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BioTalent — Career Starter Program
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Canada
Subsidy to hire barriered youth into the labour market
Wage Subsidies And Interns
Overview
The BioTalent Career Starter Program provides bio-economy employers with wage subsidies of up to $20,000 to support the hiring of barriered youth. The program aims to facilitate the integration of underrepresented young talent into the workforce through paid internships and wrap-around services, including training and employment supports.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop employee skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
- Up to 60% of project cost
Timeline
- Closing date : June 28, 2024
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Manufacturing
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Health care and social assistance
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
- Sole proprietorship
- Social economy enterprise
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Language Minorities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Women
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Research
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Employment and Training
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- Children & youth
- Young adults
- Indigenous peoples
- New immigrants & refugees
- People with disabilities
- Women & girls
- LGBTQ+ community
- Rural / Remote communities
- Low-income individuals / families
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- National
Activities funded
- Hiring and integrating barriered youth as new employees in bio-economy organizations.
- Developing and strengthening a diverse and inclusive workforce within the bio-economy sector.
- Facilitating full-time, skills-based work placements for young talent in bio-economy companies.
- Providing supervised internships or entry-level employment opportunities to help youth transition into the bio-economy labour market.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 15,000
Offering mentoring to disabled youth in the medical biotech field
$ 15,000
Integrating indigenous youth into natural resource management roles
$ 15,000
Launching a mentoring initiative for barriered youth in the biotech sector
$ 15,000
Mentoring youth in sustainable urban agriculture through a job placement program
$ 15,000
Providing tech sector job opportunities to women facing barriers
Eligibility
- The employer must operate within the bio-economy sector.
- The company must provide a full-time position of at least 30 hours per week for a minimum of 3 months.
- The employer must maintain an internal process for supervising and mentoring the participant, including assigning a mentor or job coach.
- The employer must contribute at least 40-50% of the participant’s total salary (the exact percentage may vary by intake).
- The position cannot be funded by another federally funded program (such as IRAP or Mitacs).
Who is eligible?
- Employers operating within the bio-economy sector
Who is not eligible
- Companies that do not operate within the bio-economy sector.
- Organizations seeking to fund a position already supported by another Federally funded program such as IRAP, Mitacs, etc.
Eligible expenses
- Wages for eligible youth participants, covering up to a specified percentage of the salary (excluding vacation pay, employment insurance premiums, and Canada Pension Plan contributions).
- Wrap-around services for participants, which may include training, disability accommodations, relocation costs, transportation supports, housing assistance, additional job success training, counselling and mental health supports, personal protective equipment, childcare, legal supports, cultural competency training, networking events, and mentoring.
Eligible geographic areas
- Companies located in Canada.
Selection criteria
There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant:
- Participants must meet eligibility requirements as barriered youth.
- Employers must fulfill specific obligations outlined in the program guidelines.
How to apply
1
Confirm employer eligibility
- Determine if your organization operates in the bio-economy sector
- Verify the position is full-time and meets salary contribution requirements
- Ensure the position is not funded by another federal program
2
Verify candidate eligibility
- Check that the candidate is a new hire and has not started employment
- Verify that the candidate is between 15 and 30 years old
- Confirm the candidate meets citizenship, residency, and work eligibility requirements
- Ensure the candidate is not enrolled in full-time studies
- Assess whether the candidate qualifies as barriered youth or youth furthest from employment
3
Prepare application documents
- Collect necessary information about the position and participant
- Prepare required supporting documents for the application
- Contact BioTalent Canada project manager for wrap-around services pre-approval if applicable
4
Complete the application form
- Complete the Career Starter Program application form
- Attach all required supporting documents
- Ensure that all information provided is accurate and complete
5
Submit your application
- Submit the completed application and documents to BioTalent Canada
- Retain confirmation of submission for your records
- Note that the review process may take up to 40 business days
6
Await application results
- Wait for notification from BioTalent Canada regarding application status
- Respond to any follow-up requests for additional information
Additional information
- The application review process can take up to 40 business days.
- The program is reaching capacity; new applications may be placed on a waitlist.
- Funding for Career Starter placements ends on June 28th, 2024.
- Pre-approval must be obtained for wrap-around services before submitting for reimbursement.
Contacts
1-866-243-2472
