The Government is encouraging and supporting businesses to retain apprentices and trainees to ensure continuity of skilled workers across our trade industries.
Eligible employers can apply for a wage subsidy of 50% of the apprentice’s or trainee’s wage paid from 1 January 2020 to 30 September 2020. Where a small business is not able to retain an apprentice, the subsidy will be available to a new employer.
Employers will be reimbursed up to a maximum of $21,000, per eligible apprentice or trainee ($7,000 per quarter).
Who is eligible?
This subsidy is available to small businesses who employ less than 20 employees and retain an apprentice or trainee. The trainee or prentice must have had training with a small business before March 1 2020.
Employers of any size will be eligible for the subsidy if they re-engage an out-of-trade apprentice.
Employees can register for the subsidy from early April and final claims for payments must be made before December 31 2020.
