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Are you a small business owner? Do you employ or host apprentices? Read on, you may be able to get 50% of apprentice wages back.
$1.3 billion to help small business employers keep their apprentices on the books. Eligible small business employers and hosts can apply for a reimbursement of 50% of the wages paid to eligible apprentices from 1 January to 30 September 2020. You could be reimbursed up to $7,000 per apprentice per quarter.
If a business suspends an eligible apprentice after 1 March 2020 for less than six months, they will be able to access the wage subsidy when the apprentice returns to the same employer. If it has been longer than six months, the wage subsidy will no longer be available.
From 2 April 2020, you can apply by contacting your local 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. The first claim will be for the period 1 January 2020 to 31 March 2020.
Your Group Training Organisation (GTO), as the employer, will apply for the wage subsidy. Applications open on 2 April 2020. Your GTO will receive the reimbursement and must pass this on to you. Your first 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) between 1 January and 31 March 2020. You will remain eligible for the reimbursement if you continue to host the same apprentice.
Businesses can continue to hire apprentices. However, wages are only eligible for the subsidy if the apprentice was employed or hosted by a small business on 1 March 2020.
If an eligible apprentice is let go by their host but remains employed by the same GTO, a business of any size that subsequently hosts the apprentice will receive the wage reimbursement.
If an eligible apprentice is let go by their employer:
Can I claim the Apprentice Wage Subsidy and the JobKeeper Payment?
You can’t claim both at the same time. However, you can claim one and then transfer to the other.
In other words, if you meet the eligibility for the Apprentice Wage Subsidy and the JobKeeper Payment, you should:
Want more information? Contact your state Master Builders Association or your local Apprenticeship Support Network.