Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards (CIRTA) Program

Launch of the Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards

On December 9, 2025, Canada’s tri-agencies announced the launch of the Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards (CIRTA), a new national program designed to attract and support top international research talent. The program will provide 400 postdoctoral research awards across Canada, valued at $70,000 per year for up to two years.

CIRTA supports advanced research training in key priority areas that are critical to Canada’s economic, social, and technological development. Through high-quality training opportunities, the program aims to strengthen Canada’s research ecosystem and build a globally competitive research workforce.

Read the full announcement from the tri-agencies to learn more.

Program description 

The Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards recognize and support international doctoral and postdoctoral researchers pursuing research in priority fields. By investing in advanced training and research excellence, the program seeks to enhance Canada’s capacity for innovation, support long-term research talent development, and reinforce Canada’s position as a global destination for research and discovery.

CIRTA postdoc program details

• Duration: 2 years
• Value: $70,000/year, plus benefits (covered by the University)

Step 1: Confirm eligibility 

All candidates must meet the eligibility requirements for the CIRTA program, as well as be eligible for a postdoctoral appointment under the University of Waterloo postdoctoral guidelines.

CIRTA program requirements include:

• Nominees can be of any citizenship, including Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected people
  • Participation of Canadian citizens in this program is intended for those who have previously left Canada for research and/or work experience who wish to return to Canada to continue their research.
• Nominees cannot have a current affiliation with a Canadian institution
• Nominees must be currently studying or working abroad
• Proposed research must fall into one of the eight priority research areas:
  • Advanced digital technologies (AI, quantum, cybersecurity)
  • Health, including biotechnology
  • Clean technology and resource value chains
  • Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic
  • Food and water security
  • Democratic and community resilience
  • Manufacturing and advanced materials
  • Defence and dual-use technologies
• Nominees must be able to begin their postdoctoral appointment no later than January 31, 2027 (SSHRC or NSERC) or March 31, 2027 (CIHR) 

Review full eligibility requirements as listed on the CIRTA Q&A page, as well as the postdoc guidelines.

Step 2: Identify a potential supervisor

Any University of Waterloo faculty member who is the Principal Investigator (PI) on an active tri-agency grant (April 2025–March 2027), as listed on the CIRTA Q&A page, is eligible to nominate one postdoctoral scholar through the CIRTA program. Co-applicants, co-investigators, and collaborators are not eligible to act as nominators. 

Prospective postdocs interested in receiving nomination from a faculty member are encouraged to reach out to faculty members conducting research aligned with their interests. All University of Waterloo departments and schools have a list of their current faculty members, which typically includes their research interests and current projects. We recommend reviewing the listing of departments, schools, research centres, and institutes to find those that align with your research area. From there, review the faculty member profiles and identify a list of faculty members with whom you have related research interests.

When reaching out to a faculty member, ensure you reference your interest in being endorsed for the CIRTA award. It is recommended you provide information on eligibility criteria, so the faculty member can confirm if they are eligible to act as a CIRTA nominator. Feel free to share a link to this page as a reference. For more tips, review our information on contacting a prospective supervisor.

Step 3: Obtain a supervisor expression of interest to nominate

Eligible faculty members must submit an expression of interest to nominate webform (WatIAM login required). Each faculty member may submit an expression of interest for one prospective postdoctoral scholar. 

Once the expression of interest to nominate webform is submitted, the faculty member and proposed nominee will receive a link to the CIRTA agency nomination form (PDF) via email. 

There is no separate deadline to submit an expression of interest to nominate; however, faculty members are strongly encouraged to submit expressions of interest by February 10, 2026. This allows a minimum of one week to complete the nomination form and submit the full application. Expressions of interest that are not accompanied by a complete application submitted by the application deadline (February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. EST) will not be considered by the adjudication committee. 

Step 4: Complete the CIRTA agency nomination form

Nominees (applicants) and nominators (eligible faculty members) must work together to complete the CIRTA agency nomination form (PDF). A link to the nomination form will be emailed after the expression of interest to nominate webform is submitted in Step 3. 

Step 5: Submit the application

The applicant must submit all required materials through the application webform, including: 

• The completed agency nomination form 

• The applicant’s curriculum vitae (CV) 

• Proof of degree completion (or anticipated completion) 

Applications are due February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. EST. Incomplete applications will not be considered by the adjudication committee.