Financial support for employers and Australian Apprentices

The Priority Hiring Incentive is focused on supporting employers to hire Australian Apprentices in priority occupations. It is open to employers whose apprentices commence from 1 July 2024 and is targeted to the first year of the Australian Apprenticeship.

Eligible employers and Group Training Organisations (GTOs) that hire a new or an existing worker in a priority occupation can claim up to a maximum of $5,000 for full-time apprentices and $2,500 for part-time apprentices.

Am I eligible?

To attract the Priority Hiring Incentive, the employer’s Australian Apprentice must:

• Have commenced or recommenced their Australian Apprenticeship on or after 1 July 2024; or  
• Have recommenced their Australian Apprenticeship with their original employer on or after 1 July 2024, where the period of cancellation or suspension was greater than six months; and  
• Be undertaking a qualification at the Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma level qualification which is aligned to an occupation that is on the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List; and   
• Must be in training with their employer on the Claim period due date

In addition to the above requirements, employers must not be in receipt of the Disability Australian Apprentice Wage Support (DAAWS) or any other form of Australian Government or equivalent assistance for the same Australian Apprenticeship.  

The Training Contract must also be formally approved by the State Training Authority (STA). The Australian Apprentice’s prior qualifications may affect eligibility for the Priority Hiring Incentive.  

There is no limit on the number of Australian Apprentices an employer can claim for, provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria for the Priority Hiring Incentive. 

For further information visit apprenticeships.gov.au.

BAC and CAC claim periods and time limits

The timeframe to lodge BAC or CAC claims for any wages paid from 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2023 closed on 31 December 2023. BAC/CAC claims for this period can no longer be accepted or lodged via ADMS. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has established a waiver process to account for employers who may have encountered exceptional circumstances beyond their control that prevented them from submitting the claim before the 31 December 2023 deadline.

Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program (AAIP) Guidelines Part G, 4.4 Consideration of exceptional circumstances, define exceptional circumstances as:

Circumstances that are unusual, uncommon, or unexpected, and are outside of the control of the claimant including:

• an unexpected event that has affected the Claimant, such as a natural disaster or other serious unforeseen disruption to the business; or
• circumstances which mean requirements under the Incentives Program cannot be met, such as an Australian Apprentice being affected by illness, injury, or trauma

Waiver requests clearly demonstrating exceptional circumstances apply can be submitted to MEGT for escalation to the DEWR delegate, noting all submissions must be made before 31 March 2024. The Department will not accept any waiver requests submitted beyond this date.

CAC claim periods and time limits

CAC claims for wages paid between 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2025 must be submitted in the Apprenticeships Data Management System (ADMS) by 31 December 2025. All employers must register for ADMS to access any of the incentives within the Incentives System.

For assistance setting up your ADMS access click here.

If you need further help on 'How to register for an ADMS account' click here or view MEGT's ADMS video below.

Important Note: While the video refers to Priority Wage Subsidy and Hiring Incentive (under the Incentives System) the same steps apply to set up an ADMS account to lodge CAC claim applications.

Additional support on ‘How to claim a wage subsidy in ADMS’ is available here (video)

The Priority Wage Subsidy ceased to new entrants on 30 June 2024. Eligible employers can continue to claim where assessed as eligible prior to 30 June 2024.

Under the grandfathered Priority Wage Subsidy, the following payments are made (in arrears) to eligible employers, over a maximum of three years:

• First year: 10% of wages paid, up to a maximum of $1500 per quarter  
• Second year: 10% of wages paid, up to a maximum of $1500 per quarter  
• Third year: 5% of wages paid, up to a maximum of $750 per quarter

 The first payment is made three months after commencement. Subsequent payments are made quarterly.  

Exemption from Workers Compensation Insurance premiums – Apprentices

Employers may receive exemptions from workers compensation premiums for their apprentices through the Apprentice Incentive Scheme. This exemption is not available to employers of trainees.

Visit workcover.nsw.gov.au or download our factsheet for more information.

Continuing Apprentices Placement Service (CAPS)

Apprentices and trainees in skills shortages occupations and affected by economic downturn may register their details for a free job matching service. They may also be entitled to financial assistance up to a maximum of $2,500 to relocate to or from a regional area to continue their apprenticeship or traineeship.

Visit training.nsw.gov.au or apprenticeships.gov.au for more information.

Payroll tax rebates

The Office of State Revenue administers an offset rebate scheme for approved apprentices and new entrant trainees. Rebates are provided by allowing the amount of the rebate to be offset against monthly payroll tax payments.

Visit osr.nsw.gov.au or download our factsheet for more information.

Payroll Tax exemptions

The Office of State Revenue offers an incentive rebate to encourage employers to keep or increase their employment of apprentices and trainees. Wages paid to apprentices and new entrant trainees are generally exempt from payroll tax.

Visit treasury.qld.gov.au for more information.

Skilling Queenslanders for Work Initiative

Community organisations with not-for-profit objectives, in partnership with Registered Training Organisations with Pre-Qualified Supplier (PQS) status, will be able to apply for funding to start projects in local communities across Queensland.

These programmes are designed to create opportunities for eligible job seekers who are under-utilised or under-employed, as well as building the skills of young people, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, mature-aged job seekers and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Visit desbt.qld.gov.au/sqw for more information.

WorkCover exemption

Some apprentice/trainee remuneration is exempt from WorkCover Insurance.

Visit the WorkSafe website for more information.

Payroll Tax exemptions

Visit finance.wa.gov.au for more information.

Construction Training Fund

The Construction Training Fund supports employers to train apprentices in a range of construction trades in WA. If you employ an apprentice through direct indenture or a group training scheme, the Construction Training Fund can provide grants of up to $21,000 to help reduce the cost of training.

The Construction Training Fund Direct Indenture Program supports businesses and/or subcontractors who are the employers of an apprentice for the duration of a training contract registered with the Department of Training and Workforce Development.

Visit ctf.wa.gov.au/employer-funding for more information.

Employer Incentive Scheme

Through the WA Employer Incentive Scheme (EIS), you could be eligible for up to $8,500 for apprentices and up to $4,250 for new entrant trainees signed up on or after 1 July 2019. Visit jobsandskills.wa.gov.au or download our factsheet for more information.