Grants Funding and Opportunities

Student Work Placement Program (SWPP+) 

This Government of Canada program offers these grants as wage subsidy covers 50% or up to $5,000 of a co-op student’s salary. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) works with Employer Delivery Partners that represent the interests of employers in various industries and sectors. 

If the student identifies themselves as coming from an underrepresented group the wage subsidy will cover 70%, or up to $7,000 of the co-op student’s salary. Underrepresented groups are defined as: visible minorities, women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), Indigenous students, students with disabilities and newcomers to Canada. 

Funding is limited and administered on a first-come, first-served basis wherein completed applications are prioritized in the order they are received and approved based on eligibility requirements of that terms. For more information, please visit the SWPP+ Employer Funding website. 

We recognize navigating hiring grants can be a challenge. We’ve built a quick list that outlines information on the various grant providers and their eligibility criteria

General eligibility

Employers 

• Registered, Canadian business or not-for-profit  
• Post-secondary institutions (universities, colleges and polytechnics) will be able to be the employer of record to offer meaningful placements to students.  
• Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Government does not qualify 
• Financial institutions do not qualify 

Students 

• Registered as a domestic student in a recognized post-secondary institution 
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act 
• Legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations 
• Undertaking a placement that is recognized as work-integrated learning in connection with a course, degree, certificate, diploma, or other recognized program offered by the institution. 

International Student Initiative (ISI) Co-op Hiring Grant 

The International Student Co-op Hiring Grant, is unique to UBC and the Okanagan campus, providing up to $5,000 to qualifying community partner employers to subsidize the cost of hiring, training and integrating International undergraduate co-op students from UBC Okanagan, in relevant experience with organizations within Canada. 

Funding is competitive and applicants are encouraged to apply early. 

General eligibility

To qualify for the International Student Co-op Hiring Grant, the work experience must:  

• Be with an organization that operates within the borders of Canada  

• Be approved by the Co-op Offices at UBC’s Okanagan campus  

• Employ an international student admitted and active a Co-op program at UBC’s Okanagan campus.  

Note: International students who become permanent residents or Canadians citizens prior to commencing the work term are not eligible to be employed in a grant-funded position. 

• Be a minimum of one Co-op term, 4 months (16 weeks) in length  
• Provide the student with productive work and skill development during the work experience  
• Provide a fair market wage to the student for the work performed during the term  
• Include student supervision and performance evaluation by the employer/supervisor  
• Provide the student with an in-person work setting; hybrid arrangements are acceptable.  

Limitations:  

• Organizations are limited to one (1) funding application per student, meaning they can only hire a candidate once through the grant program.  
• Grants must be used to hire a new Co-op student employee that the organization has not received this grant funding for previously.  
• Extended positions with additional duties employing the same student are not eligible, unless the organization has not received this grant funding for this student previously.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT CO-OP HIRING GRANT GUIDELINES