This subsidy allows for eligible small business employers and host employers to apply for a reimbursement of 50% of the wages paid to eligible apprentices for the nine months from 1 January 2020 to 30 September 2020.

It also allows for eligible small and medium business employers and host employers to apply for a reimbursement of 50% of the wages paid to eligible apprentices for the nine months from 1 July 2020 to 31 March 2021.

A maximum of $7,000 can be reimbursed per quarter, per eligible apprentice. Where a small or medium business is not able to retain an apprentice, the subsidy will be available to a new employer

A business may be eligible if they had fewer than 20 employees on 1 March 2020 and employed, or hosted, one or more eligible apprentices on this date.

The expansion of this subsidy also means that a business may be eligible if they had fewer than 200 employees on 1 July 2020 and employed, or hosted, one of more eligible apprentices on this date.

The business will remain eligible for the wage subsidy provided they continue to employ or host the same apprentice

need to apply to your Australian Apprenticeship Support Network. Once approved, you can seek reimbursement by completing a Supporting Apprentices and Trainees Claim Form. Reimbursements are for a three-month period and are paid in arrears.

Your Group Training Organisation (GTO), as the employer, will apply for the wage subsidy.

The GTO will receive the reimbursement and must pass this on to you, the eligible host. Your reimbursement will be equal to half of the wages paid by the GTO to the apprentice (not half of what you paid to the GTO).

You will remain eligible for the reimbursement if you continue to host the same apprentice.

No. Employers are not eligible if they have received or are in receipt of the Australian Apprentice Wage Subsidy or equivalent Australian Government wage subsidy for the same apprentice. 

The answer to this question varies depending on whether you employ your apprentice(s) directly or are a host employer. The important thing to remember is that wages are only eligible for the subsidy if the apprentice was employed or hosted by a small business (on 1 March 2020) or small or medium sized business (on 1 July 2020). It is also important to remember that if an employer has already terminated an eligible apprentice, they will no longer be able to access the wage subsidy.

Those who employ a new apprentice directly
If you employ an eligible apprentice who was let go by their previous employer, you can access the subsidy for that apprentice.

Those who take on a new apprentice as a host employer
If you take on an eligible apprentice who was let go by their previous host employer, but remains employed by the same GTO, you can access the subsidy.

If you take on an eligible apprentice who was previously employed directly by a small business, but has been subsequently employed by a GTO, the GTO can choose to keep the reimbursement or pass on all, or some of it, to you as a host employer.

Yes. A business will be eligible to attract this subsidy for any apprentice that is retained (subject to meeting the eligibility criteria). This is regardless of whether other apprentices employed by the business have been retained or not.

The answer to this question varies depending on whether you employ your apprentice(s) directly or are a host employer.

Those who employ a new apprentice directly

No. For employers (other than GTOs), where an Australian Apprenticeship is cancelled, the employer will not be eligible to attract this subsidy if they employ another apprentice at a later date.

Those who take on a new apprentice as a host employer

Yes, if the apprentice’s direct employer is a GTO.

Yes, if the business hosts the apprentice and the apprentice’s employer is a GTO. It is important to note that if the apprentice was re-engaged by the GTO, then the GTO can opt to keep the subsidy and not pass it on to the host.

Click here for further information Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements.