Funding for employers

Who can apply

Through this funding, employer organizations who hold charity or not-for-profit status may be eligible for a wage subsidy to cover a portion of the cost of hiring a co-op student for a co-op work term (up to a maxiumum of $5,000).

Half of the funding will be provided to the employer at the end of the first month of the work term. The rest of the funding will be provided after the employer has completed the final competency assessment.

How to apply

• Not-for-profit organizations must work with their UVic co-op coordinator to review the guidelines and discuss eligibility (outlined on the application form)
• If eligible, not-for-profit organizations will complete the application form together with their co-op coordinator
• The co-op coordinator will then submit the application for consideration

When to apply

The application deadline varies per term.

• January - April work terms: 4:30 p.m. on November 1 (extended to December 1 for 2019)
  
• May - August work terms: 4:30 p.m. on March 1
  
• September - December work terms: 4:30 p.m. on July 1
  

Who can apply

Through this funding, Indigenous community organizations may be eligible for a wage subsidy to cover a portion of the cost of hiring a co-op student for a co-op work term (up to a maxiumum of $5,000).

Half of the funding will be provided to the employer at the end of the first month of the work term. The rest of the funding will be provided after the employer has completed the final competency assessment.

How to apply

• Indigenous community organizations must work with their UVic co-op coordinator to review the guidelines and discuss eligibility (outlined on the application form)
• If eligible, Indigenous community organizations must complete the application form together with their co-op coordinator
• The co-op coordinator will submit the application for consideration

When to apply

The application deadline varies per term.

• January - April work terms: 4:30 p.m. on 4:30 p.m. on November 1 (extended to December 1 for 2019)
  
• May - August work terms: 4:30 p.m. on March 1
  
• September - December work terms: 4:30 p.m. on July 1
  

The Federal Government’s Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) supports partnerships between employers and post-secondary education (PSE) institutions to create more work placements for students enrolled in post-secondary studies across Canada. 

The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) helps post-secondary students in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and business programs get work experience they need to prepare for jobs in these high-demand fields.

The program provides funding in the form of wage subsidies to employers that offer quality work to post-secondary students in occupations related to STEM and other highly technically fields:

• up to $5,000 for every student hired through the program
• up to $7,000 for every student hired that is in their first academic year or is from an under-represented group including women in STEM, persons with disabilities, newcomers and Indigenous students
• Wages for the position cannot be funded by another federally funded program

Eligible students are:

• registered in a post-secondary STEM or business program that includes work placements;
• a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person with refugee protection given under the law; and
• legally able to work in Canada according to the laws and regulations of the province or territory where they live

There are 10 employer delivery partners, listed below with an overview of their SWPP program. Eligibility and application processes vary across partners. Please see specific websites and contacts for more information.

BioTalent Canada is an association focused on growth of Canada’s bio-economy. Engagement with employers, associations, post-secondary institutions, immigrant serving agencies and service providers has built a dynamic network that is strengthening skills, connecting job-ready talent to industry and creating opportunities.

BioTalent Canada's Student Work Placement Program is now accepting applications

Wage subsidies are available to all employers who are creating a work integrated learning opportunity and who meet the program criteria. Employers can hire students registered in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) business and all other programs from any post-secondary institutions across Canada through BioTalent Canada’s Student Work Placement Program.

• Participant Information Page
• Employer Application Page

The Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace (CCAA) delivers the federal SWPP program for the aviation and aerospace sector.

Funding:

• Up to $5,000 - $7,000 (50% - 70% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement

Who can apply:

Employers:

• Aviation and Aerospace sector organizations; they do not have to be members of CCAA

Students:

• Must be in a STEM or business program
• A second stream of funding has opened and provides funding for students not in STEM or business programs

Work opportunity criteria:

• All placements must be ‘net new’ (i.e. over and above the number of co-op placements they’ve hired in previous terms)
• The same student may be allocated a grant for multiple work terms; however, only one 12-week placement will be funded every 6 months
• A second stream of funding has opened - a limited number of placements for part-time students will be considered, however, acceptance will depend on numbere of hours and length of placement
• There MUST be an industry component – the focus of the subsidies is hands-on experience, so a research-only position does not qualify
• The role must be in the Aeorospace and Aviation industry to qualify
• Examples of business-related roles that qualify include: HR, accounting, project management, service or operations management, supply chain logistics

How to apply:

Employers:

• complete the CCAA Employer application form to enrol in the program; it includes information regarding the specific student hired for a specific role. Employers can check in advance that they/their role are suitable for the program but cannot apply without knowing which student is to be hired

Students:

• complete the CCAA Student application form ONLY after receiving a placement offer from a participating employer.

Deadlines and availability:

• Winter 2019/20 and Spring 2020 are the next available terms for grants
• Employers will be provided subsidies based on the net new student work placements for the current year, i.e. the number of work placements in the previous year will be used as a baseline and only applications for work placements exceeding that number will be considered.
• Applications must be submitted prior to the employment start date of the student(s) and approval must be obtained before the student is hired.
• If the forms are filled out correctly, approval takes only 1 – 2 business days
• Approval is on a “first come, first serve”; CCAA does not “hold” placements.

Questions?

Theresa Davis-Woodhouse, Director of Project Management, 613-727-8272, ext. 247 or tdaviswoodhouse@avaerocouncil.ca

Program page: Student Work-Integrated Learning Program

Funding:

• Up to $5,000 - $7,000 (50% - 70% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement

Who can apply:

Employers:

• Small to medium-sized, Canadian owned or a Canadian subsidiary
• Primary activity is the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power
• Engaged in the manufacturing of equipment and the provision of services to the industry
• Companies supporting the sector including renewables which includes R&D, business development, energy efficiency, energy storage, electrical vehicle integration and smart cities
• Research firms as long as they are not receiving other Federal funding for the position

Students:

• Be a current full‑time or part-time student registered in a post‑secondary, STEM, arts or business program in Canada studying science, technology, engineering, math, arts or business
• The position is either fulfilling an electricity job function or the work is with an electricity employer

Work opportunity criteria:

• Work term must be full-time or part-time
• The company must provide a minimum of $1 for each $1 of wage subsidy, or a minimum of $1 for each $2.33 for first-year students and under-represented groups
• The company must provide reporting documentation to EHRC including offer letter, a formal learning plan and monthly financial claims and progress reports for the student
• Currently, employers are limited to 20 applications per fiscal year
• Only net new positions will be funded

How to apply:

Employers:

1. EHRC’s welcomes applications with or without a student already selected
2. Complete the Employer Application Form which includes a brief company description and the job description
3. EHRC's service standard is five to ten business days

Students:

1. Complete the Participant Information Form which includes your resume and transcript

Deadlines & Availability:

• There are no deadlines for applications but funding is provided on a first-come, first-served basis and applications should be submitted before the student begins the work term

Questions?

Contact: Nicole Wilson, Project Manager at wilson@electricityhr.ca

Program page: Empowering Futures

 

Funding:

• Up to $5,000 (50% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement
• Applications from indigenous students may be fast-tracked
• Cannot be combined with other federal funding opportunities; the employer must show that they are paying at least 50% of the student’s salary

Who can apply:

 Employers:

• Canadian-owned or a Canadian subsidiary in the environmental sector.  Small and medium sized firms are the primary target, but applications have been approved for larger organizations.  The role is suitable for candidates in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math (STEAM) and Business.

Students:

• are currently studying in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, ARTS or Math (STEAM) or Business at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Arts programs will be related to business - e.g., exploring leadership, change, innovation as they relate to business.
• Students on a work permit or visa are not eligible.

How to apply:

Employers:

1. Complete the employer's application.
2. Wait to receive approval from Eco Canada.
3. Find an eligible student and have the student submit their application.
4. ECO Canada will match the host and student applications prior to the start of the placement.
5. The contracts are reviewed by both parties and the placement begins.

Students:

Apply here.

Deadlines and availability:

Applications for Spring 2020 are being accepted now.

Questions?

Contact coop@eco.ca or call toll-free: 1-800-890-1924.

 

WIL Digital subsidies are offered to eligible companies across Canada to hire eligible students for work placements.  A subsidy is either:

• 50% of wages up to $5,000 to provide students with meaningful WIL opportunities that develop foundational digital economy skills; or
• 70% of wages up to $7,000 to provide students with meaningful WIL opportunities that develop foundational digital economy skills for the following under-represented students: women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Indigenous students, recent immigrants, students with disabilities and first-year students.

Employer eligibility

As a Canadian employer, you are eligible if:

• you are hiring an eligible student as an employee (not a contractor) for a meaningful, paid work integrated learning (WIL) experience in an IT or IT-related position, business development, digital marketing or technical sales;
• your business is a registered business in Canada with the financial and HR capacity to hire, onboard and pay the student;
• the position you are hiring for is a NET NEW position;
• you are not hiring to fill a position left vacant due to a dispute, termination, lay off or any other occurrence that displaces another worker.

Student eligibility

Students are eligible to apply through an employer if they are:

• registered full-time or part-time in an Arts, Humanities, Social Science, Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, or Business Program within a Canadian publicly funded post-secondary institution, regardless of age;
• a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a protected person as defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and
• legally entitled to work in Canada and legally entitled to work according to specific province legislation and regulations.

