Hiring grants create long-term jobs

Many Canadian manufacturers benefit from hiring intern students and recent post-secondary graduates. Not only do young workers possess the skills and enthusiasm that support operational success, but they also qualify for hiring grants and wage subsidies.

Canadian employers can receive up to 50 to 70 per cent of an intern’s wage to a maximum $5,000 to $7000, or up to 50 per cent of a recent graduate’s wage to a maximum $12,000 to $15,000 in hiring grants. The increases to 70 per cent and $7,000 for interns happen if the intern is part of an under-represented group, such as women in STEM or newcomers to Canada.

Spring and summer are suitable times to use these incentives because a large youth talent pool exists, and funding programs generally are open to applicants. Because many hiring grants operate on a first-come, first-served basis, interested employers should start the recruitment process as soon as possible.

Hiring Grant Options

While many Canadian businesses know that hiring grants and wage subsidies exist, few understand how they help, how they impact the recruitment process, and what they must do to access funding.

Most hiring grants and wage subsidies in Canada are directed at two types of hires:

1. Recent post-secondary graduates being hired into full-time, permanent positions.
2. Student interns being hired into temporary roles that provide relevant work experience.

Hiring incentives are provided to employers for a couple of reasons. For students and recent graduates, paid work experience provides relevant, meaningful job experience that leads to greater understanding of their strengths and interests. For employers, offering internships and first career opportunities helps access a young, energetic audience that can grow within their company.

How Grants Help Recruitment

With all of the options available when it comes to hiring grants, it’s important to illustrate how they fit into an optimized recruitment process. The following steps can help simplify the application process and maintain your funding eligibility:

1. Develop a candidate pool for your position.
2. Screen job candidates and select one or more person to tentatively fill the positions.
3. Apply for hiring grants, matching the position and candidate to a relevant funding program.
4. Wait approximately five business days for the government’s response with its funding decision.
5. Hire the candidate and complete any additional documentation needed.

After funding is in place, you can formally provide an employment offer to the candidate. Hiring a candidate and placing them on payroll before government funding approval can significantly complicate the process and often leads to applications being deemed ineligible.

With so many funding programs available, it’s often best to reach out to a specialist who can discuss your specific hiring needs and identify a program that works best for your company.

Alena Barreca is marketing coordinator for Mentor Works, 28 Bett Court, Unit B, Guelph, Ont. N1C 0A5, 888-599-3111, www.mentorworks.ca.