BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program: How to Apply

BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program: How to Apply

Hiring digital talent is expensive, especially for small bio-economy employers. The BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program helps offset that cost by covering most of a young intern’s wages while they build in-demand digital skills. The program offers up to $24,000 per intern, making it one of the most generous youth wage subsidies in Canada’s bio-economy.

---

What Is the BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program?

The BioTalent — Digital Skills for Youth Program is a federal wage subsidy delivered by BioTalent Canada. It helps Canadian bio-economy employers hire post‑secondary graduates aged 15 to 30 into paid digital internships.

The goal is simple: give young people real-world digital experience, while helping employers improve their digital operations in areas like data, automation, software, and digital projects.

How much funding can you receive?

• Up to $24,000 per intern
• Covers up to 80% of eligible costs
• Funding is non-repayable
• Paid directly to the employer as a wage subsidy

Eligible costs are primarily intern wages. Employers must cover the remaining 20%.

---

Who Is Eligible?

Employer eligibility

To apply, your organization must:

• Be a Canadian bio-economy employer
• Be a small or medium-sized organization with fewer than 500 employees
• Be a for-profit or not-for-profit organization
• Have the capacity to provide:
  • Skills development
  • Training
  • Mentoring and supervision
• Offer a workplace that is safe, inclusive, and harassment-free
• Add the intern to payroll with standard tax deductions

Internship requirements

The funded internship must:

• Be full-time (minimum 30 hours per week)
• Last at least 3 months
• Pay above minimum wage
• Focus on digital skills development
• Not be funded by another federal wage subsidy

Intern eligibility

Your intern must:

• Be 15 to 30 years old at the start of the internship
• Be a post-secondary graduate
• Be legally entitled to work in Canada

---

Important Program Rules to Know

• You cannot stack this subsidy with other federally funded internship or wage programs such as IRAP or Mitacs.
• Wage subsidies are generally considered taxable income for the employer.
• Funding is limited and demand is high. Early applications have a better chance of approval.

---

How to Apply for the BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program

Here’s how the application process typically works:

1. Confirm eligibility
   Review employer, internship, and intern criteria carefully before starting.

2. Prepare your internship plan
   Outline:

   • Digital skills the intern will develop
   • Training and mentorship activities
   • Duration and wage level

3. Submit your application to BioTalent Canada
   Applications are submitted directly through BioTalent Canada’s program intake.
   Note: The program is reaching capacity, and new applications may be placed on a waitlist.

4. Wait for approval before hiring
   Do not finalize hiring or start the internship until you receive written approval.

Tools like GrantHub’s eligibility matcher can help you quickly confirm whether your business and internship plan meet federal wage subsidy requirements before you apply.

---

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Hiring before approval
   Internships that start before written approval are not eligible for reimbursement.

2. Underestimating training requirements
   This is not just a job placement. You must show real skills development and mentoring.

3. Trying to stack federal funding
   Combining this program with another federal wage subsidy will disqualify your application.

4. Missing the age or education criteria
   Interns must be post-secondary graduates aged 15–30 at the start date.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much does the BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program pay?
Employers can receive up to $24,000 per intern, covering a maximum of 80% of eligible costs. The remaining costs must be paid by the employer.

Q: How long must the internship last?
Internships must be full-time and run for a minimum of three months to qualify.

Q: Who can I hire as an intern?
Interns must be post-secondary graduates aged 15 to 30 and legally allowed to work in Canada.

Q: Can I combine this program with IRAP or Mitacs?
No. Internships funded through this program cannot receive funding from another federally funded program.

Q: What if the program is full?
If funding capacity is reached, applications may be placed on a waitlist. BioTalent Canada may contact you if funding becomes available.

---

Related Topics to Explore

• Federal vs Provincial Wage Subsidy Programs in Canada: Key Differences
• How to Use Wage Subsidy and Student Hiring Programs to Reduce Staffing Costs
• Common Mistakes Employers Make When Applying for Wage Subsidy Grants

---

Next Steps

The BioTalent Digital Skills for Youth Program is a strong fit if you need digital talent and can provide structured training. Funding fills quickly, so timing and eligibility matter.

Sign up for GrantHub to find wage subsidies like this and see which programs match your business needs.