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Source verified August 27, 2026
TECHNATION — Career Ready Program
Wage subsidies for technology-based student placements
Latest source updateLast Update: August 31, 2026Latest change: TECHNATION’s Career Ready page now shows updated eligibility, funding, and application guidance, including removal of the application link from the page.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: August 31, 2026
Latest change: TECHNATION’s Career Ready page now shows updated eligibility, funding, and application guidance, including removal of the application link from the page.
Career Ready rules updated
TECHNATION updated the Career Ready program page with new eligibility and review rules. Increased subsidies ended, micro and small businesses no longer need to show net-new opportunities, students must already have started their academic program, and the page now says there is no longer a limit on applications per employer. The page also adds waitlist and replacement-application restrictions, plus review priority for student placements in tech-immersive roles within high-growth sectors. The application link is no longer shown on the page, so the submission path needs verification.
Funding available
$ 500 - $ 5,000
Deadline
December 31, 2026
Opened July 28, 2026
Location
Canada
Overview
Career Ready is a Canada-wide wage subsidy program under the Student Work Placement Program that reimburses employers 50% of a student’s total gross earnings, up to $5,000, for eligible work-term placements. It supports technology-based roles directly related to the student’s program of study, including digital technology, AI, cybersecurity, and other high-growth sectors.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Attract or retain talent
- Develop an online presence
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Minimum amount : 500 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- For-profit business
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
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 4
Activities funded
- Technology-based or tech-immersive student work placements
- Placements directly related to the student’s program of study
- Digital technology roles, including IT, digital marketing, and software engineering
- AI / IoT / Machine Learning / Advanced Manufacturing and Cybersecurity roles
- Agri-Tech, Clean Tech, and Health Tech roles
Documents Needed
- A government document showing proof of the employer’s 9-digit Business Number (BN)
- An eligible job description
- Proof of enrollment in a Canadian post-secondary institution, such as an unofficial transcript, course schedule, or registrar letter
- The student’s current resume
Official resources
Program guide
Application form
Supporting document
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Registered Canadian businesses or organizations
- Registered Canadian non-profits
- Tech- and non-tech-focused organizations
Who is not eligible
- Federal, provincial, or municipal government groups and public sector employers
- Organizations funded by a federal, provincial, or municipal government group
- Post-secondary institutions
- Large financial sector employers
Eligible expenses
- The student’s pay or total gross earnings for the eligible placement period
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Positions already subsidized by other federal funding
- Positions left vacant due to a dispute, termination, layoff, or another occurrence that displaces another worker, except remote positions
- Placements for secondary graduates working in summer before post-secondary begins
- Roles that do not show a clear example of applied learning from the student’s program of study
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Applications are assessed, reviewed, and approved based on their relevance to the sectoral initiative.
- Preference or review priority is given to tech-immersive roles within the listed high-growth sectors.
How to apply
- Complete the application through the online portal powered by Survey Monkey Apply and choose the program for the placement period you want subsidized.
- In Stage 1, complete the employer tasks Tell us about your company, Tell us about the student, and Invite the student to participate.
- After the invitation, the student completes their portion and uploads the required documents.
- Once the student has completed their task, the application is officially submitted.
Processing and Agreement
- After submission, the application is assessed for eligibility and moved to Initial Review or placed on a waitlist.
- Approved applications must complete the Placement Agreement, Student Learning Plan, and Proof of First Payment before Secondary Review.
- In the Payment Forms Stage, employers submit Deposit and Bank Information and Final Gross Student Earnings before Final Review.
- Applicants receive email notification of the final approved subsidy, and payment is issued by direct deposit or Electronic Funds Transfer.
Additional information
- The program uses the Survey Monkey Apply platform to manage funding requests from beginning to end.
- If a student’s work term runs over multiple placement periods, the employer must create one application for each placement period.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the TECHNATION — Career Ready Program Program
What is the TECHNATION — Career Ready Program?
Career Ready is a Canada-wide wage subsidy program under the Student Work Placement Program that reimburses employers 50% of a student’s total gross earnings, up to $5,000, for eligible work-term placements. It supports technology-based roles directly related to the student’s program of study, including digital technology, AI, cybersecurity, and other high-growth sectors.
How much funding can be received?
TECHNATION — Career Ready Program Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program is December 31, 2026. Applicants must submit their complete application before this date to be considered for funding.
Who is eligible for the TECHNATION — Career Ready Program program?
To be eligible for the TECHNATION — Career Ready Program program, you must:
The applicant must be a registered Canadian business or organization.
The employer must be able to hire, pay, and support a student in a tech-immersive role.
The placement must be directly related to the student’s program of study, and medium and large businesses with 100+ employees must demonstrate incremental student opportunities.
What expenses are eligible under TECHNATION — Career Ready Program?
Technology-based or tech-immersive student work placements
Placements directly related to the student’s program of study
Digital technology roles, including IT, digital marketing, and software engineering
AI / IoT / Machine Learning / Advanced Manufacturing and Cybersecurity roles
Agri-Tech, Clean Tech, and Health Tech roles
Who can I contact for more information about the TECHNATION — Career Ready Program?
You can contact TECHNATION (TECHNATION) by email at careerready@technationcanada.ca.
Where is the TECHNATION — Career Ready Program available?
The TECHNATION — Career Ready Program program is available across Canada.