Deadline: November 20, 2025
The Innovator Skills Initiative Program provides essential support for B.C.-based businesses seeking to fill tech talent gaps and foster diversity in the sector.
The Key Goals and Objectives of the Innovator Skills Initiative Program are designed to increase diversity in the tech sector and help B.C.-based businesses fill talent shortages and grow; the Innovator Skills Initiative program provides grants to employers that are hiring for tech or tech-related roles; the Innovator Skills Initiative program aims to help more under-represented people get their first job in the tech sector by ensuring placements for under-represented people are available in the tech sector; a key priority of the program will be supporting more Indigenous placements.
Eligible employers can access grants of up to $10,000 to supplement the salary of a new employee in a tech or tech-related role. To qualify, the company must be legally registered and headquartered in British Columbia, with primary operations in the province and demonstrate active growth through hiring, revenue, or investment. Both tech businesses and non-tech organizations hiring for tech roles can apply, provided the positions require a certain level of education or certification.
The employee must be a new hire, have completed relevant training or education recently, and self-identify as an under-represented individual, including categories such as women, Indigenous people, visible minorities, youth under 30, LGBTQ2S+, new immigrants, and persons living with visible or invisible disabilities. Placements must run for a minimum of four months, involve at least 240 hours of work, and must not be directly profit-generating roles such as sales.
The program allows employers to stack grants up to the value of the employee’s salary, provided applications are not duplicated across Innovate BC’s partner initiatives for the same candidate. Grants reimburse only eligible payroll and statutory costs, with ineligible items such as bonuses and overtime explicitly listed.
Employers initiate the application process online, undergo multiple approval and reporting steps, and receive grant funding after successful placement and completion of claims with supporting documentation. Applications for this cycle close on November 20, 2025.
For more information, visit Innovate BC.
