Co-operative Education Incentive

The Co-op Education Incentive (CO-OP) provides wage assistance to organizations that offer career-related work experiences for university and college co-operative students.

Apply between 15 December 2020 and 15 January 2021 for the Summer 2021 co-op term.
Apply between 15 April and 15 May 2021 for the Fall 2021 co-op term.
Apply between 15 August and 16 September 2020 for the Winter 2021 co-op term.

The Co-op Education Incentive helps employers hire post-secondary co-operative education students for work placements.

Employers can hire a co-op student for a work term of 12-16 weeks. You’ll receive a subsidy of $7.50 an hour ($9.00 if the student is a member of designated diversity group) for the wages you pay the student. 32 week terms are available in some education programs – please confirm with the Co-op Coordinator at the post-secondary institution. Employers can combine (stack) the subsidy with other wage incentive programs for a total of 90% of the wage, or 100% for students in designated diversity group for up to a total combined wage of $9,600.

Program policies and step-by-step instructions for submitting applications are outlined in the Co-op Program guidelines. You can also consult the Co-op Coordinators List to select the University / College that can provide you with a Co-op student that best meets your job requirements.

Co-op terms are available 3 times a year:

  • summer term: 15 April to 31 August
  • fall term: 1 September to 31 December
  • winter term: 1 January to 15 April

Eligibility

Organizations can apply for the subsidy if they:

  • are  private-sector, government-funded, non-profit, or charitable organization, a social enterprise or a municipality
  • want to hire a co-operative education student for a work term of 12-16 weeks
  • will pay the student at least $15 per hour, plus vacation pay, for 32.5 to 40 hours of work per week

The student you hire must be enrolled in a co-operative education program at a Nova Scotia university or college. The work placement must be endorsed in advance by a university or college Coop Coordinator.

How to apply

If your business is registered in the online Labour Market Programs Support System (LaMPSS), you can apply now.

Start now

If you don’t have a LaMPSS account, you can register by completing the External Access Form and emailing it to lampss@novascotia.ca.

Before you start

When you apply, you need to:

  • provide your organization’s Registry of Joint Stocks number, Canada Revenue Agency charities number, or a copy of legal documentation or legislative act  that identifies how assets will be distributed upon dissolution of the organization
  • describe your organization and the role you want to fill

If you want to hire co-op students in more than one county, you’ll need to submit a separate application for each county.

If your application is approved, you’ll need to:

  • download the Co-op Employer Checklist
  • return a signed contract
  • provide information about the student you hire, including proof that they’re currently enrolled in a Co-operative Education program at a Nova Scotia university or college and have your student sign a waiver to let us use their information

At the end of the program, you’ll need to:

  • provide proof of the wages you paid the student—use the Payroll Record form and send a copy of the student’s Record of Employment
  • complete a feedback survey
  • have your student complete a feedback survey

Contact Information

Labour and Advanced Education
PO Box 578
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2S9

Phone: 902 424-6000
Toll Free: 1-800-424-5418
Fax: 902 428-2037
Email:

Downloads

Before you submit

During your contract

Related information