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Wage and hiring incentives
In exciting news for employers, 75 high-priority occupations have been added to the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List. For high-priority apprenticeships, employers can earn up to $6,000 for first and second-year apprentices and up to $3,000 for third-year apprentices. This means ongoing incentives as your apprentices gain more experience and skills.
Replacing the current Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program from July 1 2022, the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System (AAIS) offers incentives to employers, particularly those industries experiencing skills shortages.
In its first phase, from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024, the Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System will provide wage subsidies for eligible employers in priority occupations.
- For employers of new or recommencing Australian Apprentices undertaking a Certificate III or higher qualification in a Priority Occupation, 10 per cent of wages for first and second year apprentices (up to $1,500 per quarter or $6,000 per year) and 5 per cent of wages for third year apprentices (up to $750 per quarter or $3,000 per year).
- For employers of Australian Apprentices not in a Priority Occupation, a hiring incentive of (max) $3,500 paid in two equal six-monthly instalments (max $1,750 each) after commencement is available. This is for new or recommencing Australian Apprentices undertaking a Certificate II or higher qualification in an occupation that is not on the Australian Apprentices Priority List.
Available financial support options can be found in our Guide to Incentives
From 1st January 2023: New Energy Apprentice Support payment
The New Energy Apprentice Support Payment is designed to encourage apprentices to choose clean energy careers, improve retention rates and deliver more successful completions by providing direct financial support to Australian Apprentices commencing an Australian Apprenticeship in a clean energy occupation.
The New Energy Apprentice Support Payment will be available to eligible Australian Apprentices undertaking a Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma level qualification with an occupational outcome listed on the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List and identified as a clean energy occupation (as highlighted in green on this document).
Eligibility Criteria:
All primary eligibility requirements must be met; AND
- The Australian Apprentice must have commenced or recommenced their Australian Apprenticeship, with a new employer, on or after 1 January 2023; or
- recommenced their Australian Apprenticeship with their original employer on or after 1 January 2023, where the period of suspension or cancellation was greater than 6 months if the commencement date was prior to 1 July 2022 or 12 months if the commencement date was on or after 1 July 2022; AND
The Australian Apprentice, at the date of commencement or recommencement with a new employer, must be undertaking:
- a qualification at the Certificate III, Certificate IV, Diploma or Advanced Diploma level listed on Australian Apprenticeships Priority List and identified as a clean energy qualification; and
- an Australian Apprenticeship with an occupational outcome listed on Australian Apprenticeships Priority List and identified as a clean energy occupation; AND
The employer must demonstrate:
- business engagement and operation with the clean energy sector; and
- the Australian Apprentice will be provided with a significant proportion of their work in the clean energy sector; on an ongoing basis and at commencement or recommencement.
Assistance for Australian Apprentices with Disability
Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support of up to $104.30 p/w (part-time pro-rata according to the hours worked) are available to employers. In addition, the Australian Government – Job Access Employment Assistance Fund can provide financial assistance for any workplace modifications required. For further information call 1800 464 800 or visit jobaccess.gov.au
Back to Work Incentive
Up to $20,000 is available for employing eligible jobseekers in regional areas of Queensland and parts of SE Queensland through the Queensland Government’s Back to Work initiative. More information.
Find out which occupations are on the Australian Priority List.
More Information
For more information on incentives available to employers and apprentices in the new Australian Apprenticeships Incentive System (AAIS), refer to the AAIS factsheet, AAIS Frequently Asked Questions,
Incentive claims prior to July 1, 2022
Employers claiming incentives for an apprentice or trainee who commenced before 1 July 2022 will continue to be supported under the current Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program. This includes the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements incentives which ended June 30, 2022.
ADMS claims process
You will no longer be required to submit your claims through to BUSY At Work but will be required to lodge your claims through an online portal with the Australian Government’s ‘Apprenticeship Data Management System’ (ADMS), which will require you to set up and link to your MyGovID account. More information can be found at AustralianApprenticeships.gov.au/About-ADMS
This new process for applying for wage subsidies has been modernised and streamlined for Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Claim Periods 6 and onwards (i.e. for wages paid 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2022) and the new wage subsidies and hiring incentives under the new Australian Apprenticeships Incentives System from July 1, 2022.
From the 9th of April, employers will be responsible for completing these wage subsidy claims using ADMS.
BUSY At Work will continue to provide advice and support services to employers from pre-commencement to completion of Australian Apprenticeships and will continue to process historic BAC and CAC wage subsidy claims for wages paid between 5 October 2020 and 31 December 2021.
