Canadian employers, specifically, can receive up to 50-70% of an intern’s wage to a maximum $5k-$7k, or up to 50% of a recent graduate’s wage to a maximum $12k-$15k in hiring grants.

Spring and summer are the ideal times to use these incentives since there is a large youth talent pool during these times and funding programs are generally open to applications. Since many hiring grants operate on a first-come, first-served basis, interested employers should start the recruitment process as soon as possible.

Hiring grant options and how they work

While many Canadian businesses know that hiring grants and wage subsidies exist, few understand how they help, how they impact the recruitment process, or what they must do to access funding.

Most hiring grants and wage subsidies in Canada are directed at two types of hires:

1. Recent post-secondary graduates being hired into full-time, permanent positions.
2. Student interns being hired into temporary roles that provide relevant work experience.

Hiring incentives are provided to employers for a couple of reasons. For students and recent graduates, paid work experience provides relevant, meaningful job experience that leads to a greater understanding of their strengths and interests. For employers, internships and first career opportunities give their business access to a young, energetic audience that can grow within their company.

How much can employers receive in grants for graduates or co-op students?

When hiring recent post-secondary graduates, employers can receive up to 50% of the hire’s wages to a maximum of $12,000 to $15,000.

When hiring co-op students, employers can receive up to 50% of the intern’s wages to a maximum of $5,000. This increases to 70%/$7,000 if the intern is part of an under-represented group, such as women in STEM or newcomers to Canada.

How hiring grants fit into the recruitment process

Now that you know the options available when it comes to hiring grants, it’s important to illustrate how they fit into optimizing the recruitment process. Following these steps can help simplify the application process and maintain your funding eligibility:

1. Develop a candidate pool for your position.
2. Screen job candidates and select one person or more to tentatively fill the position(s).
3. Apply for hiring grants, matching the position and candidate to a relevant funding program.
4. Wait approximately five business days for the government’s response with the funding decision.
5. Hire the candidate and complete any additional documentation needed.

After funding is in place, you can formally provide an employment offer to the candidate.

Also, be aware that hiring a candidate and placing them on payroll prior to government funding approval can significantly complicate the process and often leads to applications being deemed ineligible.

Receive support to identify and apply for hiring grants

With so many funding programs available, it’s often best to reach out to a specialist who can discuss your specific hiring needs and identify a program that works best for your company.

Contact Mentor Works to discuss your eligibility, identify the types of incentives providing support, and optimize the application process.

Mentor Works is a business support organization specializing in Canadian government funding. The Ontario-based business has helped hundreds of businesses build and execute their funding strategy through a mix of federal and provincial government grants, loans, and tax credits. Mentor Works offers free online resources, funding webinars, and news via their website at www.mentorworks.ca.

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Jonathan Steblin, CITP|FIBP, is a Trade Commissioner at the Pacific Regional Office of Global Affairs Canada located in Vancouver, BC.

He first gained an interest in pursuing a career in international trade through his experience working on the front line at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

No better place to learn challenges of global business than the border

“Working with CBSA was particularly beneficial in understanding the practical challenges that many SMEs face when trying to trade across a border.”

After almost four years as a student border services officer at the CBSA, Jonathan got his first big global business opportunity when he was invited to join the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada), as a co-op student in trade policy in 2013.

He was well-qualified for the position, having earned a B.A. in Political Science and French from the University of British Columbia and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Carleton University. Jonathan was promoted to the position of Trade Commissioner in June, 2014.

Focusing on the innovation, science and environmental stream of studies, I was given the flexibility to conduct research on various topics, from the Canadian biofuel industry to the management of non-renewable resource wealth.

“Completing my Masters of Arts in Public Administration at Carleton University provided me with the opportunity to gain sector knowledge in clean technology before becoming a Trade Commissioner.”

Making all the right connections

In Jonathan’s role as a Trade Commissioner responsible for clean technology in Canada’s regional network, he works with Canadian SMEs to facilitate their entry into new markets through the Trade Commissioner Service’s network of more than 160 trade offices around the world.

Daily, he works head-to-head with partners in other departments of the government, as well as private sector associations, to look for ways they can work together to better support his clients.

“A typical day for me includes responding to requests from new and existing companies for assistance with their business development, attending in person client meetings to gain a better understanding of their good or service, and arranging B2B opportunities for Canadian businesses to sell those products abroad.”

Beyond providing insightful support and assistance to his existing clients, Jonathan also works toward bringing in new clients through targeted outreach programs designed to help even more SMEs discover the benefits of the T.C.S.

“I also support the development of domestic outreach programs for senior officials in the department who have planned travel to British Columbia and Yukon.”

Jonathan enjoys that his position as a Trade Commissioner sometimes brings opportunities to travel and network representing the T.C.S., and also learn more about the broader impacts of trade policies around the world.

My role has given me the opportunity to complete a temporary work assignment with the Consulate General of Canada in Seattle, in order to prepare for several events important for the departments advocacy priorities.

“One highlight of this experience was being able to manage the Canada booth at the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit. This conference included over 5400 attendees from across the United States and 22 other countries and provided the excellent opportunity to gain experience on how trade issues impact broader foreign policy objectives.”

Offering the best service means getting the right tools

As a Trade Commissioner, Jonathan was motivated to complete the FITTskills training to ensure he could offer the highest level of practical knowledge and expertise to his clients. He completed the program through an instructor-led program in 2016.

“The FITTskills instructor was very flexible and encouraged questions, allowing us to learn from their knowledge, but also incorporate the knowledge of their peers in the classroom.”

Jonathan found practical aspects of the course material to be especially helpful in offering the best advice to his clients looking for guidance with logistical issues.

“The FITTskills courses were interesting and condensed a lot of useful information into relatively small textbooks. Some of the information that has particularly improved my current service offering to clients were the practical issues faced by actively trading SMEs, such as required documentation, administration authorities and INCOTERMS.”

Upon successfully completing the FITTskills program, Jonathan didn’t hesitate in applying for the elite CITP®|FIBP® designation.

I decided to pursue the CITP®|FIBP® designation as it was a great way to highlight my credibility in serving companies entering global markets.

“I am very optimistic that the CITP®|FIBP® designation will be useful in my career advancement. It is widely recognized throughout Global Affairs Canada, and in today’s increasingly competitive workforce there is a real benefit to obtaining professional certifications to strengthen future job applications.”

Jonathan’s hard work and experience certainly seems to be paying off for him in his promising career with Global Affairs Canada, and for his clients, getting the support they need to go global for the first time. If you are a small business owner considering expanding into new markets, he may be just the person to help you get there.

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