General FAQs
General FAQs
What is FuturePath?
FuturePath is a paid, project-based program that connects students with employers to complete real-world work.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Innovative Work-Integrated Learning initiative, the program provides:
Flexible projects from 10 to 420 hours
Hourly compensation ($23.34/hour total)
Direct employer collaboration on real business work
FuturePath is designed for students closer to entering the workforce and for employers seeking meaningful project support.
How is FuturePath different from Level UP?
FuturePath differs from Level UP in three key ways:
Flexible hours: 10–420 hours instead of a fixed 60
Hourly payment: Paid based on approved hours worked
Ongoing collaboration: More aligned with real work and hiring pipelines
Who is eligible to participate?
Students must:
Be enrolled at an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution
Be in the final 50% of their program or in graduate studies
College or University Certificate (2-year programs): Must be in 2nd year or above
Bachelor’s Degree (3–4 year programs): Must be in 3rd year or above
Master’s or Doctorate: Any year is eligible
Students in programs that are 1 year or less are not eligible
Students with unique educational backgrounds (e.g., multiple bachelor’s degrees or returning to school after prior completion) should reach out to us directly for guidance
Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or protected person
Be legally authorized to work in Canada
Be physically located in Canada for the entire project
Not be an international student
What is a cohort?
A cohort is a structured period with:
Application timelines
Matching windows
Project start and end guidance
Projects are more flexible than Level UP, but still must align with cohort parameters.
How long are projects?
Projects range from:
Minimum: 10 hours
Maximum: 420 hours per student per employer
Projects typically run between 2 to 16 weeks, depending on weekly commitment.
Can projects be remote or in person?
Yes.
Projects can be:
Remote
In-person
Hybrid
As long as expectations are clearly defined and both parties agree.
Can non-Canadian companies or students participate?
No.
FuturePath is a Canadian program. Both:
Employers
Students
All participating parties must meet Canadian eligibility requirements.
Why is identity verification required?
FuturePath is government-funded.
Eligibility compliance
Payment eligibility
Program integrity
Failure to verify results in ineligibility for payment.
Employer FAQs
Employer FAQs
How do I participate?
Employers:
Receive applications
Select students
Once matched, the project is final.
How much does it cost?
Employers pay:
$11.67/hour (50%)
Riipen covers the remaining 50%
Plus applicable fees (10%) and taxes per invoice.
How are payments structured?
Deposit required upon student acceptance
Charges processed:
Every ~15 hours logged
After final approval
How much time do I need to commit?
Employers should:
Provide regular guidance
Offer ongoing communication
Commit approximately 5 hours of mentorship per student
Can I work with multiple students?
Yes.
Recommended: 2–4 students per project
No strict maximum, but scope should support it
Employers are responsible for 50% of hours worked by each student they bring on, and the more students brought on does effect the total deposit amounts.
Can I extend a project?
Yes.
Projects can be extended
Up to a maximum of 420 hours per student
Can I end a project early?
Yes.
Students will be paid for approved hours completed
Work must stop once the project ends
Can I bring my own student?
Yes, provided:
The student applies and meets eligibility requirements
The project follows cohort timelines within the Bring Your Own cohort
Do I need to provide tools or software?
Yes.
Employers must:
Provide necessary tools, systems, or access
Ensure students do not incur costs
What happens if a student underperforms?
Monitor work logs and deliverables
Submit a dispute if needed
Notify Riipen early
Can I work with the same student across programs?
Yes, but:
Projects must not overlap across programs
Students must meet program-specific limits
Can I have the same student on multiple projects?
Yes, provided:
They do not exceed 420 hours with your organization in the funding year
Student FAQs
Student FAQs
how do I join FuturePath?
Students must:
Be selected by an employer
Once accepted and matched, the project is final.
How many hours can I work?
Minimum: 10 hours
Maximum: 420 hours per project
Additionally:
Maximum of 420 hours with one employer per funding period (May 2026–April 2027)
Minimum 4 hours required to qualify for any payment
How many hours per week should I work?
Students are expected to:
Work 8–10 hours per week
Not exceed:
10 hours per day
30 hours per week
Can I work on multiple projects?
Only 1 project per cohort
Up to 3 total cohorts allowed
Must not exceed 420 hours per employer per funding year
Do I need to stay in Canada during the project?
Yes.
You must be physically located in Canada for the full duration of your project to remain eligible for payment.
How does payment work?
Students are paid:
$23.34/hour total
Based on approved hours only
Payment is:
Processed in increments (every ~15 hours)
Based on employer and Riipen-approved work logs
What happens if I don’t complete the full project?
FuturePath allows partial payment.
You will be paid for approved hours completed
Minimum 4 hours required
Maximum 420 hours
What happens if a project is paused or cancelled?
You will be paid for hours logged up to the time of notice
You must stop work immediately upon notification
No additional hours will be compensated unless approved
What deliverables are required?
Students must submit:
Reflection
Exit survey
Deliverables must:
Clearly demonstrate work completed
Align with hours claimed
Comply with NDA requirements
Incomplete or unclear submissions may impact payment eligibility.
How do I track my hours?
All hours must be logged on the Riipen platform
Logs must be:
Accurate
Up to date
Approved by the employer
Unlogged or unapproved hours will not be paid.
Can I use AI tools?
Yes, as a support tool.
However:
Work must reflect your own effort
Hours must still be completed
Deliverables must demonstrate understanding
Can I work with the same employer again?
Yes, as long as:
You do not exceed 420 hours with that employer in the funding year
What happens if I am inactive?
If you:
Stop communicating
Fail to log hours
Do not submit deliverables
You may:
Be removed from the project
Lose eligibility for payment
Payment FAQs
Payment FAQs
How are students paid?
Students are paid:
Based on approved hours worked
Through incremental payments (every ~15 hours)
Pulled from your company wallet or from the credit card on file
How long does payment take?
Once processed:
Payments may take up to 7 business days to be deposited
Are partial payments allowed?
Yes.
Payment is based on approved hours
Minimum: 4 hours
Maximum: 420 hours
What happens if work logs are not approved?
Employers have 7 days to review
If no action is taken:
Riipen may review and approve logs
Payment may proceed
What happens if payment fails?
24 hours to resolve
Project will be paused if the issue is not resolved within 24 hours
After 72 hours:
Project may be cancelled, as well as all other active paid projects
Employer account may be suspended
Repeated failures may result in permanent removal.
Does work outside the platform count?
No.
Only work that is:
Completed after matching
Logged on the platform
Approved through Riipen
is eligible for payment.
Will I receive tax documents?
Riipen does not issue T4A slips.
Participants are responsible for reporting income according to CRA guidelines.