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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, Indigenous Australians, the long term unemployed and the mature-aged. For further information on available incentives and support services see the tables below.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Bringing Nurses Back into the Workforce (BNBW) | 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) on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing |
| 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) |
| 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) |
| Workplace Participation Program | The program provides a grant of up to $7 000 per job to eligible organisations that directly employ a Tasmanian who faces workforce barriers but has potential, that they possibly may not have otherwise considered. | Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Tasmania |
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) |
| Workplace Modifications Scheme (WMS) | The WMS provides financial support for costs involved in modifying the workplace or purchasing special or adaptive equipment for eligible and existing employees with a disability. | Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) |
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) |
| Indigenous Portal | The Indigenous portal website lists a number of Australian Government programs and services available to help Indigenous Australians and their employers. | Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) |
| 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) |
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 Age Employment and Workplace Strategy (MAEWS) | MAEWS provides information and services for employers of mature aged workers. | 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 |