The Government will provide a capped 50% wage subsidy to businesses who take on a new Australian apprentice from 5 October 2020 to 30 September 2021.
It will be available to employers of any size or industry, Australia-wide, regardless of geographic location or occupation. There are two important caps:
- it is limited to 100,000 new apprentices or trainees in total; and
- the 50% subsidy will be limited to $7,000 per quarter ($28,000 per annum).
More information can be found on the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website. The payment will be paid in respect of commencing or recommencing apprentices; that is, it will be possible to re-employ former apprentices whose employment had been terminated.
The scheme will run from 5 October 2020 to 30 September 2021. The measure was earlier announced by the Prime Minister on 5 October 2020. The Department of Education, Skills and Employment states that the start date for claims is 1 January 2021; that is, payments will be made in arrears.