New Wage Subsidy Programs

BioTalent Canada's SWPP funding is now available and accepting applications. Employers can submit their applications through BioTalent Canada’s online application system. SWPP has successfully placed more than 11,000 students with work placements at leading biotechnology companies and organizations across Canada. The application deadline for the winter 2025 term is February 28th, 2025.

The future of Canada’s agriculture sector is evolving, and the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) is dedicated to ensuring it’s a bright one for the next generation. Through the Growing Opportunities initiative, CAHRC offers wage subsidies to help offset hiring costs, enabling employers to bring in talented post-secondary students. These students, equipped with cutting-edge skills in technology, R&D, and interdisciplinary expertise, can help modernize agriculture, address the labor gap, and provide fresh insights and innovations. By participating, businesses gain access to emerging talent and contribute to a resilient, innovative agricultural landscape.

Futurpreneur in collaboration with BDC and RBC, and with support from the Government of Canada, are increasing its startup loan offerings to provide up to $75,000 in collateral-free financing, alongside one-on-one mentorship. The organization is also expanding its eligibility criteria to support young entrepreneurs who have been in business for up to 24 months —doubling the previous 12-month threshold. Side hustle entrepreneurs will also benefit from increased loan offerings of up to $25,000 paired with one-on-one mentorship.

Provincial and Federal Government Funding

The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), supports partnerships between employers and post-secondary education institutions, creating more work-integrated learning placements for students enrolled in post-secondary studies across Canada. Hire a student and receive up to $7,000 per placement.

The Government of Canada Programs list has multiple funding assistance programs including financial assistance for training, funding for persons with disabilities, and more. Wage subsidies are given through the Government of Canada to support employers in hiring the right employees.

The Employment and Social Development funding programs list contains multiple funding opportunities for employers that are supported by government grants and contributors. The goal of these programs is to help fund jobs, training, and social development. Applications are open to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria.

Manitoba Paid Work Experience Tax Credit is supported by the Government of Canada. The amount of funding is dependent on which program you apply to, but you may receive a tax credit equal to 25% of eligible salary and wages, up to a lifetime maximum of $5,000.

Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program, Propel offers post-secondary students opportunities to develop the work-ready skills required to secure meaningful employment upon graduation.

Excellence in Manufacturing consortium - a preferred partner with the Government of Canada, delivers the Student Work Placement Program subsidy to Canada's manufacturing and related sectors. Get up to $7,000 per placement.

Manitoba Grants Online, a new one-stop portal for non-profit organizations to access a variety of government grants. Manitoba Grants Online features grant offerings from Municipal Relations; Agriculture; Sustainable Development; and Sport, Culture and Heritage and grants from other departments as they join the portal.

The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council’s Tourism and Hospitality - Propel Student Work Placement Program offers post-secondary students opportunities to develop important skills for the tourism and hospitality sector upon graduation. Eligible employers can receive wage subsidies for each qualifying student hired through the program.

Research Funding

The National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistant Program (NRC-IRAP) reaches to support small or medium-sized businesses by giving financial assistance, advisory services, and connecting you with the best businesses in Canada. Their Youth Employment Program offers financial support to help offset the cost of hiring young talent for projects involving R&D, engineering, multimedia, market analysis components or the development of new products and process. 

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Agriculture and Environment

Mitacs is a nonprofit national research organization that, in partnerships with Canadian academia, private industry and government, operates research and training programs in fields related to industrial and social innovation. Funding starts at $15,000, and your partner organization’s financial contribution starts at $7,500.

CAHRC’s AgriTalent program supports the development of connections between post-secondary students, employers in agriculture and post-secondary institutions and contributes towards preparing a job-ready workforce for the Canadian agriculture industry.You can be funded up to 70% of a student’s wage or up to a maximum of $7,000.

Green Jobs program in partnership with the Government of Canada provides employers with funding that helps with hiring, training, and mentoring youth in the natural resources sector. The eligibility requirement for employers are: organizations in the natural resources sector who can offer youth full-time (min. 30 hours/week, some exceptions may apply) work experience for up-to-12 months; legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada, including for-profit and not-for-profit organizations; Indigenous organizations and groups; and provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies.

The Science Horizons Youth Internship Program provides employers are given wage subsidies up to $25,000 to accompany the opportunity to hire recent university, college, and polytechnic graduates for internships in the environmental science, technology, engineering, and mathematics sectors.

Grow your team and advance digital innovations with up to 80% with a maximum of $24,000 in wage subsidy and training funds. BioTalent Canada’s Digital Skills for Youth (DS4Y) program boosts an organization’s capacity to advance digital innovations and accelerate Canada’s position as a world leader in the ever-evolving knowledge economy by helping underemployed post-secondary graduates enhance and develop digital and soft skills through work and training opportunities.

Get involved with Science Horizons - Canada.ca ECO Canada is a delivery organization that you can apply through for the program. Other delivery organizations are BioTalent, Clean Foundation, and Colleges and Institutes Canada.

Clean Foundation lists multiple programs related to creating a healthy environment, climate action, energy, education, transportation, and workforce development.

Employers can receive up to 75% wage subsidies through Canada Green Corps when they hire youth in the green economy. They have placed over 709 young professionals into jobs, and aims to further facilitate the growth of employment opportunities for youth in Canada.

Project Learning Tree offers a 50% wage match, with up to $6,000 CAD in reimbursements, for Green Job employers seeking to hire youth ages 15-30. Examples of Green Jobs and a list of eligibility requirements found here.

Mitac’s Business Strategy Internship program will provide $10,000 per intern with the full amount of the award going towards intern stipend when the partner organization contributes $5,000 towards the award. Alternatively, partner organizations can select a $15,000 funding model where up to $5,000 of the funds can be used for eligible project costs or to top up an intern stipend. organizations are encouraged to apply. You can earn up to $7000.00 in wage subsidy per student!

Electricity Human Resources Canada’s (EHRC) Empowering Futures Program is Canada’s student and first-year apprentice work placement initiative for the electricity industry. EHRC offers incentives and support to small and medium-sized enterprises and eligible employers can receive 70% of the student’s gross wages, up to a maximum of $7,000. 

Social Sciences, Heritage, Arts, and Official Languages

Funded by the Government of Canada, Young Canada Works is available for eligible employers who can receive wage subsidies that enable the creation of job opportunities in heritage, arts, culture, and official languages fields. An employer is not eligible if it is: a federal department, federal agency or Crown corporation; a provincial or territorial government department; for-profit; or a non-profit organization with a heritage mandate in support of a federal entity, that is also operationally dependent on the federal entity by virtue of its administrative and/or contractual relationship. For the 2025-2026 funding cycle, the application deadline is as follows:

  • Young Canada Works in Heritage Organizations: January 17, 2025

  • Young Canada Works at Building Careers in Heritage: January 17, 2025

  • Young Canada Works in Both Official Languages: February 3, 2025

Summer

No summer wage subsidies available at this time.

Funding for Indigenous Students and Programming

Community Opportunity Readiness addresses the financial needs of Aboriginal communities when they are in pursuit of, and wish to participate in, an economic opportunity. The programming is inclusive of wage subsidies.

Funding for Students facing barriers to employment

Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work provides Job Accommodation services and wage subsidies for employers across Canada to create healthy and inclusive workplaces.

Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) Green Jobs Program provides paid placements, training opportunities and wage subsidies to employers looking to hire youth. The goal of the program is to strengthen the Mining Industry Labour Market and help youth gain valuable work experience that focuses on creating a clean environment. Employers can receive up to $24,000 for job-ready youth, or $30,000 for Indigenous Youth, Youth living with disability, and Northern and Remote Youth.

Startups and small businesses often lack the resources or time to address finding, paying for, and integrating interns. Venture For Canada offers training, experience, and funding to hire students and recent graduates with the goal to foster the entrepreneurial skills and mindsets of young Canadians. Depending on eligibility employers can receive up to $7,000 wage subsidy for their internships.

The Talent Opportunities Program (TOP) is an initiative of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce designed to help employers in Canada hire college and university students on WIL placements. Employers hiring eligible students can receive a wage subsidy up to 50% of the wages (to a maximum of $5,000) for each ‘net new’ placement or 70% of the wages (to a maximum of $7,000) for each ‘net new’ placement for the following under-represented groups: Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, first year students, visible minorities and/or women in STEM.

Opportunities in Sector Councils

No opportunities in Sector Councils available at this time.