BlackBerry is trying a new tactic to lure customers back — by paying them to switch phones.

The Waterloo, Ont.-based smartphone maker says it will pay iPhone users as much as $600 to switch to a BlackBerry Passport phone.

Canadian iPhone users with iPhone 4s or later makes are eligible for up to $400 in trade-in value, depending on the model of the iPhone, plus a $200 top-up from BlackBerry.

U.S. users are eligible for up to the same amount, plus a $150 US top-up. Users with the newest iPhone 6 model are eligible for the highest trade-in value, up to $400.

Only North American users are eligible for the trade-in program, and the iPhone must be in working condition.

Anyone trading in iPhones must purchase a new BlackBerry from ShopBlackBerry.com or from Amazon.com. The money will be provided on a prepaid Visa gift card and mailed to users within six weeks of receiving the iPhone and proof of purchase of a Passport, according to a blog post by BlackBerry.The promotion starts Dec. 1 and runs to Feb. 13, 2015.

On Monday, BlackBerry and CEO John Chen announced the Passport phone is available in new colours, white and red, in addition to black.