, even if they are no longer attending. It is the Training Centre’s responsibility to ensure the information is provided to avoid full overpayments for these learners. Learners are not required to declare or verify employment or self-employment income; however, if they have other types of income, they must verify the income by submitting paystubs/receipts or statements of benefits. Bank statements will not be accepted because these statements do not verify gross pay amounts. Verification of employment income for the spouse must consist of copies of paystubs, receipts or statement of earnings that display the date the spouse received the pay as well as the gross income (before deductions). If this information is not displayed on the paystub or statement of earnings, a letter from the employer indicating the gross pay and pay date will be accepted. Bank statements will not be accepted because these statements do not verify gross pay amounts.

For spouse’s with self-employment, farming income or rental income, business statements should be provided detailing gross income minus operating expenses for verification period. A copy of the income tax return from the previous tax year should be provided.


Disbursements The Student Service Centre will electronically transfer disbursements directly into the learner’s bank account.

If the learner wishes to change the bank account where their PTA is being deposited the new bank information must be received by the Student Service Centre at least eight days before the payment date. Learners who have circumstances where they are not able to obtain a bank account will have a cheque issued and mailed to them. Learners must prove they cannot obtain a bank account by providing a letter or statement from three different financial institutions indicating they are unable to obtain a bank account. If the learner is unable to get the letter or statement from three financial institutions without a fee, the Training Centre can submit a letter to the Student Service Centre advising that the learner has tried and is unable to get a bank account.

Learners will also have a cheque mailed to them if they submit proof that funds will be garnisheed if transferred into a bank account.

Learners may also request a cheque if they have extenuating circumstances, which must be explained in a letter to the Student Service Centre. If the reason for requesting a cheque is due to loss of identification, a manual cheque will be issued for a maximum of three months to allow the learner to apply and receive new identification.

The regular monthly allowance will be paid in advance for the next month on the last business day of each month. Incremental disbursements will be paid during the month when the learner is reassessed.

The following is the general rule as to when the incremental funds will be deposited into the learner’s account. These deposit days may vary depending on the financial institution where the learner has an account:

Reassessments processed on Monday - in the account Friday Reassessments processed on Tuesday - in the account Monday (next week)

Reassessments processed on Wednesday - in the account Tuesday (next week) Reassessments processed on Thursday - in the account Wednesday (next week) Reassessments processed on Friday - in the account Thursday (next week)

Training centres are sent the “Clients to be Paid Report” mid-month which lists the learners who will be paid in the upcoming month. Training centres are required to report discontinuations as they occur but this report helps to ensure the correct learners are paid each month. Training centres must return this report to the Student Service Centre within five business days of receiving it.

The transition from Social Assistance Benefits to PTA should be smooth and should not cause delays in payments to learners. If the Ministry of Social Services is not electronically advised that the learner will be funded by the PTA prior to the Social Assistance Benefit pay-run, the Ministry of Social Services will fund the learner for the upcoming month and the PTA will begin the following month. PTA must advise the Ministry of Social Services by the middle of each month to be able to cut off the Social Assistance Benefit payment. This means that PTA applications must be processed by the middle of each month (i.e. 15th if the learner is expecting to be taken off Social Assistance Benefits and placed on PTA for the upcoming month.


The transition from TEA to PTA is the same as the transition from Social Assistance.

In order to ensure applications are processed prior to the Social Assistance Benefit cutoff, they must be received at least 14 business days before the 15th of each month.

The transition at the end of the program will work the same way. The learner will be funded for the entire last month they are on PTA even if their course ends mid-month. If the learner requires Social Assistance Benefits, the Ministry of Social Services will not pick them up again until the following month. There should not be overpayments or underpayments calculated in these cases by either agency provided no double funding occurs.

Learners who are eligible for PTA, and who do not come to PTA from the Ministry of Social Services, will receive PTA beginning on their program start date.

Overpayments In cases where the learner discontinues from the program during the month or the program ends before the end of the month the learner will be funded for the entire month by the PTA and an overpayment will not be calculated unless there is some other change in circumstance.

Overpayments can be created at any time and underpayments for past months will be used to reduce a learner’s overpayment. Incremental underpayments will be paid in the month the change is received and the payment will include the amounts underpaid back to the effective date of the change if the change took place in a previous month.

