As part of the Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), a variety of funding opportunities are available for employers to hire students for the purposes of experiential learning. This funding is being administered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) through the following delivery partners.
Important Updates: New changes to SWPP funding
The Government of Canada's Student Work Placement Program has announced changed to SWPP funding beginning April 1, 2022. These changes include:
- Net new hiring restrictions will be reintroduced. Net new refers to the growing number of students you hire each year and represents the number of work placement subsidies you are eligible for.
- Funding will cover up to 50% of student wages. Students hired from under-represented groups, including first-year students, women in STEM, indigenous students, persons with disabilities and newcomers, may be eligible to have up to 70% of their wages subsidized. This is determined on a case-by-case basis at the end of each work term. Learn more about these changes.
- Co-op students may continue to work from home, or in a hybrid work setting. NOTE: Some exceptions may apply if you will be engaging a student as an independent contractor.
NOTE: Some exceptions may apply if you will be engaging a student as an independent contractor.
Tips for employers looking to hire:
1) The start date dictates which year a student would be counted in, e.g., a student hired in January – April would be counted for that year ending in March, and not again in April unless they were hired for another full term that summer.
2) If you have multiple offices, departments and locations, an accurate number could be challenging to find from years back. If this is the case, please use numbers from your local office, team or even department for the sample.
3) When forecasting student hires, organizations should use a “best-case scenario” mindset (e.g., forecast for the higher end of student hires vs being restrictive in forecasting.
4) Recent graduates, high school, and/or international students are NOT included in net new calculations as none are eligible for this program.
Are you eligible to apply?
This guide provides you with a general assessment of eligibility.
If you meet the following requirements, you will likely be eligible for SWPP funding.
Employer eligibility assessment
The employer is:
- A registered Canadian business or organization
- Not a federal, provincial, or municipal government organization
- Financially capable to hire a student for a part- or full-time work term, pay them consistently and provide a meaningful work experience
Student eligibility assessment
The student is:
- A Canadian Citizen, permanent resident or a protected person defined by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
- Registered as a full-time student in a post-secondary institution program
- Not an international student requiring (or on) a work permit
- Not an immediate family member of the employer
Remember that final decisions lie with the SWPP funding partners. This is to provide employers with a guideline only
All SWPP delivery partner info
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC)
For employers within the manufacturing sector (or related projects)
| Amount: | Funding will cover up to 50% wage subsidy (up to a maximum of $5,000). Students hired from under-represented groups may be eligible to have up to 70% (up to a maximum of $7,000) of their wages subsidized. This is determined on a case-by-case basis at the end of each work term. |
|---|---|
| Eligibility/Who Can Apply: | Work placements should be relevant to manufacturing and related sectors. |
| How to apply: | Apply for EMC (Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium). |
| Application deadline: | Check the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium website for application deadlines |
| Contact: | Wendy Gray, Senior Project Coordinator Phone: 1-519-377-5709 Email: wgray@emccanada.org
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