Open
Venture for Canada — Internship Program
Wage subsidies for student internships
Last Update: June 18, 2026
Funding available
$ 5,000
Timeline
- Open Date : June 18, 2026
Location
Canada
Overview
Access a wage subsidy to hire Canadian post-secondary interns for up to 20 weeks. The program supports entrepreneurial and innovation-focused placements, with training and flexible work options.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Reduce environmental footprint
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 5,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Timeline
- Open Date : June 18, 2026
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Sole proprietorship
- Public or Parapublic institution
- Social economy enterprise
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Youth (<40)
- Startups
- Women
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Employment and Training
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- Young adults
- Indigenous peoples
- New immigrants & refugees
- People with disabilities
- Women & girls
- Rural / Remote communities
- Business owners / entrepreneurs
- Nonprofits / charities
- Academia / students
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Provincial
- National
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Providing internship placements to university or college students in a small business, startup, social enterprise, nonprofit, or charity.
- Offering hands-on work experience in entrepreneurial or innovation-related roles, such as sales, marketing, software, hardware development, finance, or operations.
- Delivering work-integrated learning opportunities that foster skill-building and work-readiness for students.
- Facilitating remote or in-person internships with structured supervision and coaching.
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Startups
- Small and medium-sized businesses
- Social enterprises
- Nonprofit organizations
- Charities
Who is not eligible
- Employers based exclusively in Ontario.
- Government departments and crown corporations.
- Credit unions.
- Post-secondary institutions (universities, colleges, and polytechnics).
Eligible expenses
- Wages paid to student interns (subsidized hourly wages, minimum $18.00/hour via payroll).
Eligible geographic areas
- British Columbia (BC)
- Alberta (AB)
- Saskatchewan (SK)
- Manitoba (MB)
- Quebec (QC)
- New Brunswick (NB)
- Nova Scotia (NS)
- Prince Edward Island (PE)
- Newfoundland and Labrador (NL)
- Yukon (YT)
- Northwest Territories (NT)
- Nunavut (NU)
How to apply
- Step 1: Initial application
- Complete the interest form to check fit.
- Receive the link to the full application.
- Step 2: Employer onboarding
- Watch the pre-recorded onboarding webinar.
- Complete the knowledge assessment.
- Step 3: Hiring request
- Find an eligible student through the bulletin board or your own network.
- Submit the hiring request form using the password provided by Venture for Canada.
- Wait for the next steps after review.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed within 5 business days.
- Hiring requests are reviewed within 15 business days.
- Funding is only allocated after the employer completes the initial application, onboarding webinar, and knowledge assessment.
- Eligible employers receive the password needed to access the hiring request form by email.
Additional information
- Interns can work in a variety of roles, including sales, marketing, software, hardware development, finance, and operations.
- Employers hiring for a second time may be eligible to hire more interns depending on their organization size.
- Interns are required to accumulate training points to be eligible for a subsequent internship placement.
- The program emphasizes diversity, supporting employers who hire students from underrepresented groups with enhanced wage subsidies.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Venture for Canada — Internship Program Program
What is the Venture for Canada — Internship Program?
Access a wage subsidy to hire Canadian post-secondary interns for up to 20 weeks. The program supports entrepreneurial and innovation-focused placements, with training and flexible work options.
How much funding can be received?
Venture for Canada — Internship Program Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $5,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Venture for Canada — Internship Program program?
To be eligible for the Venture for Canada — Internship Program program, you must:
Must be a small or medium-sized business, start-up, or social enterprise
Must employ fewer than 500 people
Must be registered in BC, AB, SK, MB, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL, YT, NT, or NU (not Ontario-exclusive)
What expenses are eligible under Venture for Canada — Internship Program?
Providing internship placements to university or college students in a small business, startup, social enterprise, nonprofit, or charity.
Offering hands-on work experience in entrepreneurial or innovation-related roles, such as sales, marketing, software, hardware development, finance, or operations.
Delivering work-integrated learning opportunities that foster skill-building and work-readiness for students.
Facilitating remote or in-person internships with structured supervision and coaching.
Who can I contact for more information about the Venture for Canada — Internship Program?
You can contact Venture for Canada (VFC).
Where is the Venture for Canada — Internship Program available?
The Venture for Canada — Internship Program program is available across Canada.
Is the Venture for Canada — Internship Program a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Venture for Canada — Internship Program is a Wage Subsidies And Interns