Canada pledges dramatic pay rise for PhDs, postdocs – but many will not benefit

The Canadian government has pledged a significant investment in its graduate students and postdoctoral scholars after more than two decades of stagnation. Its 2024 budget proposal, announced on 16 April, provides C$825 million (£481 million) over the next five years to support next-generation researchers by increasing both the number and value of stipends. However, the pay rise will only be seen by those who win scarce Tri-Council grants, although it is hoped that as these stipends rise others will need to too to compete.

The budget, which the House of Commons must pass before it is finalised, would provide nearly C$200 million per year, increasing annual master’s and PhD scholarships to $27,000 and $40,000, respectively, and postdoctoral fellowships to $70,000. The budget’s passage is not guaranteed – it needs the support of at least one of three political parties other than the ruling Liberal party.

The planned increases represent a dramatic jump. Currently, the typical annual stipend in Canada is around C$17,500 for master’s students, C$24,000 for PhDs and C$45,000 for postdocs. The government is also proposing C$1.8 billion to the different funding agencies in Canada over the five years to increase core research grant funding.