Updated June 2026 · Verified against Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration (Employment Nova Scotia) guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly Reimbursement
Grant Provincial Active

Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive

Nova Scotia Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration (Employment Nova Scotia)
Maximum Funding
Case-by-case wage incentive
Ongoing
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
Varies
Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive provides up to Case-by-case wage incentive (no fixed cap); additional training and equipment cost support available. START is a wage incentive program that helps Nova Scotia employers offset the cost of hiring unemployed residents. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.

Compared with the 242 other application forms we have read

Eligibility check

Can you win this grant?

Get your instant eligibility verdict plus a head start on the application. Free, no account needed.

We use this program’s real eligibility rules. 4 short questions follow.

Want your full match picture across 850+ programs? Take the 2-minute quiz →

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

Program Description

START is a wage incentive program that helps Nova Scotia employers offset the cost of hiring unemployed residents. Employment Nova Scotia provides a customized wage subsidy — determined case-by-case based on sector priority, wage level, and job-seeker profile — along with optional funding for training and equipment directly linked to the new hire. Applications must be submitted before hiring to qualify.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Small or medium-sized businesses, non-profits, or social enterprises with a physical location in Nova Scotia
  • Employer must have employees who live and work in Nova Scotia
  • Employers headquartered outside Nova Scotia are eligible if they have a Nova Scotia location and NS-based employees
  • Application must be submitted and approved BEFORE the new hire begins — no retroactive approvals
  • New hire must be a Nova Scotia resident who is unemployed or working less than full-time hours, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, eligible international graduate, or the spouse of a military member with an imminent transfer to Nova Scotia
  • Employment must be a minimum of 30 hours per week, with preference for full-time, sustainable positions (15+ hours may be considered for recently established small businesses creating a part-time role that will become full-time, accommodations for persons with disabilities, or where that is the industry norm)
  • Whether the position supports a Nova Scotia priority sector (such as digital technologies, ICT, defence and aerospace, energy and cleantech, natural resources, agriculture and fisheries, or housing and construction) is one factor ENS weighs in setting the amount
  • The person you hire must also apply for START with the help of a Nova Scotia Works Centre; START cannot be approved without that step
  • Must have workplace accident/injury insurance for employees and be in compliance with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies requirements
  • Not eligible: jobs paid strictly on commission or by the kilometre, jobs already funded through the LMDA, WDA or Community Services, jobs that displace current employees or people on leave or layoff, summer jobs, and public-service positions
Provinces
Nova Scotia
Industries
Technology Clean Technology Life Sciences Aerospace Fisheries Manufacturing +2 more
Business Stage
Startup Growth Expansion Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
Case-by-case wage incentive (no fixed cap); additional training and equipment cost support available
Type
Grant
Level
Provincial
Deadline
Ongoing

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Good
Accessibility
3/5

Moderate — standard application process

Competition
2/5

Below average competition

Difficulty
2/5

Easy — minimal documentation

Approval Rate
Processing Time
Budget Trend
Premium See your real odds, processing time and budget trend for this program — and exactly what it takes to win it.

How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

Premium
Insider Tip

The most important rule: apply before you hire.

Premium See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.

Success Profile

Premium See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.

Evaluation Criteria

Premium See exactly what reviewers score on — so you know where to focus.
Premium The pitfalls, the checklist and the reviewer notes are in the Playbook below. See what it includes ↓

How Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive judges your application

What the reviewer scores, what gets applications rejected, and what to write.

Premium
Written answers6no length limits stated
Judged on11 criteria
Can reject you18 rules
To attach6 documents

Distilled from 6+ source documents, condensed into one brief. Sources as of 2026-09-10.

6 of the sources

What Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive favours

Offer full-time, sustainable employment◦

“Preference is given to employers who can offer full-time, sustainable employment.”

2 more, in their words

The form2 prompts shown

Before you apply5 sections
  1. 1Employer eligibility (before applying)checkboxes
  2. 2Pre-Application Conditionscheckboxes
  3. 3Eligible and Ineligible Types of Employmentcheckboxes
  4. 4LaMPSS External Access Request (one-time registration)table
  5. 5Direct Deposit Authorization for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)table
Your organization7 sections
  1. 6Organization Informationtable
  2. 7Organization Mandatewritten answer

    In a couple of sentences or bullets, describe what your organization does, including product lines, services, and unique features.

