Open
Source change captured:
BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)
Wage subsidies for student placements in biosciences
Funding available
$ 5,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Canada
Overview
The Student Work Placement Program supports bioscience and eligible healthcare employers across Canada in hiring post-secondary students through paid work-integrated learning placements. It offers wage subsidies for student wages, with placements lasting 4 to 16 weeks and multiple terms available for longer placements.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Paid work-integrated learning placements for post-secondary students.
- Placements with a biotechnology/biosciences or healthcare focus.
Sources and recorded changes
- Source change captured
- Change recorded
- Record updated
A captured source change or record update does not confirm eligibility. Check the funder’s current rules before applying.
SWPP eligibility and priority updated
BioTalent’s SWPP guidance now prioritizes bioscience and healthcare employers equally, removes the bio-economy overlap condition, and clarifies wage support.
The Employer Application Instructions now state that bioscience and healthcare employers are equally prioritized, and the earlier bio-economy overlap condition for healthcare employers has been removed. The instructions also clarify that employer support covers wages, and the April 1 placement-start restriction is no longer listed. On the program page, the eligibility wording was aligned to remove the bio-economy overlap requirement, and the contact line now refers to the Outreach team instead of a named individual. The participant page shows the same contact update while the linked media and document assets were relocated.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Bioscience employers.
- Healthcare employers with an overlap with the bio-economy.
- Employers creating a work-integrated learning opportunity.
Who is not eligible
- Post-secondary institutions acting as the employer of record.
- International students.
- Students who are not actively enrolled or have not started their program.
Eligible expenses
- Student wages.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Wages funded by other Federal grants such as CIHR, NSERC, Canada Summer Jobs, or by another federally-funded program such as IRAP or Mitacs.
- Placements funded through a stipend, scholarship, or bursary.
- Participants hired as contractors.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Applications are prioritized by term.
- Priority is currently being given to bioscience employers.
- After completing BioTalent Canada’s Workplace Sexual Harassment training, up to 5 SWPP applications can be reviewed with priority status.
How to apply
- Sign in to your BioTalent Canada user account.
- On your dashboard, click My Applications under Employer Support Applications.
- Click Start Program Application to begin.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed by BioTalent Canada after submission.
- Incomplete or unclear applications may be returned for updates.
- Applicants are notified by email once a decision is made.
- Approved applicants must sign a contract in PandaDoc.
- Monthly online claims are required for reimbursement.
Additional information
- Applications are accepted year-round and are prioritized by term.
- Employers with 99 or fewer employees are no longer required to demonstrate that student placements are incremental or net new from the previous year of hiring with no government funding.
- Employers who complete BioTalent Canada’s Workplace Sexual Harassment training may be eligible for priority review of up to five SWPP applications.
- BioTalent Canada accepts applications only through its online portal; PDFs are no longer accepted.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) Program
What is the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)?
The Student Work Placement Program supports bioscience and eligible healthcare employers across Canada in hiring post-secondary students through paid work-integrated learning placements. It offers wage subsidies for student wages, with placements lasting 4 to 16 weeks and multiple terms available for longer placements.
How much funding can be received?
BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
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.
The employer or the position must have a biotechnology, biosciences, or healthcare focus with an overlap with the bio-economy.
Medium and large employers with 100+ employees must show placements are over and above their historical baseline.
What expenses are eligible under BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)?
Paid work-integrated learning placements for post-secondary students.
Placements with a biotechnology/biosciences or healthcare focus.
Who can I contact for more information about the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)?
You can contact BioTalent Canada by email at askme@biotalent.ca or by phone at 1-866-243-2472, ext. 218.
Where is the BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) available?
The BioTalent — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP) program is available across Canada.