Amounts overpaid will be recovered from subsequent monthly benefits at a recovery rate that shall be the total overpayment amount or 10 per cent of the monthly entitlement, whichever is less. The reduction in benefits to recover the overpayment will continue until the overpayment is fully recovered. Overpayments that are not fully recovered before the learner finishes their program will be repayable and collected by the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training. Learners will receive a Repayment Schedule in the month following their program end date. The Repayment Schedule will outline the total amount owing on their overpayment, various monthly repayment options and their first payment due date. Learners may choose any one of the monthly payment options or they can choose their own monthly payment, providing it is not less than the minimum required payment (Repayment Option 1) indicated on the schedule. If the learner chooses an option other than Option 1, they must return the top portion of the Repayment Schedule to the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training along with the monthly repayment amount. If the learner chooses Option 1 they are not required to return the schedule. The learner can simply begin monthly payments on the first payment due date. If the total overpayment balance is less than $20, at least one monthly payment option will be included on the learner’s Repayment Schedule. Payments should be made payable to “Minister of Finance” and remitted to:

Ministry of Immigration and Career Training 1000 - 2103 11th Avenue Regina SK S4P 3Z8

Learners should not send cash in the mail.


Learners who fail to begin repayment or who do not make repayment arrangements with the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training will be sent a reminder letters after 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and 120 days overdue. If they still do not contact the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training Immigration and Career Training their overpayment account will be considered “default”. If a learner defaults on their PTA overpayment account (misses at least four payments) and/or an acceptable alternative repayment arrangement is not made with the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, the learner’s account will be referred to the CRA Income Tax Set Off program for collection. This program enables the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training to receive any income tax refunds and/or GST rebates to which the learner is entitled. If a learner’s income falls below a certain level determined by the federal government, the GST rebate may not be collected. Once an account is referred to CRA, the account will remain there until paid in full. Learners who have defaulted on the repayment of their overpayment may be restricted from future PTA funding.

Waiving or Deferring Overpayments Waiving of an overpayment means that the overpayment will not be actively collected and there is no expectation of repayment. However, if the learner applies for future PTA funding, he/she will be restricted and the rehabilitation policy below can be applied.

Deferral of an overpayment is defined as the temporary removal of the overpayment (completely or partially) from a learner’s file for a determined period of time. The deferred overpayment is expected to be repaid at the end of the learner’s period of study.

PTA overpayments may be waived for the following reasons: The overpayment resulted from the learner discontinuing for documented medical reasons (illness

of learner or their child); this option is only available to the learner twice while receiving PTA funding. An “Attending Physician’s Statement” must be completed and returned to the Student Service Centre along with the “Exemption Request” form.

The overpayment resulted from the learner discontinuing completely because of a death in the immediate family (i.e. parents, spouse, child). A copy of the “Death or Funeral Director’s Certificate” is required along with the “Exemption Request” form.

The overpayment resulted because the training centre cancelled the course the learner was to attend. A letter from the training centre is required and should be attached to the “Exemption Request” Form.

PTA overpayments may be deferred for the following reasons: If the overpayment resulted from an assessment error made by the Student Service Centre. Full or partial deferrals may be allowed if the learner will suffer undue financial hardship because of

the overpayment deduction while in training. The learner may specify the amount of the overpayment deduction. The remaining overpayment balance not recovered is repayable when the learner is no longer enrolled in a PTA fundable course. The learner must supply a monthly budget along with relevant receipts to prove financial hardship.

If the learner continues into post-secondary studies and he/she is in receipt of student loan funding the repayment of the overpayment will be deferred until the end of the post-secondary studies.

If the learner goes back on Social Assistance Plan benefits, the repayment on the outstanding overpayment balance will be deferred until the student learner is no longer in receipt of Social Assistance Plan benefits.


Waiving or deferral of overpayments must be requested using the “Exemption Request” form and substantiating documentation must be provided. In all cases of overpayment deferral or waiver, if the request is submitted after the learner has already been in receipt of PTA funding for the current year, the learner will not be reimbursed for any overpayment deductions already deducted.

Rehabilitation of Defaulted Provincial Training Allowance Accounts Rehabilitation is a process undertaken by a PTA learner to have a default restriction removed in order to qualify for further training allowance assistance. Learners who are in default may have the restriction removed and receive further PTA benefits. This includes learners whose accounts are no longer collectible through the normal collective activities (i.e. account has been written off). However, if the learner’s account is submitted for write off the second time, they must pay their account in full prior to the restriction being removed.

In instances where a PTA counsellor is aware that a learner is restricted or suspects that the learner may be restricted because the counsellor is aware of previous overpayments, the counsellor will inform the learner that s/he may be eligible to have the overpayment rehabilitated. The counsellor will then contact the Student Service Centre (1-800-597-8278) to determine if the account is eligible. If the learner is eligible to receive further assistance, the PTA counsellor will inform the learner that they can proceed with submitting the application. The counsellor will also inform the learner that 10 per cent of each PTA payment to the learner will be deducted as payment toward their overpayment until the overpayment is paid in full. If the learner’s restriction cannot be removed, the counsellor also advises the learner to contact the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training if they wish to discuss their account and payment options by calling 1-844-213-1030.

