apprentice rebates

this was copied from an e-mail received from CIIA -- if you have any additional info -- please call Greg at 519-322-2558 or Randy at 519-948-4107 and we can update for the benefit of all
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WARNING ISSUED - COLLISION REPAIR SHOPS DO NOT
NEED TO PAY A FEE TO ACCESS CREDITS

www.ciia.com says solicitation asking for $500 per apprentice is not required

April 3, 2007

The Collision Industry Information Assistance (www.ciia.com) web site is warning shops that attempts to convince them to use a company to obtain dollars owing to them in apprenticeship credits is not needed.

Tony Nigro of www.ciia.com advises that a number of shops have been contacted recently and told that for a 25% contingency fee or $500 per apprentice per year, a private company will obtain a cheque owing to them for apprentice credits.

"The incentives and credits available to hire and retain apprentices are often not know to shops. Receiving a call from a company who will handle that credit for you is inviting, but the fees are not. Shops can easily fill out and send in the forms themselves, without paying contingency fees or a large percentage of the monies owning to them, said Mr. Nigro, President of the Hamilton district Autobody Repair Association (HARA)

Starting May 18, 2004, an apprenticeship credit was available for employers who would be eligible to receive a refundable tax credit of 25 per cent on salaries for apprentices paid after May 18, 2004. Smaller businesses - those with payrolls under $400,000 - would be eligible for a tax credit of up to 30 per cent on salaries for apprentices. For additional details on the tax credit: www.trd.fin.gov.on.ca/userfiles/HTML/cma_3_42486_1.html .

In addition, the 2004 Budget also included a new $1,000 Apprenticeship Scholarship and $2,000 Employer signing bonus initiative to encourage employers in the trades to register new apprentices in sectors where there is a high demand. This initiative will assist employers to hire and register as apprentices young people under 25 years of age who have left school prior to completing the minimum academic requirements for apprenticeship registration. Youth applicants must first complete their academic upgrading in order to become registered apprentices.

A package to assist collision shop owners in obtaining their credits themselves is available at 1-866-309-4272 or e-mail at info@ciia.com

For more information on how to become a collision repair apprentice see: http://www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/stepstoapp.html

For warnings on solicitation for environmental fee scam please see:
http://www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/march05.html#scam

For warning on scams and outrageous fees see:
http://www.ciia.com/provinces/ontario/february06.html

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update !!!! courtesy of John from MSJ - thanks John

Hello I can tell you that there are 2 tax credits for auto technician apprentices. Up to $5000.00 annually from province for 3 years, $2000.00 annually from federal tax credits. Check links below, every accountant should be applying for this at year end. Shop owners should not leave this money with the government. I have received tax credit cheques. It will take a few months after applying.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whatsnew/apprenticeship-e.html
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/tcu/employers/taxcredit/calculator.asp
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