How to get Started
If you haven’t already, your business will need to create a myGovID Digital Identity and connect it with your business using the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM).
How to get started with ADMS
To securely access ADMS, users will need to:
- Create a Digital Identity with myGovID,
- Connect your myGovID with a business through the Relationship Authorisation Manager (RAM), and
- Register for an ADMS account on the employment System Access Management (eSAM) portal.
Once your ADMS account has been set up by following the above steps, you will be able to access ADMS at any time.
MyGovID is your digital identity and makes it easier to prove who you are online – it’s like the 100-point ID check but on your smart device.
To access ADMS, your myGovID Digital Identity will need to be standard identity strength or above.
To learn how to set up your myGovID, please visit myGovID.gov.au.
RAM allows business owners to link their digital identity to their business and to authorise others to act on their behalf when using participating online government services.
Further information to help set up your ADMS account
Changes to the Wage Subsidy Application Process (PDF)
How to Set Up myGovID (PDF)
One Time Set up for ADMS Access (PDF)
Troubleshooting myGovID and RAM (PDF)
How to Link your myGovID identity to RAM (PDF)
How to attach documents in ADMS (PDF)
How to Accept a RAM Authorisation (PDF)
How to log into ADMS using your MyGov ID (PDF)
How to set up authorised administators and users in RAM (PDF)
Overview of the BAC and CAC Application Process (PDF)
Wage Subsidy Process Map (PDF)
BUSY At Work and The Apprenticeship Community are committed to supporting apprentices and trainees to complete their qualification and remain in work, and can provide advice on the Australian Government apprentice wage subsidy and available employer incentives.
This includes the new Australian Apprenticeship Incentive System which commenced July 1, 2022.
In 2020, as part of the Australian Government’s stimulus package to encourage businesses to employ an apprentice or trainee, businesses were able to claim for a 50% wage subsidy under the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements initiative. Applications for this initiative ended on June 30, 2022.
Further details can be found below.
Please note, we assist businesses in QLD and WA. If you are from another State, please visit www.treasury.gov.au for further information.
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC)
Employment Incentives for Employers – New Apprentices or Trainees.
ENDED 30th June 2022
Under the BAC scheme, employers of any size, location or industry were eligible for a Federal Government subsidy of 50% of the wages for apprentices or trainees employed from October 5th 2020, up to 30th June 2022. The support applies for 12 months from the first day of commencement of your new apprentice or trainee and is up to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter.
For example, if your apprentice or trainee starts on any date between 5 October 2020 up until 30 June 2022, you will be eligible to place claims for 12 months following the sign-up date.
Claims for Rounds 1-6 must be lodged by 30 June 2022, and Rounds 7-10 must be lodged by 30 June 2023.
Help to lodge your BAC claim
Further information to ensure you have all evidence required when lodging a claim can be found at: LODGING A BAC CLAIM
Acceptable Wage Evidence for BAC Claims
Payment summaries & wage evidence requirements
Provision must be made for accurate and regular wage reporting through Single Touch Payroll, unless an exemption from the ATO has been granted.
Please visit the Australian Taxation Office website for further information about Single Touch Payroll.
More information can be found here: Single Touch Payroll
If you are an employer and would like more information:
BACClaimsQLD@busyatwork.com.au
Completing Apprenticeship Commencements (CAC)
For businesses registered for the BAC wage subsidy:
The CAC is an extension to subsidies for employers of apprentices or trainees who have previously registered for the BAC.
After 12 months of this support, employers are eligible to transition to the time-limited CAC subsidy for the second and third years of an apprenticeship.
Under the CAC, eligible businesses will receive a 10 percent wage subsidy in the second year of an eligible apprenticeship, up to a maximum of $1,500 per quarter per person, and a 5 percent subsidy in the third year of their training, to a maximum of $750 per quarter per person.
Final claims for payment must be lodged by 30 June 2025.
As per the BAC claims, wage payment evidence must be provided.
Payment summaries & wage evidence requirements
Provision must be made for accurate and regular wage reporting through Single Touch Payroll unless an exemption from the ATO has been granted.
Please visit the Australian Taxation Office website for further information about Single Touch Payroll.
More information can be found here Single Touch Payroll
Further information on the wage subsidy
If your business is looking to or is currently employing apprentices or trainees, you can find more details on employment incentives available to you on the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website.
