WILWorks program — Student Work Placement Program

The eligibility criteria for companies applying for this grant are outlined as follows:

• The company must be a registered business in Canada.
• The company must not be a federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal government entity.
• The company must be committed to paying the student for the internship offered.
• The company must comply with all federal and provincial human rights and labor laws, including the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Employment Standards Act.
• The company must have the financial capacity to compensate the student throughout their internship.
• Where required by law, the company must provide workplace insurance through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) or equivalent coverage.
• The company must not have received or expect to receive funding for more than one subsidy per student internship through the EMC or any partner involved in implementing this program.
• The company must not claim the grants received under this program as tax credits.
• The company must apply only for internships that are not concurrently funded by another federal government grant program.
• The company must apply only for Canadian students enrolled in recognized post-secondary institutions.
• The company must agree that students hired through a work-integrated learning internship must be enrolled in a program that includes such internships as part of the curriculum.
• The company must apply only for students who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or individuals granted refugee status under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
• The company must ensure students are legally allowed to work in Canada.
• The company must adhere to the "net new incrementality" of internships.
• The company must not hire students who are immediate family members of current employees (with "immediate family" including parents, stepparents, siblings, spouses, children, and any family members permanently residing with the employer).
• The company must be a Canadian manufacturer.
• The company must hire the student as an employee, granting them the same rights and obligations as other employees; independent contractors are not eligible for this program.

Who is eligible?

The program targets Canadian manufacturers who are interested in hiring post-secondary students to offer more student positions than before with the help of funding from the Student Work Placement Program (SWPP).

Who is not eligible

The eligibility for this grant excludes certain types of organizations mainly based on their status and funding sources. The restrictions ensure alignment with the program's objectives and prevent duplicate funding.

• Federal, provincial, territorial, or municipal government entities.
• Companies that have already received federal funding for the same internship under a different program.
• Employers intending to use the grant funding to offset government-funded positions.
• Employers who wish to hire immediate family members as interns.
• Non-Canadian manufacturing sectors.
• Organizations that employ interns as independent contractors rather than as employees.

Eligible expenses

The eligible expenses for this grant are specifically related to student wages within the grant period.

• Up to 50% or 70% of the student's wages, capped at $5,000 or $7,000, depending on the coverage level.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is specifically applicable to companies registered in Canada. No other specific geographic limitations or regional specifications outside of Canada are mentioned for eligibility.

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• Businesses registered in Canada.

There are evaluation and selection criteria for this grant.

• Applications will be reviewed and assessed based on program eligibility criteria and regional funding availability.

Additional important information about the grant includes obligations and procedures that applicants should be aware of beyond the general criteria and process.

• Employers must maintain exact and precise accounts and records concerning the internship, for at least six years after the end of the internship.
• EMC and the Government of Canada reserve the right to access the employer's premises or the practical placement site for monitoring the internship's progress.
• Employers are encouraged, though not required, to provide testimonials, success stories, or lessons learned from the internship experience.
• The grant is provided under the condition that the employer does not use the subsidy to obtain a financial profit or net benefit.
• Funding from the grant must be used exclusively for the wage support of the designated student, with specific reimbursement caps.
• Employers are responsible for ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations applicable to their operations, including workplace safety and insurance requirements.
• All necessary documents and conditions must be fulfilled for the final payment, which will be processed within 60 days after submission.
• Changes in the employer's status, such as ownership or structure, must be reported to EMC promptly.
• EMC or EDSC may contact participants for promotional activities related to the internship and its funding source.
• Intellectual property developed during the internship is solely between the employer and the student, with EMC having no claims over it.
• There are conditions under which EMC can terminate financial support, including non-compliance or misuse of funds.