How to apply

1. Employers need to start an online application prior to the placement start date.
2. Employer complete the Company and the Placement Information forms, and have a student complete their form and submit the application for a review.
3. The review process takes up to 2 weeks to complete.

Deadlines & availability

Please contact WIL Digital program.

Questions?

Contact our team at wil_digital@ictc-ctic.ca.

Funding:

• Up to $5,000 - $7,000 (50% - 70% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement

Who can apply:

Employers:

• Focus is on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Students:

• Must be a current full-time student registered in a post-secondary Business Technology Management (BTM), Computer Science, Computer Systems Technology, Computer Engineering or alike program in Canada
• Cannot be related to or friends of the employer

Work opportunity criteria:

• Full-time work for a minimum 12-week term duration in a business and technology or technology capacity
• Employers must demonstrate that the work term is in addition to their previous hiring
• There is a cap of three students per employer per work term

How to apply:

Employers:

1. Visit the ITAC employer page for application information, assessment form and more.
2. Complete the Employer Eligibility Assessment form, which includes the job description.
3. Wait for a response - the application approval process takes 5 – 10 days.

Students:

1. Apply to a position from any job board or sign up through the Career Ready matching technology portal. The portal is linked to your school’s work term office and they will be notified once you apply for a position.
2. Once hired, complete the Participant Information Form.
3. Learn more on the ITAC student page.

Deadlines and availability:

Visit the ITAC website for current application deadlines.

Questions? Email careerready@itac.ca.

 

The Magnet Student Work Placement program brings together employers, students, and post-secondary school stakeholders to create quality work-integrated learning (WIL) opportunities. 

Funding:

Up to $5,000 - $7,000 (50% - 70% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement

Who can apply:

Employers:

• Registered, Canadian business or not-for-profit
• Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Government does not qualify
• Are committed to paying the student for the role
• Are willing to provide a quality learning experience to a post secondary student.

Students:

• Registered as a domestic student in a recognized post-secondary institution
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act2
• Legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
• Must have a work-integrated learning component within their study plan
• Can be in a full- or part-time program
• Can be from any program of study (i.e. STEM, business, arts, etc)

Work opportunity criteria:

• Positions must be net new to qualify for SWP funding (for example, incremental positions over and above what employers were able to hire last year at the same time)
• Full-time or part-time positions
• Stacking with provincial tax credits is allowed, but it’s the employer’s responsibility to follow their provincial tax credit guidelines and consult a tax professional. Please note, wage subsidy funds cannot be counted toward any tax credits, only actual paid wages.
• Partial government funds are permitted but only funds from non-governmental sources can be subsidized under this program (for example, a position paid with 60% provincial grant funding is only eligible for a subsidy on the 40% of the non-governmental funds from the employer).

How to apply (employers):

Before starting the 20-30 minute application process, you will need:

• A student hired
• Job details including job description, salary information, etc
• Information about your organization

You will invite the student to complete an application as part of your application steps.  Once you've submitted your application, Magnet will review your application and respond with 2-4 weeks.

Should your application be approved, funding will be conditional on completing some more documentation, and then your subsidy will be processed within 4-6 weeks.

Questions? Contact Magnet via their online form or by email.

Funding:

• Up to $5,000 - $7,000 (50% - 70% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement

Who can apply:

Employers:

• Canadian-owned or Canadian subsidiary
• Small, medium or large company involved in mining or mineral exploration
• Post secondary institution
• Non-profit organization

Students:

• Current, full‑time student registered in a post‑secondary, STEM or business program in Canada studying science, technology, engineering, mathematics or business

Work opportunity criteria:

• The position has to be net new – an additional position from previous hiring
• The WIL placement must be part of the student’s degree requirements

How to apply:

Employers:

1. Complete the 2-page Program Application Form
2. Once approved, sign Gearing up Contract
3. Applications are approved within 24 - 48 hours

Students:

1. Sign WIL participant contract
2. Complete Participant Information Form

Deadlines & Availability:

• There are no deadlines for applications but funding is provided on a first-come, first-served basis and applications should be submitted before the student begins the work term

Questions?

Contact: Jennifer Wright, Senior Director, Employment and Diversity Initiatives

E: jwright@mihr.ca

Program page: Gearing Up

How to apply:

Employers:

1. Find general information for employers.

Students:

1. Sign up.
2. View postings on the Magnet platform. Note, you will need to open a Magnet account and upload a résumé to view postings

Questions?

