The Australian and Queensland Governments are providing a range of financial incentives for employers to hire job seekers who are long-term unemployed. Please see below for more information about these incentives and how you may be able to access them.
This information is provided by Jobmatch Employment. Download full information here.
Download JobMaker Hiring Credit Fact Sheet.
Federal Government Incentives
Jobmaker Hiring Credit
Eligible employers will be able to claim:
- $200 a week for each additional eligible employee they hire aged 16 to 29 years old; and,
- $100 a week for each additional eligible employee aged 30 to 35 years old.
New jobs created until 6 October 2021 will attract the JobMaker Hiring Credit for up to 12 months from the date the new position is created. To be eligible, the employee must have received the JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance (Other), or Parenting Payment for at least one of the previous three months at the time of hiring.
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) scheme
The BAC scheme is designed to support employers to engage more apprentices and trainees and is part of the COVID-19 economic recovery plan.
The new BAC subsidy is in addition to the Supporting Apprentices and Trainees (SAT) subsidy for employers of apprentices and trainees who have been employed since January 1, 2020 and does include School-based Trainees.
Under the BAC scheme, employers of any size, location or industry will be eligible for a Federal Government subsidy of 50% of the wages for a new or recommencing apprentice or trainee employed from October 5th, 2020. The subsidy applies for the period up to September 30, 2021 and is up to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter.
Additional Apprenticeship Incentives
Incentives and Support for Employers
Commencement, Completion, Rural and Regional Skills Shortage and Assistance for Australian Apprentices with a Disability are some of the Incentives available to Employers. An Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider can assist you with all the incentives available. These are Federal incentives and are in addition to the Back to Work funding available.
Additional Identified Skills Shortage Payment incentive
The Additional Identified Skills Shortage (AISS) payment is available to eligible apprentices commencing from 1 July 2019 and their employers, in ten occupations experiencing skills shortages. The AISS payment will grow the number of apprentices and encourage more people to take up an Australian Apprenticeship.
What payments are available?
Eligible Australian Apprentices in national skills shortage areas will receive $1,000 at the 12 month point from commencement of their apprenticeship, and an additional $1,000 at completion of the apprenticeship.
Eligible employers of Australian Apprentices will also receive $2,000 at the 12 month point from the commencement of the apprenticeship and an additional $2,000 at completion of the apprenticeship. These payments will be administered under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program, and are additional to any payments the apprentice or employer may be eligible for under existing Australian Government programs including:
- Trade Support Loans, which provides income-contingent loans of up to $21,078 for eligible apprentices to support them through their apprenticeship
- The Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program, which provides standard incentives of $4,000 over the life of an apprenticeship to eligible employers.
Eligibility Criteria applies.
Wage Start Subsidy
The Wage Start Subsidy encourages employers to hire job seekers who are long-term unemployed through providing employers with financial incentives of up to $6000. The position can be offered as full time, part time or casual, as long as the job seeker works at least 15 hours per week over 26 weeks. There are some eligibility conditions for both the job seeker and the employer.
Job seeker:
- Must be registered with a DES provider
- Must be above legal working age but not older than 50
- Other specific requirements which should be discussed with the DES provider
Employer:
- Must have an ABN
- Not previously have received a wage subsidy for the same job
- Not receiving another wage subsidy for the same worker
To find out more information regarding the application process, contact the DES provider (https://www.jobaccess.gov.au/find-a-provider).
Wage Subsidy
The Wage Subsidy encourages employers to hire job seekers through providing employers with financial incentives of up to $1500 + GST. The position can be offered as full time, part time or casual, as long as the job seeker works at least 8 hours per week over 13 weeks. There are some eligibility conditions for both the job seeker and the employer.
Youth Jobs PaTH
The Youth Jobs PaTH is an initiative to encourage employers to trial young people between the ages of 17-24, for 4-12 weeks to see if they are a good fit for the job and the organisation, and then provide financial incentives for employers to hire them.
PaTH Internships:
- allows employers to trial a job seeker through work experience to see if they would be a good fit for the job
- are for job seekers between 17-24 years of age who are registered with an employment service
- are for 4-12 weeks and with the employer providing between 30-50 hours of work experience per fortnight
Employers receive $1000 for the PaTH Internship to help cover the cost of hosting a job seeker for the internship and this is payable within the first 5 days from commencement.
Queensland Government Funding
Back to Work: Regional Employment Package
The Back to Work – Regional Employment Package aims to give employers the confidence to hire job seekers who are long-term unemployed and provide an economic boost to regions facing challenging economic times. In the Gympie area, employers are able to access the Regional Employment Package. This package is not a wage subsidy. The position can be offered on either a full time or part time basis, however, the following figures only apply to full time positions and part time positions will only be awarded 75% of the figure.
Employer Support Payment:
- $10,000: If the job seeker is 25 years or older and has been unemployed for 4-52 weeks
- $15,000: if the job seeker is 25 years or older and has been unemployed for more than 52 weeks
Youth Boost Payment:
- $20,000: if the job seeker is between 15-24 years of age and has been unemployed for a minimum of 4 weeks
Apprentice and Trainee Boost Payment:
- $20,000: if the job seeker has been unemployed for a minimum of 4 weeks and is an eligible apprentice or trainee
These payments are paid directly to the employer in instalments at 4, 26 and 52 weeks of the job seeker remaining in employment. Employers must have an ABN and can make a maximum of 4 applications for Back to Work packages.
Applications are made through QGrants (https://qgrants.osr.qld.gov.au/portal/) after 4 weeks of the job seeker commencing work.
Many of these incentives are available concurrently so you may be eligible for more than one employer incentive.
For any questions or for more information about any incentives your business may be eligible for, please contact us at Jobmatch Employment on 07 4162 7200
7 Glendon Street, Kingaroy