ACTA is reminding recovery travel agencies that a new support program may be available to them which could assist their hiring efforts.
Intended to support recovery business to hire employees or increase work hours of existing employees, the Canada Recovery Hiring Program (CRHP) is available to eligible employers, and while it expires on 07MAY, the government will accept retroactive applications.
The CRHP is a separate wage subsidy that runs parallel to the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program (THRP) wage and rent subsidies, which also expire on 07MAY.
The CRHP provides up to 50 per cent wage subsidies for new employees or for existing employees who are working increased hours or earn a higher wage. Eligible employers must have a revenue loss of more than 10 per cent to qualify.
According to ACTA, eligible employers can access either the CRHP or the THRP, but not both during the same period.
Eligible employers, including travel agencies and independent travel agents who had an active payroll account as of MAR 2020, can now access the CRHP, ACTA said in its reminder.
The THRP subsidies require a minimum period-over-period revenue loss of at least 40 per cent and some employers no longer meet the 40 per cent revenue loss requirement to qualify for the THRP. ACTA recommends that travel agencies and independent travel agents in such a scenario should examine their eligibility for CRHP.
Unlike the THRP, applications to the CRHP can be made retroactively up to 180 days after the end of a period.
ACTA notes applications to the CRHP are made through the same system as the THRP. For more information on CRHP, visit the Government of Canada's web site.
