Competition

* Unless explicitly noted, all times indicated for deadlines are for the appropriate NL timezone (NST or NDT)

Note that the Tri-Agency Institutional Programs Secretariat has not yet released all details related to this program. This RFT entry will be updated as we receive further details.

The Canada Impact+ Research Training Awards are a one-time initiative designed to recruit international or returning Canadian students and postdoctoral researchers to Canada. These awards support the recruitment of doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers in priority areas, helping build capacity, strengthen the research ecosystem and enhance Canada’s global competitiveness. As outlined in Budget 2025, this initiative is part of the International Talent Attraction Strategy and Action Plan and will be jointly administered by the federal funding agencies: CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.

See the FAQ's for all details. To summarize what we know so far:

There is a nomination allocation for MUN, and it will be up to MUN to decide how the funding gets split between the Phd/PDF levels and how it gets split between disciplines. MUN must appoint eligible nominators (basically, MUN faculty with active Tri-Agency awards), the nominators must find nominees abroad who are interested in pursuing a PhD or PDF under their supervision, and then the nominator and nominee apply by the Tri-Agency deadline of March 4. There will be a second intake, but that date is TBD. Lastly, requests for nominations must be formally submitted by the institution using the nomination process, i.e., nominators and nominees may not apply directly and must go through the nominator's institution.

Each award total will be the same as the Tri-Agency PhD and PDF fellowships ($40k/yr for three years and $70k/year for two years, respectively). To be eligible, nominees can be of any citizenship, including Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected people. Nominees cannot have a current affiliation with a Canadian institution and must be currently studying or working abroad. For the doctoral award: nominees must be eligible to enroll in a doctoral program at the nominating institution in Canada as of the award activation date. For the postdoctoral award: Nominees must be qualified to undertake postdoctoral research at the nominating institution in Canada as of the award activation date. Participation of Canadian citizens in this program is intended for those who have previously left Canada for research and/or work experience who wish to return to Canada to continue their research.

The area of the nominator's Tri-agency research grant does not limit them from being a nominator. However, the nominee's proposed area of research must fall within one of the outlined priority research areas:

• Advanced digital technologies (including AI, quantum, and cybersecurity)

• Health, including biotechnology

• Clean technology and resource value chains

• Environment, climate resilience, and the Arctic

• Food and water security

• Democratic and community resilience

• Manufacturing and advanced materials

• Defence and dual-use technologies

Internal submission procedures are forthcoming.