Mitacs has announced a new postdoctoral fellowship designed to attract top international research talent to Canada and strengthen the country’s innovation and commercialization pipeline.
The Mitacs Accelerate Global Excellence Award will support postdoctoral researchers—both international scholars and Canadians studying abroad—to relocate to Canada and work on industry-partnered research projects alongside leading academic researchers. The program is aimed at boosting productivity, competitiveness, and economic growth by connecting advanced research with real-world applications.
The new award aligns with the federal government’s broader talent attraction strategy, including priorities outlined in the 2025 federal budget and the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative. Mitacs says the program will focus on commercialization-ready research in high-impact sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, clean technology, advanced materials and manufacturing, defence, cybersecurity, agri-tech, and health and life sciences.
Fifty awards will be offered during the 2026–27 academic year through a time-limited competitive call. Each fellowship will support a two-year project valued at $170,000, providing $85,000 per year. Of that amount, $42,500 annually will be contributed by the industry partner. At least $70,000 per year must be allocated to the fellow’s stipend, with up to $15,000 available for research and relocation expenses.
The program is jointly funded by Mitacs and participating industry partners, which can include for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, hospitals, and municipalities. Eligible applicants must be within five years of completing their PhD, currently reside outside Canada, and be willing to relocate. Canadians who completed their PhD abroad, as well as international researchers, are eligible to apply.
The competitive call for the Global Excellence Award will open in March 2026 and close in May 2026.
In parallel, Mitacs has also introduced additional support for postdoctoral researchers already based in Canada. The Mitacs Accelerate Industry Postdoc program will provide up to $75,000 per year for three years to fellows conducting applied research with companies, non-profits, municipalities, or hospitals. Applications for that program are open until December 19, 2025.
Together, the two programs are intended to help Canada both attract new research talent from abroad and retain highly skilled researchers already working domestically.
“Mitacs is driving solutions to support economic resilience and growth,” said Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO of Mitacs. “In support of the federal government’s priority, the Mitacs Accelerate Global Excellence Award will help attract and retain top research talent from Canada and globally, connecting them with industry to fuel innovation and economic growth.”
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