As mentioned in our previous two-part series detailing the Sectoral Youth Career Focus Program, the deadline for the 2012 round of applications is November 30, 2012. Employers expecting to receive Ontario government funding for small business internships through this program must select an intern and submit their application before the stated deadline.
Career Focus Grant Funding for Small Business Hires
For those who are unfamiliar with the program, Career Focus provides non-repayable government funding for small business internships across several key sectors and industries. Funding is provided distributed by a Canadian Sectoral Council through wage subsidies that can range from $12.5k – $15k or 33%-50% of wages for a 4-12 month internship. Funding allocations may vary depending on the distributing Sectoral Council, for a more detailed overview please see our Two Part Series on Hiring Grants through the Sectoral Youth Career Focus Program. The current round of program funding ends on March 31, 2013; employers are required to make at least a 4-month commitment and must therefore submit their applications and hire their intern before November 30, 2012. Please note that in order to be eligible, participants cannot have already begun their internship before receiving program approval and the candidate must be a new hire that has not previously been on payroll.
Similar Canadian Government Grants for Intern Workers
The following selection of programs provide Canadian Government funding through wage subsidies for temporary internships involving recent post-secondary graduates:
- Graduate Enterprise Internship (GEI)/iSTEM: Wage subsidy providing up to $10K for grads with a Bachelor degree and $15k for those with a Masters or Ph.D. Funding covers up to 50% of the intern’s salary for a 6-month position relating to one of the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) and there are no limits on the number of interns per company.
- Mitacs Enterprise: Wage subsidized internship for post-secondary graduates from a STEM program at a Southern Ontario University. Funding is non-repayable and can support up to $15k per graduate or 50% of the intern(s) salary for up to 6-months.
- Mitacs-Accelerate InDev: Canadian wage subsidy for companies in the process of business development and expansion. Funding supports up to 1/3 of an intern(s)’s salary for a 4-month placement. Eligible interns must be currently enrolled in a Masters or Ph.D. program.
Receive the Latest Updates on Canadian Government Grants for Small Business
Mentor Works Ltd. provides advice and support to help Canadian SMEs discover and apply for Ontario Government Grants for Business Expansion and development activities. Our team provides daily updates and information on Canadian Business Grants through our channels on Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn; as well as our Weekly Canadian Government Funding E-Newsletter. Those interested in learning more about our services can contact our Team of Canadian Government Funding Planners.