Co-operative Education Incentive
Apply between 15 August and 16 September 2021 for the Winter 2022 co-op term.
Apply between 15 December 2021 and 15 January 2022 for the Summer 2022 co-op term.
Apply between 15 April and 15 May 2022 for the Fall 2022 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.
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: 1 April to 31 August
- fall term: 1 September to 31 December
- winter term: 1 January to 30 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 work term as part of a co-operative education program at a Nova Scotia university or college.
How to apply
If your business is registered in the online Labour Market Programs Support System (LaMPSS), you can apply 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, Skills and Immigration
PO Box 697
Halifax, NS
B3J 2T8
Phone: 902 424-6000
Toll Free: 1-800-424-5418
Fax: 902 428-2037
Email: yepinfo@novascotia.ca
Downloads
Before you submit
- Co-op Program Guidelines
- Incitatif à la formation par l’enseignement coopératif
- Co-op-Coordinator-List
- Electronic Funds Transfer (Direct Deposit) Form
- LaMPSS User Guide
During your contract
- Co-op Employer Checklist
- Co-op Student Information Form
- 2022 Winter Payroll Record
- 2022 Summer Payroll Record
- 2021 Fall Payroll Record