• Commonwealth

• New South Wales

• Victoria

• Queensland

• Western Australia

• Tasmania

• Australian Capital Territory

• Northern Territory

• Wage subsidies and relocation costs

The Commonwealth provides the following employment programs:

• Workforce Australia (formerly jobactive)

• Transition to Work (for people aged 15-21)

• Youth Jobs Path (internships for people aged 17-24)

• ParentsNext (for parents with children under 6)

• Harvest Labour Services (connects workers with employers in harvesting areas around Australia)

• Disability Employment Services (commonly known as DES)

• New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (for people wanting to start their own business)

• Australian Apprenticeships

• National work experience programme (unpaid work experience for people 18 years and over, for 25 hrs a week or up to 4 weeks)

Employers can participate in the Launch into Work program, to co-design a tailored pre-employment program to train job seekers for specific roles within your organisation

Find more information for employers about government programs here.

Find organisations in your location that deliver these Commonwealth government programs and may be able to help you fill a vacancy.

The Commonwealth also runs the Settlement Language Pathways to Employment and Training (SLPET), which is part of the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and includes a work experience component. Find organisations delivering the SLPET in your State.

Australian businesses can also use the Commonwealth government’s Community support program to offer employment to a refugee living overseas and support their settlement. Contact an Approved Proposing Organisation in your State.

The Job Outlook website provides all job seekers with tools and resources to help make decisions about study and training, their first job, or the next step in their career.

SkillMax and English for Employment

Helps skilled migrants, including refugees and some asylum seekers, who have overseas qualifications, to seek employment in their area of professional expertise.

Regional NSW Investment Attraction Package

Offers relocation grants of up to $10,000 per worker to attract skilled workers to regional NSW businesses operating in eligible industries. Grants are to cover costs of relocation, including removalists and temporary accommodation for up to 3 months.

Wage subsidies

Wage subsidies are available for employing people receiving income support and meet certain eligibility requirements. Wage subsidies are also available for hiring apprentices and trainee workers. See Fact sheets about government assistance.

Employers can access a wage subsidy if they:

• have an Australian Business Number (ABN)

• have not previously received a wage subsidy for the same person

• are not an Australian, state or territory government agency

• offer a job that is expected to be ongoing and for an average of 20 hours per week over the six months of the wage subsidy agreement

• offer a job that complies with employment standards for the position - for example, is suitable work and pays as a minimum the national award wage.

Eligible businesses can receive payments over a 6-month period from employment services providers. Payments can be made weekly or fortnightly, or employers can receive up to 40% of the total subsidy after 4 weeks of the job starting if all eligibility requirements are met and the job remains ongoing.

Further information about managing a wage subsidy.

Relocation costs

Many job seekers who are registered with jobactive can receive government assistance with the costs of relocation:

• up to $6,000 if relocating to a regional area, or

• up to $3,000 if relocating to a capital city

• an extra $3,000 if relocating with dependent children.

The assistance is flexible and can be used for:

• Rent (up to 2 months)

• Rental bond and costs of connecting to gas, electricity, telephone

• Removalist and travel costs

• Some employment-related expenses.