Talent Opportunities Program — Student Work Placement Program

The eligibility criteria for the Talent Opportunities Program (TOP) grant are as follows: 1. Employers must be a registered Canadian business or not-for-profit organization located anywhere in Canada, operating in any industry sector. Exclusions include federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal governments, organizations linked to government entities, members of the House of Commons and the Senate, organizations involved in partisan political activities, and major financial sector employers. 2. Employers must be looking to hire college and university students on work-integrated learning (WIL) placements, such as cooperative education and internships. 3. Placements must be 'net new', meaning incremental placements above the baseline number of students hired in the previous fiscal year. The fiscal year for calculating the baseline number varies based on when the employer first accessed funding from the Student Work Placement Program. 4. Students hired on WIL placements must be registered at a recognized Canadian college or university, enrolled in a program or course with a work placement component, and be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee protection under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. 5. Employers hiring eligible students may receive a wage subsidy up to 50% of the wages (up to $5,000) per student or up to 70% of the wages (up to $7,000) per student for under-represented groups like Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, first-year students, visible minorities, and women in STEM. 6. Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and applications will be considered based on the availability of funds. For more detailed information, refer to the TOP Program Guidelines & FAQs.

Evaluation and selection criteria for this grant program include the following: - Placements must be 'net new' to qualify for funding. - Employers must meet the eligibility criteria specified in the program guidelines. - Students hired on work-integrated learning placements must be registered at a recognized Canadian college or university. - Employers must be a registered Canadian business or not-for-profit organization. - Funding is available on a first-come first-serve basis. - Applications must receive conditional approval and a Recipient Agreement must be signed to reserve funding. - There are specific exclusions for certain types of organizations and sectors. These criteria are essential for determining eligibility and funding allocation for the Talent Opportunities Program.

To apply for the Talent Opportunities Program grant, follow these steps: 1. Review the eligibility criteria outlined in the TOP Program Guidelines & FAQs. 2. Click on the application link provided in the program description. 3. Complete the application form with accurate information. 4. Submit your application for review. 5. Await conditional approval and sign the Recipient Agreement if your application is successful. These steps will guide you through the application process for the grant.

- Applicants should ensure they meet the eligibility criteria before submitting an application. - Funding is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. - Placements must be 'net new' to qualify for funding. - The application portal is open for the Summer 2024 term, but not for the Winter 2024 or any retroactive terms. - There is a limited pool of funding to support subsidies at the 70% level for under-represented groups. - Employers must be registered Canadian businesses or not-for-profit organizations located anywhere in Canada. - Students hired on work-integrated learning placements must be registered at a recognized Canadian college or university. - Employers that accessed SWPP funding for the first time in specific years have specific baseline year calculations.