Is there a maximum number of students I can hire and receive SWPP funding for?
No limit is set, however since funding is limited, SWPP partners reserve the right to limit your intake.
What is “net new”?
The Student Work Placement Program is designed to incentivize employers to offer more student positions than they did before leveraging funding. "Net New" is determined by subtracting the number of students hired by an employer in the fiscal year (April 1 - March 31) before they first participated in SWPP, from the number of students that the employer is intending to hire in the current fiscal year.
Example:
2020 – Hired one student and did not use SWPP
2022 – Must hire two students and only the second student is funded
2021 – Hired one student and used SWPP
Are international students eligible to participate in the program?
No, the program is only open to students with Canadian citizenship, permanent residents, or refugees with the right to work in Canada.
International students are eligible for B.C Regional funding and the Mitacs BSI program.
Can a student I hire work from home?
Yes. Provided that the student meets all the eligibility criteria, the student can work remotely.
Can I hire a student as an independent contractor and still be eligible for SWPP funding?
SWPP partners prefer to subsidize students who are employees of the employer and may decline an application for a student hired as an independent contractor. Contact the SWPP partner for more information.
Can I stack funding?
You are not able to stack or combine federal wage-subsidies. In certain cases you may be able to combine provincial funding with SWPP funding.
What if a co-op student is partially paid by Federal funds? Are they eligible for SWPP funding?
You cannot stack SWPP funding with other forms of federal funds.
Should I apply to multiple SWPP funders?
It is advisable that you work with your Employer Facilitator to decide which funding program best matches the role you are hiring for. Each delivery partner has their own criteria for the type of role they will approve. There are 3 funding options that will approve your placement that is independent of the job title and skills involved: Magnet, TOP and Mitacs.
How do I decide which funding is right for my WIL position?
Funding for WIL is nuanced and can be confusing, however funding partners align their approvals based on the type of role or skills you are wanting to hire for. The best way to choose a funder is to consider what type of role you are recruiting for. Is your role or your organization related to environmental sustainability? Then ECO Canada is a good match. Are you looking to fill general administrative or accounting roles? Magnet or TOP accept applications for general job types in any sector. If you role is focused on digital skills, information technology (IT) or information communications technology (ICT) then ICTC would be a great choice.
When should I apply for funding?
Each funding delivery partner handles the application process a little differently. Some allow applications on a rolling basis and others have their applications open before each semester – summer, fall, winter. You will want to check the specific delivery partner’s website to get more information. Keep in mind that the sooner you initialize your funding application the better.
Can I start my funding application before I have a student?
No matter which delivery partner it is, every funding application will have two parts – the employer section and the student section. You do not need to complete both sections all at once and can save an incomplete application and go back later.
As a general rule, if a funder's website is accepting applications for the semester term (summer, fall, winter) you are hoping to hire for, then you can initialize the application process by creating an account and completing the employer portion. When you have selected your student, you need to go back into your account and click the “invite student to this application” link. This triggers an email to the student to complete their portion of the application. Once both portions are complete, the application is then processed by the funder for approval. Funding approvals often take 10+ business days to process.
Does the College pay the wage-subsidies?
No, the funding partner distributes the subsidies at the end of a successful work term. The employer submits pay stubs to the funder and is reimbursed in a lump sum.
I am having problems with my funding application. Who do I connect with?
Although Camosun promotes SWPP funding, we are not involved in its administration and do not distribute SWPP funding. Contact the funder directly for support related to applications and approvals. Contact information for each funder can be found on the Employer Guide to Funding.
It has been a month, and I have not heard back from the funder on my approval status. What should I do?
Make sure your student has completed their portion of the application as this will stall the approval process. You should reach out directly to the funder regarding the status of your application.