Main Objective
To provide internationally educated professionals (IEPs) with skills development and employment opportunities via work placements with small-to-medium sized enterprises (SME) across Canada.
The project objectives are to:
- Support IEPs’ access to meaningful employment opportunities, securing their contribution to the Canadian bio-economy and workforce, with knowledge and skills training;
- Support SMEs in hiring, retaining, and supporting IEP employment, skills development, and integration; and
- Provide IEPs with subsidized work placement to gain Canadian work experience in the bio-economy, including related fields and sectors such as healthcare, and further develop their existing skills.
Timeline:
October 29, 2021 to October 28, 2023
Industry need:
In its 2021 Labour Market Information study (LMI), BioTalent Canada discovered the industry lacks diversity and inclusion as it relates to under-represented talent. Specifically, the newcomers and IEPs make up 26% of the bio-economy workforce, a number that can be improved to help Canada meet future talent demands.
BioTalent Canada has found that one of the most effective ways to integrate demographic groups into the bio-economy labour market is through wage subsidy programming. It has successfully placed close to 8,500.
Wage subsidies in combination with other supports such as BioTalent Canada’s BioSkills Recognition Program for industry skills validation and on-the-job mentors and access to the Essential and Technical Skills training courses, will help newcomers and IEPs transition to and remain in the bio-economy.
Program description:
To encourage employers to hire newcomers to Canada and internationally educated professionals, the “Skilled Newcomer Internships for the Bio-economy” program will minimize perceived risk to small- and medium-sized biotechnology companies by covering the cost of a newcomer’s salary by 75% to a maximum of $20,000 for a three (3) to nine (9)-month period.
For more information on eligibility and application information please see the Employer Application page
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Foreign Credential Recognition Program 
