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BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)
Funding to hire co-ops in healthcare or bio-economy
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Funding available
$ 7,000
Timeline
- Open Date : December 1, 2024
- Closing date : March 31, 2025
Location
Canada
Overview
If you’re in the business of healthcare or bioscience, you could get connected with a post-secondary student to work with you on a project up to 16 weeks and a subsidy to cover 70% of their salary, up to $7,000.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 7,000 $
- Up to 70% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : December 1, 2024
- Closing date : March 31, 2025
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
- Sole proprietorship
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Startups
- Women
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Higher Education
- Research
- Hospitals and Rehabilitation
- Other Health Services
- Employment and Training
- Business Associations
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- Young adults
- Indigenous peoples
- New immigrants & refugees
- People with disabilities
- Women & girls
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Academia / students
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- National
Next steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
This grant is available to companies located throughout Canada, as it is a national program. Eligible companies must be able to offer work-integrated learning opportunities in biotechnology or healthcare sectors across the nation.
- Companies located in any province or territory in Canada.
- Organizations conducting biotechnology or healthcare-related work across Canada.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) is available to Canadian employers that meet specific criteria related to biotechnology or healthcare and are looking to create work-integrated learning opportunities for students.
- Employers must provide work opportunities in biotechnology or healthcare fields.
- Employers can be any organization with a biotechnology or healthcare focus.
- Students hired must be enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution full- or part-time.
- Students must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or refugees legally entitled to work in Canada.
Who is not eligible
This grant does not specify restrictions related to certain companies or industries based on status or main activities. Eligibility is instead focused on meeting certain conditions related to bio-economy and healthcare functions.
Eligible expenses
The Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) supports projects that aim to enhance the job-readiness of students enrolled in various programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The eligible activities are focused on providing work-integrated learning opportunities within the bio-economy and healthcare sectors.
- Hiring students for roles with biotechnology or healthcare focus.
- Creating net new student placements that align with bio-economy or healthcare job functions.
- Engaging in projects aimed at developing business, technical, and essential skill sets of students.
- Offering part-time or full-time work opportunities for students, ensuring they meet the minimum duration and hour requirements.
- Utilizing wage subsidies to offset costs associated with hiring students from under-represented groups.
- Ensuring student placements contribute to the employer’s workforce strategy, developing talent for future recruitment needs.
Eligible geographic areas
The grant covers the wage subsidy for student placements to support work-integrated learning opportunities.
- Wage subsidies covering 50% of a student's salary up to $5,000.
- Wage subsidies covering 70% of a student's salary up to $7,000 for first-year students and under-represented groups.
Additional information
Here are additional relevant details for this grant:
- Applications may be placed on a limited-capacity waitlist due to overwhelming demand, especially for summer-term placements.
- BioTalent Canada offers free access to new training programs once the placement is approved.
- The program is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Student Work Placement Program.
- Placements funded through stipends, scholarships, or bursaries do not qualify for this program.
- Student work placements must be considered net new hires, beyond a company's baseline hiring records.
- Employers must add students to their payroll including Federal/Provincial tax deductions.
Documents and links
Frequently Asked Questions about the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP). This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)?
If you’re in the business of healthcare or bioscience, you could get connected with a post-secondary student to work with you on a project up to 16 weeks and a subsidy to cover 70% of their salary, up to $7,000.
How much funding can be received?
BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) Funds up to 70% of admissible expenses, capped at $7,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was March 31, 2025.
Who is eligible for the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) program?
To be eligible for the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) program, you must:
The employer must create a work-integrated learning opportunity within biotechnology or healthcare sectors.
The position must either be in a biotechnology or healthcare focus or the employer must have a biotechnology or healthcare focus.
The student must be added to the employer’s payroll with the necessary Federal/Provincial tax deductions.
What expenses are eligible under BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)?
This grant is available to companies located throughout Canada, as it is a national program. Eligible companies must be able to offer work-integrated learning opportunities in biotechnology or healthcare sectors across the nation. Companies located in any province or territory in Canada.
Organizations conducting biotechnology or healthcare-related work across Canada.
Where is the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) available?
The BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) program is available across Canada.
Is the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) a grant, loan, or tax credit?
BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) is a Wage Subsidies And Interns
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