Wage Subsidies and Tax Credits

Hiring employees is often an essential part of operating a business. Whether you need a full-time employee or would like to provide a student with experiential learning, this guide will give you an overview of programs that are available in Canada. Click below to learn more.

Wage Subsidies and Tax Credits in Ontario:  There are wage subsidies and tax credits for different types of hiring, including: Internships, Co-ops, Apprenticeships, Youth employment, Summer employment.

Cooperative Education Tax Credit: The Ontario government provides a Cooperative Education Tax Credit to businesses hiring students enrolled in a recognized Co-op Education program.  Following completion of a student work term, if you do not receive your official co-op tax credit letter contact the Co-op Office to request this letter confirming employment of a specific Co-op student.  Normally, tax credit letters are issues by the end of the fiscal year; however we can accommodate special requests for early issue.

Canada Job Grant: Canada-Ontario Job Grant (the Job Grant) provides an opportunity for employers to invest in their workforce, with help from the government.

Employer Wage Subsidy Programs for Employers across Canada: Through the Student Work Placement Program, employers can apply for wage subsidies to help them hire post-secondary students across Canada.  Through 18 delivery partners, Employers can get up to $5,000 for every student they hire through the program, or up to $7,000 for every student they hire in their first year or is from an under-represented group.

Federally Funded Programs:

BioTalent Canada: Wage subsidy program for STEM (Science, Technology, Environmental and Math) career placement opportunities in the natural resources sector linked to the green economy.  The program's wage subsidies assist employers by covering a student's salary by 75% up to a maximum of $7,500 for all participants.

Canadian Council for Aviation and Aerospace: Through the Student Work Placement Program, employers can access federal funding to cover wage subsidies of up to 75% (up to a maximum of $7,500 per work placement).

Career Launcher / Internships: Hire an intern through the Clean Tech, Digital Tech, Natural Resources, or Impact programs and be eligible to apply for funding ranging to hire and train them. 

Eco Canada: Environmental Job Funding & Training for Employers.  Employers can access wage subsidy programs to help onboard and train new talent.  Funding is available for Science and Technology Internships, Student Work Placements, Digital Skills for Youth and more.  

Electricity Human Resources Canada : EHRC provides 75% wage subsidies, up to a maximum of $7,500 per hired position in the electricity industry.  

Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium: Through the Government of Canada's Skill Work Placement Program's  partnership with EMC, the WILLWorks program, provides value to manufacturing employers by providing wage subsidies of up to $7,500 per placement.   

Technation: A wage subsidy program which supports businesses hiring students in meaningful, tech-focused work placements.  The program provides 50% (up to $5,000) of a student's pay in wage subsidies to employers, with an increased subsidy of 70% (up to $7,000) for employers who hire students from under-represented groups. 

WIL Digital: A wage subsidy program for employers hiring students in meaningful meaningful, work placements which includes a Digital or Technology component and uses technology in some capacity. The program provides up to 75% of the student's salary (up to $7,500).