Updated October 2026 · Verified against Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (WorkBC) guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly Reimbursement
Grant Provincial Active

WorkBC Wage Subsidy

Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (WorkBC)
Maximum Funding
50 per cent of the employee's wages, up to a maximum of $12.50 per…
Ongoing. Apply any time on the Wage Subsidy platform or through a WorkBC Centre.
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Easy
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
50%
WorkBC Wage Subsidy funding amounts are set out in full under Funding Details below. WorkBC pays B.C. employers part of a new employee's wages when they hire a WorkBC client who needs on-the-job training and work experience. The program covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
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Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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Program Description

WorkBC pays B.C. employers part of a new employee's wages when they hire a WorkBC client who needs on-the-job training and work experience. Under WorkBC's September 2026 employer guide, the subsidy is 50 per cent of wages up to $12.50 an hour for up to 800 hours, and disability supports are available to reduce work-related barriers for the employee. WorkBC matches you with a candidate; the job must be full-time (about 35 to 40 hours a week unless the job seeker has a documented need for fewer), insurable and mainly done in B.C., and the new hire cannot start until the agreement is signed. Registered B.C. businesses can apply online with a BCeID or through a WorkBC Centre; governments and public sector bodies cannot.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Be a registered business operating in B.C. with an active WorkSafeBC account in good standing
  • Comply with applicable legislation, including the Employment Standards Act, Workers Compensation Act, Income Tax Act (Canada) and Employment Insurance Act (Canada)
  • Be at arm's length from the WorkBC service provider and from the employee
  • Offer a full-time position of about 35 to 40 hours a week (fewer only if the job seeker has a documented need), in insurable employment, with the job and work primarily done in B.C.
  • Confirm the job seeker would not be hired without the subsidy, and not reduce hours or lay off existing staff
  • Offer the likelihood of long-term employment, or work experience that leads to long-term employment elsewhere, at a competitive wage for the labour market
  • Not commission-only or piecework employment, and not a position working under a WorkBC contract
  • Not the Government of B.C. or Government of Canada, and not a public sector organization such as a municipality, school, school board, post-secondary institution, hospital, health authority or other government entity (businesses owned or controlled by Indigenous governing bodies are not counted as government entities)
  • Not an active WorkBC client participating in Self-Employment Services, not the WorkBC service provider delivering the subsidy, and not receiving other wage subsidy funding for the same employee in the same period
  • The hire must be a WorkBC client: a B.C. permanent resident or Canadian citizen, unemployed, identified for this service through a WorkBC service provider, and in need of work experience
Provinces
British Columbia
Industries
All
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established Expansion

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Easy
Competition
Low
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
50 per cent of the employee's wages, up to a maximum of $12.50 per hour, for up to 800 hours, which works out to at most $10,000 per placement ($12.50 x 800 hours; WorkBC does not print the total). The employer pays the other 50 per cent of the wage on the first $25 an hour, all wages above $25 an hour, all overtime and all mandatory employment-related costs. Disability supports to reduce work-related barriers for the employee may also be available. An employer can hold up to five active agreements per CRA Business Number at one time and up to 10 subsidized clients per fiscal year (April to March). These rates apply from August 31, 2026; agreements approved before then follow the older rates in the guide's appendix.
Type
Grant
Level
Provincial
Co-Funding
Up to 50% of eligible costs
Deadline
Ongoing. Apply any time on the Wage Subsidy platform or through a WorkBC Centre.

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Low
Deadline
Ongoing
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
4/5

Accessible — straightforward requirements

Competition
2/5

Below average competition

Difficulty
2/5

Easy — minimal documentation

Processing Time
Budget Trend
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How to Win

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

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Insider Tip

Get the order right or you lose the money: apply, let WorkBC match you, sign the agreement, and only then let the person start work.

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Rejection Pitfalls 8

  • The new employee started work before the agreement was signed
+7 more pitfalls
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Success Profile

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Evaluation Criteria

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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win WorkBC Wage Subsidy

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Application Playbook

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

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Application Steps

1 Get a BCeID A Basic BCeID works straight away; a Business BCeID lets you share applications and claims inside your organization but can take time to verify.

Required Documents 5

✓ A Basic BCeID or Business BCeID to sign in to the Wage Subsidy platform
✓ Business contact details, address and CRA Business Number

Eligible Expenses 3

Ineligible Expenses 5

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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

Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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Compatible Programs

Other wage subsidies for the same employee WorkBC Self-Employment Services
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk

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How WorkBC Wage Subsidy Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about WorkBC Wage Subsidy

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How much does the WorkBC Wage Subsidy pay an employer?
50 per cent of the employee's wages, up to $12.50 an hour, for up to 800 hours, so at most $10,000 per placement. The employer pays the rest of the wage, overtime and mandatory employment-related costs. Disability supports may also be available.
Who can I hire with a WorkBC Wage Subsidy?
A WorkBC client who is a B.C. permanent resident or Canadian citizen, unemployed, identified for this service by a WorkBC service provider, and in need of work experience. WorkBC matches you with a candidate, or a candidate may tell you they qualify.
Which employers cannot apply for the WorkBC Wage Subsidy?
Governments and public sector bodies (municipalities, schools, post-secondary institutions, hospitals, health authorities), the WorkBC provider delivering the subsidy, and active WorkBC Self-Employment Services clients. Businesses owned by Indigenous governing bodies are not treated as government.
How do I apply for the WorkBC Wage Subsidy?
Sign in to the Wage Subsidy platform with a Basic or Business BCeID and complete the online application, or contact a WorkBC Centre. The new employee must not start work until the agreement is signed.
The web page says 24 weeks. Which rule applies?
WorkBC's web page still says up to 24 weeks, but its September 2026 employer guide, which that page links, sets placements at up to 800 hours for agreements approved from August 31, 2026, and marks the older 24-week rates as discontinued. Confirm the rate with your WorkBC Centre when you apply.

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