WINNIPEG -- Frontline caregivers should keep an eye on their bank accounts, as the province said it is giving some workers a further wage top-up.

On Monday, Families Minister Rochelle Squires announced more than 20,000 caregivers have applied for the second wave of the Caregiver Wage Support Program, which takes funding from the federal and provincial government and gives a $5 hourly top-up on the wages to eligible workers delivering care in COVID-positive situations.

"They demonstrate compassion, care, and dedication every day as they care for our seniors, people with disabilities, children in care, and people at homeless shelters," Squires said during a teleconference with reporters.

"We rely on them to care for our loved ones through these challenging times, and they have risen to the challenge to protect most vulnerable Manitobans."

Squires said during the first wave of the program, which was announced in November 2020, $16.3 million was given to 19,400 applicants. Each applicant got an average payout of $850.

The program accepted applicants who earned a regular wage of $25 or less, and work in one or more positions including a health-care aide or equivalent, housekeeping staff, a house supervisor, a direct service worker, a youth care worker or practitioner, a recreation worker, or a rehabilitation worker.

The applicant needed to have worked in one or more facilities including a Child and Family Services group home, a Community Living Disability Services shift-staffed group home or a 24-7 cluster living arrangement, an emergency placement resource shelter, a family violence prevention shelter, a homeless shelter, a personal care home, a retirement residence, or a supportive housing residence.

This second wave of the program, which closed to applications last week, has seen another 20,000 new claims worth $19 million, which increased the payment to an average of $940 each.

"We had committed to getting this money in people's bank accounts on January 25, and we're very hopeful that we can deliver on our promise to get this money out the door today," Squires said.

While successful applicants received this top-up, the future of the Caregiver Wage Support Program is unclear.

Squires said the province is not expecting any more money at this point from the federal government, which contributed $17 million to the program.

She said the province would be "flexible and adaptable" to support frontline workers and vulnerable populations.

"Nothing is off the table," she said.