In instances where the PTA counsellor is not aware of the possibility of a restriction, the learner will submit the PTA application and the Student Service Centre will determine whether the restriction can be lifted from the learner’s file. In cases where the restriction can be removed, the application will be processed as usual. The assessment letter will indicate that 10 per cent of each PTA payment to the learner will be deducted as payment toward their overpayment until the overpayment is paid in full. In cases where the restriction cannot be removed, the application will be rejected.

Learners who are returning to school and have had two PTA overpayments written off from a previous time period, will not be eligible for additional PTA funding until the written off overpayments are paid in full.

Learners who are returning to school who have filed for bankruptcy and are discharged from their PTA overpayment debt may not be eligible for further PTA funding. If a learner applying for PTA is a “discharged bankrupt”, and PTA overpayments were included as part of the bankruptcy proceedings, the learner is denied further funding until three years have passed from the date of the Absolute Order of Discharge.

Where funding is provided after the three year period, the written-off receivable balance (which was discharged in the bankruptcy) cannot be deducted from PTA disbursements.


Appeals Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Student Service Centre. The PTA appeal process reviews: circumstances surrounding the learner’s inability to contribute the resources expected, including:

spousal contributions, learner contributions, asset contributions and parental contributions; considerations for high child care costs; circumstances surrounding the Dependent Student’s inability to live with parents (i.e. family

breakdown); and,

other Student Category issues. There will be no grounds to appeal for additional allowances where there are no contributions to reduce, or for amounts that exceed the PTA maximum allowances. If the learner has no contributions, they will receive the maximum allowance and there can be no additional funding authorized.

PTA Coordinators should discuss monthly expenses and PTA funding with the learner to determine if there is a deficit in funding and if there are grounds for an appeal prior to submitting an appeal. If the learner has no contributions and has exceptional expenses (other than child care), the appeal cannot provide additional funding. The learner may need to apply for Social Assistance.

Some expenses that cannot be considered in a PTA appeal to reduce contributions include loan payments, credit card payments, entertainment, utility arrears, school supplies etc. The PTA only covers basic needs such as shelter, food, transportation and child care. If the learner has discussed the issue with the PTA Coordinator, and they have jointly determined that a deficit exists that could be considered in a PTA appeal, the learner should prepare an appeal with the following details: PTA learner name Post-Secondary Education Number

Explanation of circumstances Detailed monthly budget of all expenses and income (include receipts)

Learners will submit a written appeal outlining their circumstances. There will be no verbal presentations. PTA Coordinators may assist the learner in preparing their appeal to ensure all circumstances are outlined, but they are not part of the review process. Appeals will be referred to an internal appeal committee within the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, if the Director and Assistant Director of the Ministry of Advanced Education’s Student Service Centre are not able to approve the appeal based on previous established precedence. Situations where the learner’s appeal is denied because s/he is already in receipt of maximum funding will not be referred to the appeal committee as there are no grounds for appeal in those situations.

File Retention Policy Originals of the PTA applications and all supporting documentation are kept at the Student Service Centre. After a period of inactivity, the files are moved to off-site storage and are never destroyed. Training Centres should follow their own file retention policies.


Reporting False or Misleading Information Learners who are suspected of providing incorrect or false information on their PTA application should be reported to the Audit and Collections Branch at: Telephone: 306-787-5917 within Regina 1-800-597-8278 Fax: 306-787-8702

E-mail: [email protected] Postal Mail: Ministry of Immigration and Career Training Audit and Collections

1000, 2103 – 11th Avenue

Regina SK S4P 3Z8 Learners may be requested to submit documentation to verify the information provided on their application. If they do not provide the documentation required by the Audit and Collections Branch or by the Student Service Centre within 30 days, their PTA payments will be held and no further assistance will be provided until they comply with the request. If they do not reply by the end of their program, the full amount of the PTA paid for that application period will become an overpayment.

Contact Information Student Service Centre for status of application and assessment information:

Student Service Centre

1120 - 2010 12th Avenue Regina, SK S4P 0M3

Phone: 306-787-5620 Regina area, or Toll Free: 1-800-597-8278 Fax: 306-787-0760 Email: [email protected]

Business hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (SK time)

Repayment of Overpayment Information:

Ministry of Immigration and Career Training 1000 - 2103 11th Avenue Regina, SK S4P 3Z8

Phone: 1-844-213-1030 Fax: 306-787-8702

Email: [email protected] Policy Information and submission of PTA Beyond 3 Years:

Email: [email protected]



