Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Program
Amount: Up to $28,000 per staff member
Closing Date: 31 March 2022
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Wage Subsidy
You could claim up to $28,000 per staff member
To assist with the recovery from COVID-19, the Australian Government is providing support to all eligible employers who hire a new apprentice.
The Australian Government has announced it is extending the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements (BAC) wage subsidy to support more employers and Group Training Organisations to take on new apprentices and trainees before 31 March 2022.
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Wage Subsidy
The Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy supports businesses and Group Training Organisations to take on new apprentices and trainees, to build a pipeline of skilled workers to support sustained economic recovery.
Employers Can Receive Up To $7,000 per quarter per employee
Through the subsidy, any business or Group Training Organisation that engages an Australian Apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022 may be eligible for a subsidy of 50 per cent of wages paid to a new or recommencing apprentice or trainee for a 12-month period from the date of commencement, to a maximum of $7,000 per quarter. There is no cap on the number of eligible trainees/apprentices.
Australian Apprenticeships Incentives Program
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Business Eligibility Requirements
Your business or Group Training Organisation may be eligible if:
- you engage an Australian Apprentice between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022, 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.
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements Wage Subsidy Requirements
- Eligible employers and Group Training Organisations (GTOs) will receive a wage subsidy of up to 50 per cent of the Australian Apprentice’s gross wage paid.
- The subsidy is available for Australian Apprentices commencing or recommencing between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022.
- The wage subsidy is available for a maximum of $7,000 per quarter, per eligible Australian Apprentice, for wages paid in the 12-month period from date of commencement or recommencement.
Things You Should Know About The $28,000 Wage Grant
- The subsidy is available to employers of any size, industry or geographic location.
- The subsidy is not available for any apprentice receiving any other form of Australian Government wage
subsidy e.g. Supporting Apprentices and Trainees or JobKeeper. - 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 30 June 2023.
- The 100,000 cap limit has been removed to provide additional support to employers and GTOs.
- The Australian Apprenticeship Support Network will deliver additional Gateway Service places and enhanced
- In-Training Support for women interested in, or starting, an apprenticeship in a non-traditional trade
occupation.
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements FAQ
Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements is a government wage subsidy to encourage employers of any size or industry, Australia-wide, to take on new apprentices and trainees.
This wage subsidy is in addition to the $2.8 billion Supporting Apprentices and Trainees wage subsidy, which closed to new entrants on 31 March 2021.
To support a sustained economic recovery, the 100,000 cap limit for the Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements measure has been removed. This will assist a greater number of employers and Group Training Organisations to take on additional apprentices and trainees and provide assurance to employers who are eligible but missed out on a place in the 100,000 limit cap before a sign-up meeting could occur.
Your business or Group Training Organisation may be eligible if:
- you engage an Australian Apprentice or trainee between 5 October 2020 and 31 March 2022; 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.
Additional eligibility requirements will apply to existing workers.
From 28 October 2020, an employer, or host employer (if using a Group Training Organisation), will be eligible for the subsidy for up to 30 existing worker commencements when:
- an existing worker transfers from a casual employment arrangement to either a part-time or full-time Australian Apprenticeship; or
- an existing worker transfers from a part-time employment arrangement to a full-time Australian Apprenticeship.
There will be no changes for commencements of existing workers in trade-based Australian Apprenticeships.
As long as all other eligibility criteria are met, an Australian Apprentice who has an approved Training Contract, with a commencement date between 5 October and 27 October 2020, will be eligible to attract the subsidy for their employer. The revised eligibility will only apply to commencements from 28 October 2020.
As long as all other eligibility criteria are met, an Australian Apprentice who has an approved Training Contract, with a commencement date between 5 October and 27 October 2020, will be eligible to attract the subsidy for their employer. The revised eligibility will only apply to commencements from 28 October 2020.
