Wage Subsidies and Grants
There are many funding opportunities available to help your organization hire students. The following is a sample of programs available, or you can download the Employer Wage Subsidy Programs summary document. We encourage you to continue to search to see what other opportunities are available.
Federal Programs
Industries | All |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount | Not-for-profit employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 100% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. Public and private sector employers are eligible to receive funding for up to 50% of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage. |
Employer Eligibility |
Eligibility Includes: |
Student Eligibility |
To be eligible, youth must: *International students are not eligible participants. International students include anyone who is temporarily in Canada for studies and who is not a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person who has been granted refugee status in Canada. |
More Information | https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/canada-summer-jobs.html |
Industries | All |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- The maximum amount of funding to be provided to a funding recipient in a fiscal year is set out in the funding agreement signed by the funding recipient. |
Employer Eligibility |
- First Nations and Inuit communities |
Student Eligibility |
Eligible participants are: |
More Information | https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1100100033607/1533125081187 |
Industries |
Co-op position needs to be employed in the trucking or transportation industry. |
Program |
BCom Co-op |
Amount |
Wage subsidy up to a maximum of 50%, up to $5,000 for every student work placement provided |
Employer Eligibility |
To qualify for the program, the employer must be in the trucking and transportation industry. However, this can be applied to a wide-range of non-trucking companies. For example, many manufacturers or construction companies may have their own class 1 commercial vehicle fleet used to deliver product or move their equipment around. An ice cream producer in AB makes their own ice cream but then delivers it to the grocery store warehouses by their own truck. They have now become a trucking company as well as a producer. As such, these types of employers are eligible for the same grant. Work placements must offer: The employer must: This grant can be used towards roles such as HR, Accounting, Supply Chain, General Business or any related field of study. |
Student Eligibility |
To participate employers must hire students who are: |
More Information |
Industries: All
Program: BCom, BCom Co-op, MBA, PhD, PostDocs
Amount: Organizations can contribute $5,000 or $7,500, with Mitacs matching these funds to provide a $10,000 or $15,000 award to students working on a project that will create value for the organization through innovation.
Employer Eligibility: Organizations can be business, eligible nonprofit, municipality or health authorities.
Responsibilities
Partner organizations must:
- Offer work integrated learning opportunities to students during the internship.
- Provide adequate supervision and direction for the project.
The partner organization supervisor will:
- Set project deliverables and timeline for the student, answer questions and provide general supervision and mentorship to the student as the student’s on-site supervisor.
- Providing onboarding, training, performance management, feedback, and answer technical questions
- Be available during the assigned working hours of the student. If they are unavailable, they will assign an alternative supervisor
- Meet (in-person or virtually) with the student regularly to oversee the progress of their project
The University of Alberta will:
- Advertise positions to current University of Alberta graduate students.
- Serve as the official employer for the intern.
- Provide an academic advisor, as required by all Mitacs projects.
- Receive the portion of the Mitacs grant which is covering student wages, to be distributed through University Payroll.
How to get started
Partner organizations interested in participating in the program are invited to contact an Edmonton Mitacs Advisors | Mitacs
Important points:
- Projects should focus on applied, relevant innovation which will improve your organization’s operations. Project scope, objectives and deliverables should be based on this. Creating value for both the partner and the student is the key to a great project.
- Students are not hired directly by the company. The company sends Mitacs their contribution portion, Mitacs will match it and then send a grant to the university to pay the student.
- Projects need a University Academic Supervisor to be the Mitacs BSI grant holder. Mitacs and the Alberta School of Business will coordinate a Academic Supervisor for all projects.
