How much funding can be received?

There is no informations about how much funding can be received.

What is the deadline to apply?

The deadline to apply is not specified.

Who are the financial supporters of the START Program?

START Program is funded by Government of Nova Scotia, Employment Nova Scotia

What are START Program's eligibility criterias?

The employer must be a small or medium-sized entity, including businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or social enterprises. The employer must have a physical location in Nova Scotia, with employees who live and work in the province. Employers need to apply for the START Program before hiring an employee.

START Program

Last Update: January 24, 2025

NS, Canada

Financial incentives for Nova Scotia employers with a labour need

START Program at a glance

Eligible Funding

No Condition

Timeline

Continuous Intakes

Financing Type

Wage Subsidies And Interns

Eligible Industries

Manufacturing
Information and cultural industries
Finance and insurance
Professional, scientific and technical services

Grant Providers

Government of Nova Scotia
Employment Nova Scotia

Status

Open

Overview of the START Program program

Financing focused on small to medium sized enterprises to help employ ready-to-work Nova Scotians.

Financing terms and conditions

The START Program provides various funding options to employers, helping to alleviate costs associated with hiring and training new employees. The financial support is sensitive to the employer's needs, employment type, and employee skills.

Wage incentives that help offset salary and benefit costs related to hiring.
Case-by-case determination of wage incentive amounts based on employment type, wages, employee's skill, job search duration, and alignment with priority sectors.
Funding to cover training costs for the new employee.
Support for equipment and other direct costs associated with hiring the new employee.

Eligible projects & activities

The START Program provides employers in Nova Scotia with various funding opportunities when they hire eligible unemployed individuals. This includes wage incentives, training cost coverage, and funding for necessary equipment or other direct costs.

Wage incentives to offset salary and benefit costs for hiring new employees.
Funding to cover training costs for new employees.
Funding to cover equipment or other direct costs associated with new employees.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 100,000

Creating an aerospace engineering internship program to train graduates in advanced manufacturing techniques

$ 90,000

Implementing a financial services training program to upgrade the skills of unemployed Nova Scotians

$ 80,000

Developing an ocean data analytics platform to advance marine research and sustainable fisheries

$ 140,000

Establishing a life sciences research lab to study infectious diseases and train new researchers

$ 120,000

Launching a clean technology project to develop solar-powered water purification systems

$ 150,000

Establishing a cybersecurity training center to equip students with advanced security skills

Eligibility criteria of the START Program program

Eligibility for the START program for employers is defined by specific criteria concerning the employer's location, size, and employment practices.

The employer must be a small or medium-sized business, not-for-profit organization, or social enterprise.
The organization must be located in Nova Scotia.
The employees must live and work in Nova Scotia.
The employer may have headquarters outside Nova Scotia but must maintain a physical location within the province.
The employer must apply for the START Program before hiring a new employee.

Who is eligible?

Employers who are eligible to apply for the START program include small or medium-sized businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and social enterprises located in Nova Scotia. These entities can have headquarters outside the province but must have a physical location within Nova Scotia where employees live and work. Employers must apply before hiring, and they are given preference if they can offer full-time, sustainable employment, particularly in priority sectors like ocean technology, ICT, financial services, clean technology, life sciences, or aerospace and defense.For individuals, eligibility to apply for the START program requires being unemployed, residing in Nova Scotia, and being a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible international graduate.

Who is not eligible

There are specific types of companies that are not eligible for the START grant. Small or medium-sized employers, including businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and social enterprises, located in Nova Scotia are eligible. Companies headquartered outside Nova Scotia but with a physical presence in the province and employees working there are also eligible.

Large corporations
Employers without a physical location in Nova Scotia
Companies without employees working in the province

Eligible expenses

The START Program in Nova Scotia provides financial support to employers for hiring unemployed Nova Scotians. The eligible activities for this grant are focused on hiring incentives, training expenses, and equipment costs associated with employing local talent.

Offering full-time, sustainable employment to eligible unemployed Nova Scotians.
Providing short-term employment that facilitates the development of transferable skills for employees.
Employing individuals in positions related to priority sectors or industries within Nova Scotia.
Covering wage incentives to partially offset salary and benefit costs of new employees.
Receiving funding for training new employees to enhance their skills and integration into the company.
Securing funding for equipment and other direct costs necessary for the employment of new staff members.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available to companies that are located in Nova Scotia, with operations within the province. The focus is to support local employment and skill development to boost the regional economy.

Nova Scotia, Canada

Eligibility criteria of the START Program program

There are evaluation and selection criteria for the START Program grant in Nova Scotia. Employers are assessed based on factors such as the type of employment offered, wages, employee skill level, duration of job search, support for priority sectors, and other relevant considerations.

Type of employment offered
Wages offered
Employee’s skill level
Duration of the employee's job search
Support for priority sectors in Nova Scotia
Other relevant factors

How to apply to the START Program program

Review Program Guidelines

Download and read the START Program Guidelines to understand program requirements and eligibility.

Create a LaMPSS Account

Go to the online application portal and create an account on LaMPSS (Labour Market Programs Support System) or sign in if you already have an account.

Complete Application Form

Fill out the online application form with details about your organization and the position you wish to fill.
Provide information related to the type of employment, wages offered, and how your hiring aligns with program priorities.

Submit Application

Review your application form for completeness and accuracy.
Submit the application through the LaMPSS system.

Contact Employment Nova Scotia

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact Employment Nova Scotia at 1-877-223-0888.

Additional information

Employers must apply for the START Program before hiring a new employee to be eligible for funding.
The program may also offer assistance for jobs that are short-term if they help the employee develop skills or align with priority sectors.

Contact Government of Nova Scotia

877-223-0888

Apply to this program

Wage assistance for employers in Nova Scotia