The Australian Government has announced the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy to support employers and Group Training Organisations to take on new apprentices and trainees.

Is my business eligible?

 Your business or Group Training Organisation may be eligible if:

• you engage an Australian Apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 30 September 2021; and
• your Australian Apprentice or trainee is undertaking a Certificate II or higher qualification and has a training contract that is formally approved by the state training authority.

How much is the subsidy?

• Eligible employers and Group Training Organisations will receive a wage subsidy of up to 50 per cent of the Australian Apprentice’s or trainee’s gross wage paid.
• The wage subsidy is available for a maximum of $7,000 per quarter per eligible Australian Apprentice.
• The subsidy is available for wages paid from 5 October 2020 to 30 September 2021.

Eligibility of existing workers

Conditions for any existing workers that commenced in an Australian Apprenticeship between 5 October 2020 and 27 October 2020 will remain unchanged.

From 28 October 2020, your business or Group Training Organisation may be eligible to attract a subsidy for up to 30 existing workers who commence a non-trade Australian Apprenticeship on or after 28 October 2020 if they:

• move from casual employment to a part-time or full-time Australian Apprenticeship; or
• move from part-time employment to a full-time Australian Apprenticeship.

No limit will apply where the existing worker commences a trades-based Australian Apprenticeship.

Anything else I should know?

• The subsidy is available to employers of any size, industry or location.
• The subsidy is capped at 100,000 places.
• The subsidy is not available for apprentices receiving other forms of Australian Government wage subsidy e.g. Supporting Apprentices and Trainees, JobKeeper or the JobMaker Hiring Credit.
• Payments will be made quarterly in arrears, with first claims for the subsidy available from 1 January 2021.
• Final claims for payment must be lodged by 31 December 2021.

How do employers register and apply for the subsidy?

An eligible employer should advise of intent to claim Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements using the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Registration Form during sign up of a new Australian Apprentice. The form will be available from your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider.

Reproduced from Australian Government, Department of Education, Skills and Employment Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements fact sheet and FAQ’s sheet.