Email aspire@tfi.ca

Funding:

• Up to $5,000 - $7,000 (50% - 70% wage subsidy) per SWPP placement
• Funding is allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis for upcoming semesters
• New funding available every winter, summer and fall semester

Who can apply:

Employers:

• SMEs, start-ups, social enterprises, non-profits, or charities based in Western Canada (AB, MB, SK & BC) and Atlantic Canada (NB, NS, PEI, NL) that have between 1 - 500 employees
• From any industry or sector

Students:

• Students from across Canada interested in entrepreneurship and innovation
• Students from any degree level or discipline can participate
• Eligible students for this program are Canadian citizens, permanent residents or refugees who are studying full-time in a post-secondary institution

Work opportunity criteria:

• A standard placement is defined as 5 days a week; 7.5 hours a day for 14-16 weeks
• Minimum wage is $15 per hour

How to apply:

Employers:

1. Apply here.

Students:

1. Apply here.
2. Students can apply directly through Venture for Canada and they will connect them with job opportunities based on their skills, interests, personality fit and other metrics

Deadlines and availability:

We are currently accepting student and employer applications for the January 2020 semester. If you are interested in a winter internship, we recommend you apply as soon as possible as our internships spots are filled on a first come first serve basis. 

If you are interested in a future semester, you can apply any time with the same links, but we will review your application and contact you at a date closer to your preferred semester.

Questions?

• For employers looking to hire a student, please contact Jamie Proctor Boyce, Partnerships Manager, Internship Program: Jamie@ventureforcanada.ca
• For students, please contact Erica Ormiston, Marketing Coordinator, Atlantic Internship Program: erica@ventureforcanada.ca
  
• Program Page: Venture for Canada

The BC Arts Council's Co-op Placement Program assists arts and cultural organizations to hire students for professional work experience through co-op placement and work-integrated learning programs.

Organizations can apply for up to $10,000 for one term or $20,000 for two terms. All of the funding received will go towards the wages of the student.

Learn about eligibility and deadlines.

Hiring a student for a co-op work term? Apply to get a $2,700 grant! 

The BC Tech Co-op Grants Program provides almost a 25% subsidy towards a co-op student’s salary.  The program is designed to help employers who are hiring young talent and to introduce students to tech-related careers. BC businesses benefit from co-op students’ fresh ideas and readiness to learn, while students  gain work experience and valuable business and technical skills.

Learn more about your eligibility for a BC Tech Co-op Grant. 

The Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) may provide funding to provincial ministry employers who wish to hire co-op students to work on projects that meet PICS main objectives. These objectives include low-carbon emissions research and research related to sustainable communities. For details, visit the PICS website or contact your co-op office.

The School Works: Co-op Wage Subsidy program is now accepting applications. The program provides $8/hr wage subsidies to employers in Columbia Basin Trust’s region to help them hire post-secondary students enrolled in full-time education and participating in a recognized university or college co-op education program.

Hiring a student for the summer? Canada Summer Jobs provides funding to help employers create summer job opportunities for students. It's designed to focus on local priorities while helping both students and their communities.

Employers can apply for this funding through Service Canada. The application period typically runs from early January to early February, but please refer to the Service Canada website for specific dates.

See a sample employer application for Canada Summer Jobs (pdf) (UVic applicant)

Important notes for UVic applicants:

• Student work cannot take away from union work. If you have questions about whether the work qualifies as union-exempt "student" employment or whether it might be considered work included under one of the UVic labour unions, please contact your HR advisor for support before submitting your application.
• You must submit all applications directly to Service Canada (without union concurrence documentation). You must also email a copy—including the confirmation number)—to Jada Tasker at jadat@uvic.ca for Co-op and Career Services records no later than the February 2, 2018 deadline.
• When the UVic Co-op Program and Career Services receives a copy of your application, we will check it for completeness and will work with UVic Human Resources to obtain concurrence letters where required. You can then send these to Service Canada to complete your application.

Young Canada Works (student summer job programs and graduate internships) are designed to meet your hiring needs in the arts, heritage, cultural and official languages sectors.

This program provides youth with summer employment opportunities where they can gain work experience and develop important skills such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork.

The First Nations and Inuit Summer Work Experience Program is part of the First Nations and Inuit Youth Employment Strategy.

Learn more.

National Research Council Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program provides innovation and funding services to accelerate the growth of business.

NSERC’s Experience Awards (previously Industrial Undergraduate Student Research Awards (IUSRA) offered companies access to talented natural sciences and engineering undergraduate students for a work term.