  3. 8Employee Informationtable
  4. 9Workplace Safety Informationyes/no + written

    Indicate if your organization has workplace / injury insurance coverage.

  5. 10Additional Fundingyes/no + written
  6. 11Contact Informationselection
  7. 12Locationlist
The job and budget10 sections
  1. 13Position Informationtable
  2. 14Position Description/Qualificationswritten answer
  3. 15Displaced Employee(s)yes/no + written
  4. 16Budget Information (Salary Cost, MERC)table
  5. 17Training Coststable
  6. 18Other Costs (equipment, software, assistive devices)table
  7. 19Known Hireyes/no + written
  8. 20Employee Information (known hire)table
  9. 21Legal Signing Officerslist
  10. 22Supporting Documentslist

Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive states no length limits for these answers.

19 more prompts, in the funder’s words

Judged against3 questions · 11 criteria

  1. 1

    Will this job last?

    Show them Show the role sits inside normal operations and is meant to continue after the incentive ends.◦

    In the funder’s words · 2
    • Preference is given to employers who can offer full-time, sustainable employment.
    • Both employers and newly hired employees should benefit from the START program.
  2. 2

    Is the amount and the request reasonable?

    What to show, and the funder’s 4 criteria behind it in Premium

  3. 3

    Is the hire and role a fit?

    What to show, and the funder’s 5 criteria behind it in Premium

7 questions the reviewer answers about you, in Premium.

Where applicants failin Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive’s words

“If you hire a new employee before applying and being approved for START, you won't be eligible for funding.”
“Failure to provide workplace accident/injury insurance details will result in the application being deemed incomplete and will be closed.”

4 more, in the funder’s words

Premium · the rest of this brief

See all 18 rules that can reject you and every criterion you are judged on. Then we draft your application for you.

16 more rules that can reject you · 9 more criteria · 19 more prompts

$39 / month$299 / year save 36%Every program · Application workspace · 30-day money-backOr unlock this programme’s playbook alone · $19

Do you pass?19 checks

18 can rule you out; 1 is a preference. Tick the ones you meet.

Your business

  • NS-based small or medium employer

    START is available to small or medium-sized employers, including businesses, not-for-profit organizations and social enterprises, that are located in Nova Scotia and whose employees live and work in the province.

  • Physical location in Nova Scotia

    Companies with headquarters outside of Nova Scotia are eligible to apply only if they also have a physical location in Nova Scotia.

17 more checks

1 thing this funder says you do NOT need, in Premium.

Documents to attach6

Ticks are kept on this device.

The money

Maximum per hireUp to $25,000 per hire

Up to a maximum of $25,000 per hire, and at ENS’ discretion.

Wage incentiveSalary and mandatory payroll costs

Funding to offset the salary and mandatory payroll deduction costs of a new hire

Training costsTraining costs; 1 price quote

Funding to offset the training costs of a new hire (1 price quote is required)

Equipment and other costsEquipment/misc costs; 2 price quotes

Funding to offset the equipment and/or miscellaneous costs of a new hire (2 price quotes are required)

Employer payroll shareFull wage plus payroll deductions

Paying a full wage to the eligible employee(s) including the payment of mandatory (income tax, EI, CPP) and voluntary (pension, health benefits) payroll deductions.

Your shareFull wages plus payroll deductions

Paying a full wage to the eligible employee(s) including the payment of mandatory (income tax, EI, CPP) and voluntary (pension, health benefits) payroll deductions.

StackingNo stacking with LMDA, WDA, DCS

Employment that is already funded through the Labour Market Development Agreement (LMDA), Workforce Development Agreement (WDA), or through Department of Community Services (DCS),

Costs before approvalNo funding if hired before applying/approval

If you hire a new employee before applying and being approved for START, you won't be eligible for funding.

What it pays for · 4
  • Funding to offset the salary and mandatory payroll deduction costs of a new hire
  • Funding to offset the training costs of a new hire (1 price quote is required)
  • Funding to offset the equipment and/or miscellaneous costs of a new hire (2 price quotes are required)
  • Wage incentives help offset some of the salary and benefit costs related to hiring a new employee.
What it does not pay for · 2
  • Employment that is paid strictly on a commission basis, or by the kilometer,
  • Summer employment.

