Hire Dal

Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) Funding Opportunities

Hiring students is good for business but finding the budget to support new positions is sometimes challenging.

If you're considering hiring a student, you may be eligible to receive up to $7,000 in support from the Government of Canada.

What is SWPP?

Organizations within Canada that offer full-time employment opportunities between 12-16 weeks for full-time Canadian post-secondary students (includng remote-working opportunities) may be eligible to receive wage subsidies covering up to $5,000 toward the salary of every student hired through the program, and up to $7,000 for every student hired that is in their first year or is from an under-represented group (applicable to all wages earned until March 31, 2025).

Who qualifies?

Employers:

  • Must be a registered business in Canada (provincial and territorial governments are not eligible)
  • May hire students in any program; however, students must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or have refugee status
  • Must be hiring for net new positions (i.e. positions over and above what employers have hired previously)
  • Are willing to provide a quality work-integrated learning experience
  • Are committed to paying the student for the role, and have the financial capacity to pay the student for the duration of the work term in full (the wage subsidy will be administered after receiving all supporting documentation at the end of the work term)
  • Are compliant with all federal and provincial human rights and labour legislation, regulations, and any other relevant standards including the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act
  • Where legally required, are responsible for Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) or alternate workplace insurance coverage

Ineligible employers may include (but are not limited to):

  • Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Government 
  • Hospitals and public long-term care facilities 
  • Crown Corporations
  • Post-Secondary Institutions (PSIs)
  • Financial institutions 

Students:

  • Must be enrolled full-time at a post-secondary institution
  • Must be a student in STEM or Business
  • Are required to have Canadian citizenship or Permanent Resident or Refugee status and be legally entitled to work in Canada

How does it work?

The SWPP program is delivered by a group of employer delivery partners who work with businesses and post-secondary education institutions to coordinate wage subsidies. A limited number of funding opportunities exist each year and are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please contact any of the most applicable partners to learn more about their available funding and application timelines.

SWPP Employer Delivery Partners

Magnet Student Work Placement Program:
For any registered Canadian business or non-profit organization. 

Venture for Canada Internship Program:
For small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), start-up, social enterprises, non-profits or charities located in Atlantic Canada, British Columbia, and the Prairies.

BioTalent Canada: 
For employers within the biotechnology industry or for any employer with biotechnical roles or projects. 

Canadian Council for Aviation & Aerospace (CCAA): 
For employers within the aviation and aerospace industry and for co-op positions with a focus on aviation tech/maintenance and avionics. 

Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada:
For all co-op positions related to the environment or an environment project with an element of Science, Technology, Engineering or Math. 

Electricity Human Resources Canada Empowering Futures:
For organizations engaged within the electrical power sector/electricity industry.

Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium WILWorks:
For Canada's manufacturing and related sectors (i.e. NAICS codes 31-33).

TECHNATION Canada:
For Canadian organizations that are looking to hire post-secondary students into tech immersive roles.

Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) WIL Digital Subsidy:
What is the WIL Digital Subsidy? A wage subsidy for eligible Canadian companies that offer student work placements within the Digital Economy.

Mining Industry Human Resources Canada Gearing Up:
For organizations in Canada working in the mining or mineral exploration sectors.

Ontario Chamber of Commerce:
The Talent Opportunities Program (TOP) is an initiative of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce designed to help employers located anywhere in Canada hire college and university students on WIL placements. 

TruckingHR Canada:
For workplaces offering a work opportunity directly related to the applicant’s program of study, and /or fulfilling a trucking and logistics job function

Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council AGRI Talent:
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.

Food Processing Skills Canada:
For employers in the Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industry to hire students in colleges and universities across the country.

FCCQ Accueillez un stagiaire program:
Provides wage subsidies and personalized coaching to integrate first-year interns as well as interns from under-represented groups.

Canadian Media Producers Association
For members of the member of the CMPA

Growing Opportunities program
For orginizations in the agriculture and food sectors