Government incentives & support

Finding people with the right skills for your business can be difficult. Have you considered taking on people facing barriers to employment? The government offers a range of funding and incentive schemes for businesses that support people with a disability, Aboriginal Australians, the long term unemployed and the mature-aged. For further information on available incentives and support services see the tables below.

General incentives

In the table below you will find a list of general incentives and support services available to employers hiring people facing barriers to employment.

Name	Description	Administering agency
Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme: Nurse Re-entry (NAHSSS)	This program provides cash incentives for nurses and midwives to return to the workforce, and bonuses for their employers.	Royal College of Nursing Australia (RCNA)
Drought Apprenticeship Retention Program (DARP)	DARP provides support to rural towns and communities during the drought by helping businesses retain apprentices and trainees.	Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology, South Australia
Employer Demand Demonstration Projects	Grant funding for businesses that develop innovative ways of recruiting, employing and retaining employees that are parents, mature aged, the very long term unemployed and people with a disability.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Employer Support Payment (ESP) Scheme	The ESP Scheme provides financial assistance to eligible employers to help offset the costs of releasing employees for most categories of Australian Defence Force service.	Department of Defence
Fresh Ideas for Work and Family (FIWF)	The FIWF grants program aims to support small businesses to implement practices that help employees balance their work and family obligations, and improve employee retention and productivity.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Jobs Fund - Get Communities Working	Seed capital is available for self-sustaining projects which create jobs and provide activities and services to improve community amenity.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) together with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the Department of the Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts.
Jobs Fund - Infrastructure Employment Projects	Funding is available for investment in infrastructure projects which generate jobs in regions affected by the economic downturn.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) together with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the Department of the Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts.
Jobs Fund - Local Jobs	Funding is available for community infrastructure projects with a focus on the promotion of environment-friendly technology and heritage.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) together with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the Department of the Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts.
NT Disadvantaged Groups Employer Incentive Scheme	Provides a financial incentive for businesses to employ additional apprentices and trainees from disadvantaged groups.	Department of Education and Training, Northern Territory
NT Occupational Shortage Employer Incentive Scheme	Provides a financial incentive for businesses to employ additional apprentices and trainees in areas with identified occupational shortages.	Department of Education and Training, Northern Territory
Work Experience Placement (WEP) program	The WEP program covers the personal accident and general liability insurance costs of businesses with job vacancies who offer work experience to disadvantaged job seekers.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Workplace English Language and Literacy (WELL) Program	Provides funding for businesses to train workers in the English language, literacy and numeracy skills.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

Hiring people with a disability

In the table below you will find a list of incentives and support services available to employers hiring people with a disability.

Name	Description	Administering agency
Auslan for Employment Program	Provides education and training to support new deaf employees, and existing deaf employees who use Auslan.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support	Provides ongoing support and assistance for employers who currently employ an apprentice with a disability and has been assessed as a person requiring assistance.	Australian Apprenticeships
JobAccess	JobAccess provides employers with information on employing people with a disability, including hiring, incentives, training and work strategies.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Supported Wage System (SWS)	SWS is a process that allows eligible employers to pay less than the minimum wage by matching a person's productivity with a fair wage.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Wage Subsidy Scheme	The Wage Subsidy Scheme offers financial assistance to employers of a person with a disability or someone who may be experiencing other barriers to employment. It helps pay wages in the first few months of employment.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Employment Assistance Fund	The Employment Assistance Fund helps people with disability and mental health condition by providing financial assistance to purchase a range of work related modifications and services for people who are about to start a job or who are currently working, as well as those who require assistance to find and prepare for work.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

Hiring Indigenous Australians

In the table below you will find a list of incentives and support services available to employers hiring Indigenous Australians.

Name	Description	Administering agency
Corporate Leaders for Indigenous Employment Project (CLIEP)	CLIEP offers flexible packages of funding to companies to develop Indigenous employment strategies and practices.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
National Indigenous Cadetship Project (NICP)	NICP provides grants to businesses that provide work experience, professional guidance or ongoing employment to full-time Indigenous tertiary students. The grant is to help employers to support cadets with a living allowance and study-related costs and offset employer administration costs.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Structured Training and Employment Projects (STEP)	STEP provides funding and support to private sector businesses that provide ongoing employment to Indigenous Australians.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Wage Assistance	Wage Assistance is a payment given to Australian employers as an incentive to employ Indigenous Australians on an on-going basis. Wage Assistance offers salary subsidies for full-time and part-time work.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)

Hiring mature aged workers

In the table below you will find a list of incentives and support services available to employers hiring mature aged workers.

Name	Description	Administering agency
Experience Counts	Provides financial assistance for the re-engagement of mature age workers in the workforce.	Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (DIIRD), Victoria
JobWise	JobWise provides information and employer support regarding potential mature age employees.	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR)
Mature Aged Worker Incentive	Provides businesses with incentives for employing and training mature aged apprentices.	Australian Apprenticeships

Source: business.gov.au

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