Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I find an intern?
Approved SMEs are responsible for recruiting their interns. SMEs can use their local college and university employment resource centres as well as other local media outlets.
2. Can a student internship last longer than 12 weeks?
Longer internships are possible but Industry Canada will pay only 75% of the intern wages for up to 420 hours.
SBIP internships must be full-time work, for a minimum of 30 hours per week. If the intern is employed longer than 420 hours, there will be no further financial support or responsibility from Industry Canada. The business must pay 100% of salary and benefits beyond the 420 hours. However, longer terms are encouraged, as most students are available to work for 16 weeks.
3. Can an employer apply for more than one project for funding and hire multiple interns during the same work term?
Generally more than one intern will not be approved. The program's aim is to support a diversity of e-commerce related projects reaching as many small businesses as possible.
4. Under SBIP, can the organization hire an intern who is in Canada on a student visa?
No. To be eligible, the participant must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or a person who has been granted refugee status in Canada and is legally entitled to work in Canada.
5. Why are projects aimed at designing web sites not eligible?
To hire a student to design a web site implies that they already know how to do that. Although this is valuable for the employer, it does not allow for growth and development for the intern. It is preferred that interns help small- and medium-sized businesses make full use of an existing website or enhance marketing through the website.
Projects aimed at supporting educational activities, conferences, workshops, exhibitions and promotional materials, magazines, guides, folders, web sites, training programs and the like are also not eligible.
6. If my initial application was not approved, will I get a reason for the decision, and can I resubmit?
If your application is declined, you will be notified with a reason for the decision. You may resubmit an application for future consideration if the reason for the application refusal is addressed.