The START Program is designed for businesses like yours to help you find and hire qualified employees. By participating, you can receive wage incentives to offset salary and benefit costs, making it more affordable to bring new talent into your team. This program is especially beneficial if you can offer full-time, sustainable employment or if your business operates in a priority sector such as ocean technology, ICT, financial services, clean technology, life sciences, or aerospace and defense.

What You Get:

• Wage incentives to reduce hiring costs
• Funding for training new employees
• Support for equipment and other direct costs related to new hires

Applying for the START Program is straightforward and can significantly ease the financial burden of hiring. By getting approved, you not only gain financial support but also access to a pool of motivated, unemployed Nova Scotians ready to contribute to your business. This program is a great opportunity to grow your team while minimizing expenses.

Type of Financing: Wage Incentive

Repayment Terms and Interest Rates:

• There are no repayment terms or interest rates. This is a wage incentive, meaning it is a form of financial assistance provided to employers without the need for repayment.

Eligible Expenses:

• Salary and benefit costs related to hiring a new employee.
• Training costs for the new employee.
• Equipment and other direct costs associated with the new employee.

Ineligible Expenses:

• The funds cannot be used for expenses unrelated to the new employee's salary, benefits, training, or necessary equipment.

Fees:

• There are no fees associated with applying for or receiving this wage incentive.

The START Program offers your business a great opportunity to hire unemployed Nova Scotians with financial support. You can receive funding to help cover wages, training costs, and equipment expenses when you hire eligible individuals.

Wage incentives help reduce the salary and benefit costs of new employees. The amount you receive depends on factors like the type of job, the wages you offer, and the employee’s skill level. Preference is given to full-time, sustainable jobs, but short-term positions may also qualify if they help employees gain valuable skills or support priority sectors in Nova Scotia.

Additional funding is available to cover training costs and equipment needed for the new employee. This can ease the financial burden on your business and help you integrate new hires more smoothly. By participating in this program, you not only fill your job vacancies but also contribute to the local economy by providing employment opportunities to those in need.