Industry update – Apprentice wage subsidy to support regional businesses
Michaelia Cash, Minister for Small and Family Business, Skills and Vocational Education has today announced support for regional and rural businesses with a trial apprentice wage subsidy.
What is the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy?
Looking to encourage greater participation in the Australian Apprenticeships program from regional and rural employers, the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy provides financial support to eligible employers who hire an Australian Apprentice undertaking a qualification that leads to an occupation listed on the National Skills Needs List.
What subsidies are available?
The Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy provides support in the first three years of an Australian Apprenticeship.
Based on the award wage rate of the Australian Apprentice, the subsidy provides support as follows:
| Year of apprenticeship | Subsidy |
| First-year | 75% of award wage |
| Second-year | 50% of award wage |
| Third-year | 25% of award wage |
Who’s eligible?
From January 1 2019, Employers who employ a new worker Australian Apprentice undertaking a full-time Certificate III or IV qualification that leads to an occupation listed on the National Skills Needs List in a rural and regional workplace. The Australian Apprentice must be employed under the relevant Award (modern award) for their occupation.
Subsides are not available for employers who have previously employed an Australian Apprentice (or within a three-year period prior to 1 January 2019). The Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy is in addition to the suite of employer incentives available under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.
The employer must also meet all other eligibility requirements under the Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program.
To find out more about eligibility visit here.
We’re here to help you take advantage of the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy.
To be eligible for these funding initiatives, a Commonwealth Government Training Contract must be in place. It may sound complicated but don’t worry – that’s where we come in.
Once your new Australian Apprentice is on board, we’re here to sign them up and register their Training Contract with the relevant State Training Authority. Here to take you through every step of the signup process, we’ll make sure you’re ready to take advantage of the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy!
People who read this also enjoyed…