Government of Canada Student Work Placement Programs
Industries | Co-op position needs to have a biotechnology focus or the employer needs to have a biotechnology focus |
Program | BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- Up to $5,000 for every student, you hire through the program. |
Employer Eligibility |
Wage subsidies are available to all employers who are creating a work integrated learning opportunity and who meet the program criteria. Employers can hire STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) or business students from any post-secondary institutions across Canada through BioTalent Canada's Student Work Placement Program. Examples of positions that could qualify: |
Student Eligibility |
- Are a current full-time student registered in a post-secondary STEM or business program co-op in Canada |
More Information | https://www.biotalent.ca/programs/student-work-placement-program/ |
Industries |
Aerospace & Aviation Industry |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- Up to $7,000 for every student you hire that is in their first year or is from an under-represented group including women in STEM, persons with disabilities, newcomers and Indigenous students. |
Employer Eligibility |
- Complete and sign the Employer information form. |
Student Eligibility |
The participant (student) must: |
More Information | https://www.avaerocouncil.ca/en/swilp |
Industries |
- Firms whose primary activity is the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical power. |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- Up to $5,000 for every student, you hire through the program. |
Employer Eligibility |
The company must meet eligibility requirements: |
Student Eligibility |
To participate in a student work placement in the electricity sector you must: |
More Information | http://electricityhr.ca/empowering-futures/ |
Industries | Environmental Sector |
Program | BCom Co-op |
Amount | Up to $5,000 for every student, you hire through the program. |
Employer Eligibility |
Organizations in Canada working in the environmental sector and are looking to hire students from science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). |
Student Eligibility | Current university or college students studying in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) and Business qualify for our Co-op Program. Students must be a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or have Refugee status. Students on a work permit or visa are not eligible. |
More Information | https://eco.ca/environmental-professionals/employment-funding-and-job-board/apply-for-job-funding/ |
Industries | Any size of company that is registered and operates in Canada. Business/ Charitable Registration. Number or CRA Organization Number and company information will be required in the application. |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- Up to $5,000 for every student, you hire through the program. |
Employer Eligibility | Below are the Company eligibility requirements to qualify for wage subsidy: 1. A registered company in Canada Company must be registered and operate in Canada. Business/ Charitable Registration Number or CRA Organization. Number and company information will be required in the application. 2. Must offer a quality position to a student including the following: - Must have the ability to recruit, hire, pay, train and support the student. - Must hire a student from a STEM (science, technology, engineering or math), Business, Arts, Humanities, Social Science program within a publicly funded Canadian PostSecondary Educational Institution. - Must hire a student as an employee of the company. Students hired as contractors are not eligible. - Must offer a quality position that will advance the skills and employment readiness of students. 3. Must have Insurance The company must maintain general liability insurance to cover claims for bodily injury or property damage resulting from anything that could be done or omitted by the student during the placement period. 4. Must be compliant with Human Rights and Labor legislation, regulations, and laws. The company must comply with all applicable federal and provincial human rights and labor legislation, regulations, and any other relevant standards including the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act. |
Students are eligible to apply through an employer if they are: |
|
More Information | https://www.wil-amt.digital/ |
Industries | Mining or Mineral Exploration Sector |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- Up to $5,000 for every student, you hire through the program. |
Employer Eligibility |
- Employers must be Canadian-owned or a Canadian subsidiary, and in one of the following categories: |
Student Eligibility |
- Full-time students in a post-secondary program; |
More Information | https://mihr.ca/career- |
Industries | To be an eligible employer, you must provide a quality work experience in a role that immerses a student in the use of technology. We encourage both tech-focused and non-tech-focused organizations to apply. |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- The program provides 50% (to a maximum of $5000.00) of a student’s pay in wage subsidies to employers. |
Employer Eligibility |
If you meet all these criteria, you are eligible to be a Career Ready employer: |
Student Eligibility |
- Enrolled as a full time student at an accredited post-secondary college or university in Canada |
More Information | https://technationcanada.ca/en/future-workforce-development/career-ready-program/ |
Industries | Small to medium-sized enterprises, nonprofits or charities located in BC, AB, MB, SK, NB, NS, PEI, or NL |
Program | BCom & BCom Co-op |
Amount |
- Up to $5,000 for every student, you hire through the program. |
Employer Eligibility |
If you meet all these criteria, you are eligible to a VFC Intern employer: |
Student Eligibility |
- Enrolled as a full time student at a post-secondary college or university in Canada |
More Information | https://www.ventureforcanada.ca/ |
University of Alberta Funding Programs
The International Student Work Experience Program (ISWEP) helps full-time undergraduate international students to find employment, develop their career skills and gain valuable work experience over the summer.
Each summer, the International Student Work Experience Program (ISWEP) accepts applications from employers looking to hire a student and have that position supplemented under the ISWEP.
Find out more on the International Student Work Experience Program (ISWEP) website or email iswep.questions@ualberta.ca.
*Please note this is not an exhaustive list of grant programs available.
** Please note that program details were accurate as of posting date. Careers and Work Integrated Learning accepts no responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of this content and recommends confirmation of all details with the applicable program prior to proceeding with any posting or hiring processes.
***Other than the RBC Future Launch Program the Alberta School of Business does not administer and is not involved with any of these grant programs. Please reach out to the specific grant programs for more information or to apply.