Open
Venture for Canada — Internship Program
Wage subsidies for student internships
Last Update: May 7, 2026
Funding available
$ 5,000
Timeline
- Open Date : November 14, 2019
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 : November 14, 2019
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.
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)
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
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Venture for Canada — Internship Program. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
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