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Source verified August 4, 2026
Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program
Wage subsidy for mining student placements
Latest source updateLast Update: March 20, 2026Latest change: The Gearing Up program has updated its fiscal year cycle, reduced maximum wage subsidy amounts, and increased its WIL placement targets for 2026-27.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: March 20, 2026
Latest change: The Gearing Up program has updated its fiscal year cycle, reduced maximum wage subsidy amounts, and increased its WIL placement targets for 2026-27.
Gearing Up Program 2026-27 Updates
The Gearing Up program is transitioning to the 2026-27 fiscal year with a new application window opening March 25. Key funding changes include a reduction in the maximum wage subsidy from $7,000 to $5,000 per employer. The program's WIL placement target has been increased from 2,000 to 2,500 opportunities. All program documents have been updated to reflect the new fiscal year cycle.
Funding available
$ 5,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Opened April 1, 2025
Location
Canada
Overview
Gearing Up offers wage subsidies of up to $5,000 to Canadian-owned, Canadian subsidiary, and not-for-profit employers in Canada’s mining and mineral exploration sectors that create net new work-integrated learning placements for post-secondary students. Supported placements can include structured work experience, co-op placements, and internships that count toward graduation requirements.
/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
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- All dimensions
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Structured work experience placements.
- Co-op placements.
- Internships.
- Field placements.
- Applied projects.
Documents Needed
- Signed employer agreement.
- Appendix A: Employer work integrated learning work opportunity costs.
- Appendix B: Description of approved work integrated learning opportunity, term and payment schedule.
- Signed participant information form (PIF).
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian-owned companies.
- Canadian subsidiaries.
- Not-for-profit organizations.
- Mining and mineral exploration employers.
Who is not eligible
- Post-secondary education institutions.
Eligible expenses
- Participant compensation for eligible paid WIL placements, including salary or wage and applicable Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERC) and benefits.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Apprenticeships.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Priority for new employers or hiring organizations that have not previously been involved in the Gearing Up program.
- Priority for WIL placements with small employers with fewer than 100 employees and medium sized employers with 100-499 employees.
- Priority for WIL placements in geographic areas with less participation in the Gearing Up program, including placements outside of British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.
- Employers are limited to a maximum of 10 net new Gearing Up placements during 2026-2027, with a maximum total of 30 per employer.
How to apply
- Review MiHR’s Gearing Up website and applicant guide to verify eligibility and acknowledge the net new placement calculation process.
- Submit the Phase I online application with employer and organizational contact information, the job title and work terms for the student placement, an attestation of net new placements, and the net new placement calculation details.
- If the Phase I application is accepted, submit within 30 days through MiHR’s online employer portal a signed employer agreement including Appendix A and Appendix B, and a signed participant information form.
Processing and Agreement
- MiHR’s Gearing Up staff review the employer application and calculation of net new placements and communicate the next steps.
- Funding is allocated and confirmed once completed and signed agreements and participant information forms are received.
- MiHR conducts periodic monitoring of the student’s work experience through a short questionnaire or progress report.
- The total wage subsidy is paid at the end of the placement or once the required employer contribution threshold has been met, the terms of the employer agreement have been satisfied, and the required documentation is received.
- Both the student and their supervisor complete a post-placement survey evaluating their program experience.
Additional information
- The program encourages participation by underrepresented groups such as women in STEM, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, recent immigrants, first-year students, and members of visible minority groups.
- The number of placement subsidies available each year is contingent on federal program funding.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program Program
What is the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program?
Gearing Up offers wage subsidies of up to $5,000 to Canadian-owned, Canadian subsidiary, and not-for-profit employers in Canada’s mining and mineral exploration sectors that create net new work-integrated learning placements for post-secondary students. Supported placements can include structured work experience, co-op placements, and internships that count toward graduation requirements.
How much funding can be received?
Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program program?
To be eligible for the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program program, you must:
Canadian-owned or subsidiary employer
Mining sector employer
Net new WIL placement
What expenses are eligible under Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program?
Structured work experience placements.
Co-op placements.
Internships.
Field placements.
Applied projects.
Who can I contact for more information about the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program?
You can contact Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) by email at wagesubsidies@mihr.ca or by phone at (613) 270-9696.
Where is the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program available?
The Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program program is available across Canada.
Is the Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Gearing Up — Student Work Placement Program is a Wage Subsidies And Interns