From application to money

  1. Talk to ENS firstApply and get ENS approval before hiring
  2. Register and apply in LaMPSSRegister once, submit START form with job description
  3. Match applies at Nova Scotia WorksMatch applies via Nova Scotia Works Centre
  4. ENS sets amount and weeksENS assesses application and sets funded weeks
  5. Sign the agreementSign agreement before it becomes active
  6. Report and follow-upSubmit LaMPSS reports on agreed dates
In the funder’s words · 6
Talk to ENS first
Employers need to apply and be approved for the START Program by an ENS representative before they hire an employee.
Register and apply in LaMPSS
Your organization registers once in LaMPSS, then completes and submits the START form with a job description attached.
Match applies at Nova Scotia Works
A potential employee (or START “match”) must submit an application with the assistance of a local Nova Scotia Works Centre.
ENS sets amount and weeks
Employment Nova Scotia will assess your application and determine the number of weeks to be supported through the START Program.
Sign the agreement
The agreement contract must be signed before an agreement can go into active status.
Report and follow-up
Both an activity report and a financial report will be required at the end of the agreement with additional reporting dates selected at ENS’ discretion based on the agreement length and agreement history. (The START Program requires employers to submit LaMPSS reports on the dates identified in their START agreement with ENS.)

Quoted lines are word for word from the source documents; lines marked ◦ are our reading of them.

What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

Premium covers every program, plus the workspace that walks you through each application.
Get Premium — $39/mo Just this one program? Unlock the Playbook alone — $19

Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 6 steps 8 docs

Application Steps

1 Create a LaMPSS employer account Register at lampss.novascotia.ca to access the online application portal. The system requires your business information and NS location details.

Required Documents 8

✓ Online application via LaMPSS (Labour Market Programs Support System) employer account at lampss.novascotia.ca
✓ Description of the position to be filled (job duties, wage, hours)

Eligible Expenses 5

Ineligible Expenses 9

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

Premium The full guide for this program also covers:
  • 5 more application steps
  • 6 more required documents
  • 5 eligible expenses
  • 9 ineligible expenses
  • Intake periods
  • Deadline notes
  • Ineligible organizations

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium 2 partners

Compatible Programs

Canada-Nova Scotia Job Grant (CNSJG) Graduate to Opportunity (GTO)
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Medium Risk

Premium See which programs combine with this one — and how much more you could get.

How Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive Case-by-case wage incentive Easy Reimbursement Ongoing
Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... Minimum $10 million contribution Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing — continuous...
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Between intakes — the...
Innovative Solutions Canada up to $150,000 Hard Milestone-Based Challenge-specific — new...
Ocean Supercluster Up to $5 million Hard Reimbursement Continuous intake (Core...

Related Programs

Other programs you might be eligible for

Free
Grant

Corner Store Exterior Commercial Renovation Grant

50% of eligible exterior construction costs, capped by... · Municipal
 Program

DMZ Incubator Program

In-kind only ($500K–$1M+ in tech credits). DMZ takes 2–2.5%... · Private
 Grant

ECO Canada — Student Work Placement Program (SWPP)

50% of the student's salary, up to $5,000 per placement · Federal

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about Nova Scotia START Hiring Incentive

Free
Can I apply after I've already hired someone?
No — retroactive applications are automatically disqualified. You must apply and receive approval before the new hire starts. This is the program's hardest rule.
Is the wage subsidy a fixed amount?
No — Employment Nova Scotia determines amounts case-by-case based on your sector, the wage offered, the hours, and the job-seeker's profile. Priority-sector hires typically receive larger subsidies.
Can non-profits apply?
Yes — non-profits and social enterprises with a Nova Scotia location are fully eligible alongside for-profit businesses.
Why do applications get rejected?
Most rejections result from applying after the hire (retroactive), offering under 30 hours a week (outside the limited cases where 15+ hours may be considered), or the new hire not being a Nova Scotia resident who is unemployed or working less than full-time. Weak job quality (contract only, low wage) also reduces likelihood of approval.
Can I combine START with other programs?
Yes — START can be combined with the Canada-NS Job Grant for training costs. Avoid stacking START with Graduate to Opportunity (GTO) on the same hire.

Browse More Funding

Nova Scotia Grants Technology Grants Clean Technology Grants Life Sciences Grants Manufacturing Grants Explore All Programs Take the Quiz