An independent registry of Northern Ontario funding Data updated Oct 1, 2026 · CC-BY-4.0
Northern Ontario Grants
Open while funds last

Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)

by Employment and Social Development Canada

Also known as: SWPP · Career Ready (TECHNATION stream) · Magnet SWPP

SWPP subsidizes hiring post-secondary students for placements related to their studies, reported at 50% of wages up to $5,000 per placement as of summer 2026 (the former $7,000 tier for under-represented students is reported retired; confirm with your partner). You apply through a sector delivery partner (TECHNATION, Magnet, ECO Canada, etc.), not ESDC. Partner allocations run out each term, so apply early. Open to businesses and nonprofits anywhere in Northern Ontario.

Amount
Up to $5,000 Reported: as of summer 2026, 50% of the student's gross wages up to $5,000 per placement; the former enhanced tier (up to $7,000 for first-year and under-represented students) is reported retired. Confirm the current rate with your delivery partner, official page bot-blocked automated verification. This award range, $5,000, against every tracked amount from $1,000 to $500,000,000, on a logarithmic scale.

Against all tracked amounts, $1,000 to $500,000,000, logarithmic.

canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Instrument
Wage subsidy
Status
Open while funds last allocations can run out before the window closes; confirm before applying
Who qualifies
Businesses Nonprofits and charities
  • registered Canadian businesses
  • not-for-profit organizations
  • National program, no Northern Ontario restriction; all districts eligible
  • Student must be enrolled at a recognized Canadian post-secondary institution and the placement related to their field of study
  • Public-sector employers are generally ineligible (reported)

canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Where
Algoma District · Cochrane District · Greater Sudbury (single-tier census division) · Kenora District · Manitoulin District · Nipissing District · Parry Sound District · Rainy River District · Sudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury) · Thunder Bay District · Timiskaming District · District Municipality of Muskoka11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program.Algoma District: eligibleCochrane District: eligibleGreater Sudbury (single-tier census division): eligibleKenora District: eligibleManitoulin District: eligibleNipissing District: eligibleParry Sound District: eligibleRainy River District: eligibleSudbury District (excl. Greater Sudbury): eligibleThunder Bay District: eligibleTimiskaming District: eligible

11 of 11 Northern Ontario districts are eligible for this program. A filled dot is eligible, an outline is not.

Built for
Small business, expansion Startups & new entrepreneurs Nonprofits & charities Students & individuals

How do you apply?

  1. Pick the employer delivery partner matching your sector (e.g., TECHNATION, Magnet, ECO Canada, BioTalent, Food Processing Skills Canada)
  2. Apply to that partner, ideally before the semester starts; approval before the student's start date is typically required
  3. Hire the student, submit payroll evidence, receive the subsidy

canada.ca · Last verified Oct 1, 2026 · Reported, verification pending

Can you combine this with other funding?

  • Canada Summer Jobs, Do not stack federal wage subsidies on the same wages, a given student placement is funded by SWPP or Canada Summer Jobs, not both (reported; confirm with your delivery partner).

Common questions

How is SWPP different from Canada Summer Jobs?

CSJ is an annual-window application direct to ESDC for youth 15-30, summer-weighted. SWPP runs year-round through sector delivery partners, is specifically for enrolled post-secondary students in study-related placements, and pays a percentage-of-wages subsidy per placement. You cannot fund the same wages under both.

Who do I actually apply to?

One of the recognized employer delivery partners for your sector, e.g., TECHNATION (tech roles), Magnet (multi-sector), ECO Canada (environmental), BioTalent Canada (bio-economy). Each runs its own application portal and allocation.

Is the $7,000 enhanced subsidy still available?

Multiple secondary sources report the enhanced tier for first-year and under-represented students was retired in the summer-2026 simplification, leaving a flat 50%-up-to-$5,000 subsidy. We could not confirm on the official page (bot-blocked), verify the current rate with your delivery partner before budgeting.

Does the student have to be co-op?

No, the placement must relate to the student's field of study, but formal co-op registration is not required by all delivery partners. Requirements vary slightly by partner.

Where else could this money come from?

Chosen by what these programs have in common with this one, not by hand. The reason is shown for each, so you can judge whether it holds.

Guides that cover this program

Notes on this record

canada.ca blocked automated fetch on 2026-08-17 (HTTP 403 and network timeout), so figures are from convergent secondary sources (multiple 2026 program guides and university employer pages), confidence 'reported' throughout. The summer-2026 subsidy-structure change is the key volatile fact to re-verify.

Apply

Apply on the funder’s site and confirm current terms there:

www.canada.ca