This program was discontinued in January 2019, as NSERC is designing a new, modernized and improved Research Partnerships program. As a result, the NSERC Experience Awards program is being discontinued. No further Experience Awards applications are being accepted. Commitments for existing awards will be honoured.

Additional funding information provided by the Government o Canada can be found through Innovation Canada's Concierge Service.

Interested in pursuing a joint research project with UVic? Through Mitacs Accelerate BC, you can hire a graduate co-op student to spend half of a four-month work term researching a topic of interest to the student, their faculty supervisor and your company.

Mitacs Accelerate BC and you, the employer, will both contribute $7,500 for a four-month work term. The student will spend half the work term at your workplace and the other half at UVic, where they’ll work on research under the guidance of the faculty supervisor.

Mitacs Accelerate BC is a chance to expand your company’s research and development, foster a deeper relationship with UVic and help out future collaborative projects. To learn more about Accelerate and its eligibility conditions, contact your co-op office or visit Mitacs Accelerate.

The following funding opportunities may be available to employers hiring engineering, computer science and math/stats students:

• Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive

Green Spaces is a United Nations Association in Canada (UNAC) initiative that provides support for environmentally sustainable organizations to hire students aged 15-30 for 8 to 16 weeks.

Green Spaces offers a wage subsidy of approximately 50% to employers, up to $8.55/hour.

• For small businesses (1-49 employees), non-profits, libraries, school boards, municipalities, First Nations, Métis Settlements, and publicly-funded post-secondary institutions
• Students must be residents of Alberta and meet other specified criteria.

Learn more.

• The official student employment placement service for the government of Manitoba
• Students must be attending school and meet other specified criteria

Learn more.

• For eligible employers operating in Saskatchewan in the Sports and Recreation Sector, Cultural Sector and Environmental Sector
• Students must be residents of Saskatchewan and meet other specific criteria

Learn more.

Career Focus provides funding to organizations for the creation of agricultural internships that provide career-related work experiences for recent graduates.

• each year, employers must apply between November 1 and November 30 for their project to be considered
• if approved, projects can start on or after April 1 of the following year
• approved projects will be eligible to receive 50% of total eligible costs, up to a maximum of $20,000 in matching funds
• applications will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis as long as funds are available. Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early

Learn more.

The B.C. Employer Training Grant (ETG) provides up to $8 million in funding for employers to support skills training for their current and new employees in the fiscal year 2018/2019.

This program is designed to assist employers in providing skills training to new or current employees that will develop skills and certification, upgrade skills needed due to automation and enhance productivity.

Learn more.

The Career Launcher Internships program is funded by the Government of Canada as part of the Youth Employment Strategy.

Employers can reeive up to $20,000 to hire skilled graduates.

Learn more.

Clean Leadership’s professional internship stream, proudly funded through Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Science Horizons Program, is a wage subsidy initiative to help recent graduates from college or university acquire work experience in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) positions with an environmental focus.

The program provides a wage subsidy (to a maximum of $15,000) to help employers anywhere in Canada hire the talent they need and help increase the supply of highly qualified professionals in the environmental sector. Internships must be completed by March 31st, 2020 and the ideal end goal of the program is for the intern to be hired on full-time or decide to return to academia to further their studies in the STEM field.

Funding is limited, so be sure to visit their website to apply as soon as possible.

 

The Science Horizons Internship Program provides up to $15,000 in wage funding for green jobs in STEM which aim at establishing and growing a clean, safe, and sustainable environment for all of Canada. 

Eligible roles fall within Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, are full-time, permanent* and have a positive environmental impact. *Placements typically last 8-12 months and are intended to lead to permanent employment. Eligible candidates are currently 30 years of age or younger, unemployed or underemployed, graduated from a recognized post secondary institution with a 4 year degree or 2 year diploma, and are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee.

Eligible employers are Canadian owned or a Canadian subsidiary or a Municipal or Provincial Government Department.  They are hiring for a new, environmentally-related position in STEM.

Questions?

coop@eco.ca, Toll-free: 1-800-890-1924

Program page: Wage Subsidy Program to hire Environmental Students

Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y) connects underemployed recent post-secondary graduates with small businesses and not-for-profit organizations where they can gain meaningful work experience to help them transition to career-oriented employment. Funding is available to help hire.

Learn more.

To help young Canadians get started in a green career, Natural Resources Canada is investing more that $16 million to create 1,200 jobs through our Green Jobs - Science and Technology Internship Program (STIP), part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy.

Funding is available for both students and employers through this program. Learn more.

The Green Spaces program provides a wafe subsudy for eligible employers who hire summer work placements in parks and natural settings across Canada.

The program is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Summer Work Experience Program, in partnership with the United Nations Association in Canada.