TABLE OF CONTENTS


Wage Subsidies

Wage subsidies up to $10,000 (GST inclusive) may be available to Australian businesses hiring employment services participants in ongoing jobs. Employment services providers determine if a wage subsidy is offered and will enter into an agreement with the employer to make payments over six months.


Placement details

  • All Wage Subsidy placements must average at least 20 hours per week over the 26 week wage subsidy period and be ongoing employment that complies with the National Employment Standards.
  • Jobs can be full time, part time or casual.
  • Apprenticeships and traineeships are also eligible to attract a Wage Subsidy.
  • All wage subsidy agreements must be approved in the Department's IT System no later than 84 days from the employee's start date.


Contact information

Please talk to your employment services provider to check eligibility. 

Please talk to the National Customer Service Line to check eligibility for mature age people volunteering into employment services.

 


List of subsidies


Wage subsidies names (*)Criteria + infoHow much can employer receive? (GST inc)
Restart

Employee criteria

  • apprenticeships and traineeships are also eligible;
  • registered with an employment service providers such as JobActive, DES, or Community Development Programme Providers

And either:
  • ≥ 50 years old

    OR

  • available to businesses hiring eligible participants in:
    • the Volunteer Online Employment Service Trial (VOEST)
    • Disability Employment Services (DES)
    • and the Community Development Programme (CDP)


Job Criteria

  • jobs of at least 20 hours per week averaged over 6 months of the agreement;
  • be ongoing;
  • met the employment standards for the position (e.g. pays the minimum wage per Fair Work)


Business Criteria:

see below +

  • apply for RESTART within 12 weeks of the job starting


up to $10k over 6 months
Youth Bonus
  • 15-24 years old
up to $10k or $6.5k
Youth
  • 25-29 years old
up to $6.5k
Parents
  • Any age
up to $6.5k
Long Term Unemployed
  • Any age
  • registered with an employment service provider for 12 months or more
up to $6.5k
Wage Start

Employee criteria:

Either:

  • Hire eligible job seekers who are long-term unemployed for 12 months (or were employed but it was longer than 12 months ago)

     OR
  • who have been offered ongoing employment after completing a Youth Path internship


And:

  • number of more eligibility requirements that will be discussed with the local DES provider
  • Not older than 50
  • registered with a DES provider


Job Criteria:

  • jobs of at least 15 hours per week over 26 weeks


Business Criteria:

see below


Note:

the subsidy has a limited number of placements per year


up to $6k over 26 weeks
Wage subsidy SchemeEmployee Criteria
  • apprenticeships and traineeships may also be eligible;
  • registered with a DES provider
  • other eligibility requirements are based on a jobseeker's circumstances - will need to talk to the local employment service provider;


Job Criteria:

  • jobs of at least 8 hours per week over 13 weeks


Business Criteria:

see below

$1,650 over 13 weeks
PATH internshipEmployee Criteria
  • apprenticeships and traineeships may also be eligible;
  • registered with a DES provider
  • other eligibility requirements are based on a jobseeker's circumstances - will need to talk to the local employment service provider;


Job Criteria:

  • jobs of at least 15 hours a week over 4 week trial period


Business Criteria:

see below


$1k for employer

employee receives more money from centrelink



(*) Wage Subsidies may be offered to businesses hiring eligible participants in: 

  • jobactive, 
  • Transition to Work (TtW) 
  • and ParentsNext Intensive Stream.


Job seekers may be eligible to attract a wage subsidy 6 months after commencing in employment services.


Indigenous Australians may get immediate access to wage subsidies of up to $10,000 if all eligibility requirements are met.


Business questions

Business Criteria:

  • has an Australian Business Number 
  • has not previously received a wage subsidy for the same job
  • has not recently retrenched or reduced the number of workers, or be proposing to do so
  • is not of a type of character that would bring the wage subsidy or the Commonwealth Government into disrepute
  • is not receiving another government wage subsidy for the same worker or position.


What types of jobs can I offer? 

The job can be full-time, part-time or casual, and needs to: 

  • be covered by a legal industrial instrument that complies with minimum standards established under Commonwealth, State or Territory Law 
  • meet the employment standards for the position (for example, is suitable work and pays at least the national award wage). 

The job cannot displace an existing employee, be a commission based, subcontracting or self-employment position, or work for an immediate family member 


Placement

All wage subsidy placements must average at least 20 hours per week over the 26 week wage subsidy period to be ongoing.


All wage subsidy agreements must be approved in the Department's IT System no later than 84 days from the employee's start date.


Who can I hire?

  • employee must be registered with the correct employment service provider: Disability Employment Services (DES) provider, JobActive, Community Development Programe Providers, etc. see which one is applicable. 
  • be of legal working age. 


Other eligibility requirements are based on a jobseeker’s circumstances. Talk to your local employment services provider for more information.



Reference: